Off to Lancaster at the weekend – any must see stuff in the area?

As title!

We’re going to visit Crosby beach on the way back down to look at the statues.

Ta!

Ashton memorial is quite impressive and has lovely views. Butterfly house might be good but ask when they last hatched, it can be quite sparse or can be flooded with them

The castle is well worth a look round. Head out to Morecambe and have tea at the Midland hotel.

If you’re heading towards Morecambe to the Midland (which I’d recommend) and you fancy a stroll, its worth going a bit further up the coast, and calling in at Arnside, and have a walk up the knott. Its lovely! And there are great views over the lakes from the top

And also there’s a pretty serious pie shop on the front. Whats not to like? 😀

Cheers – Arnside looks like its certainly worth a visit.

Is that where the bus museum is?

EDIT, no, that would be Leyland.

Try to find the Wolf House Gallery in Silverdale, it has a nice cafe and giftie shoppie and some pets for the kids.

If you are taking bikes, you can ride south down the old Lune estuary railway track to Conder Green where there’s a nice cafe called the Cafe D’Lune then on to Glasson Dock, which is an interesting mini port with a bigger cafe, a smokehouse and some boats to look at.

Just north of Lancaster there’s even a small vineyard, Mount Pleasant. Dunno if it’s open to the public though.

The coast path from Holins Farm caravan site round to Arnside makes a nice family outing, a bit like a mini version of the West Coast Trail on Vancouver island!

Ashton Memorial/Williamson Park +1
Priory Hall/Music Room/Atkinson’s coffee place – http://www.thecoffeehopper.com
Lancaster castle is open to visitors now I think
Midland Hotel (plus a stroll along the prom/stone jetty) +1 – sunsets in Morecambe Bay are absolutely stunning
Trough of Bowland area just outside Lancaster is lovely
Arnside/Silverdale +1

+1 for the Wolf House cafe – best cakes. Lovely walking all round there.
If you’re around Silverdale/Arnside there’s the Leighton Moss RSPB reserve (also good cakes)
Visit Morecambe for the Midland Hotel for afternoon tea (expensive but special – they do cakes) and to pay homage to Eric.
Did I mention the cakes?

Take in the stark industrial beauty of Heysham 1 & 2 nuclear power stations. There’s a visitors’ centre.

Thanks again!

We did wonder about the Midland Hotel, but thought it could be all style over substance. Seems to get a few thumbs-up though.

Any decent pubs for an evening meal (we’re kipping at the Holiday Inn), but don’t mind travelling a little bit to a nice village.

Theres no shortage of decent pubs and places to eat in Lancaster.

What you could do if you don’t fancy driving, so you can sample some ales, is get the train out to Arnside, or further, maybe Grange Over Sands way. Its a lovely journey, the line runs right along the coast. There are plenty of good pubs out that neck of the woods, then just jump back on the train to Lancaster, after a big feed and a few glasses of vino

Turn left out of the Holiday Inn and head towards Kirkby Lonsdale. After about 20 minutes you get to Hornby – Castle Inn[/url] Nice meal there just last weekend. On one of my local cycle loops!

If you;re heading up towards Arnside, there;s also Leighton Moss RSPB Reserve

Carnforth for the station and that “Brief Encounter” moment if your missus likes her classic films

Any decent pubs for an evening meal (we’re kipping at the Holiday Inn), but don’t mind travelling a little bit to a nice village.

The Sun Inn in Kirkby Lonsdale is excellent and the town is very pretty – there’s a nice loop from the village square down a little lane to Devil’s bridge and along the river and back up to town through the churchyard.

The Highwayman between Lancaster and Kirkby always used to be very good but I’ve heard it may have lost it a little recently.

I was going to recommend the Strickland Arms at Sizergh as it used to be good but then I read the reviews on Tripadvisor and changed my mind!

Sizergh Castle looks OK though; I seem to remember having enjoyed my visit there.