We sent our writer, Rachel McAlley to see what Lancashire has to offer, for a few days of relaxation and copious amounts of fun.
I left a drizzly, overcast Yorkshire with my family and arrived in Lancashire to the glorious rays of bright sunshine. We were off to spend a few days enjoying the scenery, shops, food outlets, and entertainment in the county of Lancashire. Mainly the Clitheroe and surrounding areas to be exact.
Clitheroe, Lancashire
We arrived in Clitheroe town centre and visited a few shops and the cutest chocolate themed cafe, called The Chocolate Works. I ordered The Works Hot Chocolate, which came on a plate with enough chocolate and treats to feed us all.
After leaving the town we headed to our accommodation for the next few days, Laythams Holiday Lets Retreat at Laythams Farm. Located a few miles from Clitheroe, Laythams is an old farmhouse that has been restored into a number of stunning properties.
The Cottage At Laythams
Our hosts, Victoria and Paul had prepared The Cottage, a two-bedroom quaint residence that accommodates up to five guests. The Cottage offered a tranquil space for us to relax, unwind, play games, cook, and simply enjoy the dark skies at night.
The galley kitchen with its adorable wooden beams, open-bricked walls, and low ceiling was the perfect size for my family of three. It had everything we needed from cooking equipment including an oven, hob and fridge, to a washing machine, and even a dishwasher. Victoria had prepared a little hamper together for us with lots of local produce, which was a wonderful touch.
Offset from the kitchen was the dining table and chairs, nestled under the staircase. It was perfectly placed next to the kitchen, an ideal place from where to eat all our meals.
More At The Cottage
Once upstairs we walked straight into the open lounge, complete with log burner, book nook, giant sofa , huge TV, board games and books. The lounge window overlooked the Forest of Bowland, and the rolling hills of Lancashire. There were a pair of binoculars for use whilst staying at The Cottage, which came in very handy during our stay.
The bedroom next to the lounge for one guest offered a single bed, skylight, and small round window, and the main bedroom was located up a couple of steps. It was vast and open with plenty of space to relax and unwind with a couple of chairs facing the large windows to look over the fells and a kingsized luxurious bed.
Everything about Laythams was magnificent, from the comfort of the seating and beds to the facilities and amenities, we couldn’t have stayed anywhere better. The courtyard offered a BBQ, outdoor seating, plus a homemade tree swing for the younger guests. Both Victoria and Paul have thought of everything.
Booths
Our first evening at The Cottage we cooked dinner ourselves, rather than going out. We picked up our supplies from my favourite supermarket in the UK, Booths. It is a Lancastrian brand, and the stores can only be found in and around Lancashire, with a few in Cumbria, a couple in Yorkshire, and one in Cheshire.
We called into the Clitheroe Booths store with £50 voucher in hand and purchased many own brand products including; homemade curries, salads, fruit, and local beer, bacon, and crisps. I was in supermarket heaven!
Back at The Cottage we cooked our meal, ate in the dining room, and after doing the dishes we relaxed for the evening upstairs in front of the TV with a drink and a boardgame. It was such a wonderful evening, all three of us went to bed very happy indeed.
Holmes Mill & Bowland Social
After breakfast the following day, we ventured out and about and went to experience Bowland Social at Holmes Mill, Clitheroe. A place where we had total and utter fun from the moment we arrived until we left.
Firstly, we checked in to the reception desk and picked up our darts to play AR Darts, classic darts but levelled up. We played on a real darts board but with augmented reality tracking with every throw. Honestly, it was the most fun we’ve had in ages. We laughed a lot, and there may have been an odd fall out, but we smashed those darts games between us. I came last, which of course I completely took on the chin (not)!
Secondly, we moved onto Crazy Golf, a game of skill. Which, we soon realised we didn’t have! There were 9 creative holes to play, alongside some unexpected twists, but once again we did a fair bit of laughing. I came second here, so my mood was lifted and I felt like I had won the world PGA championship. From Bowland Social we ventured through to Bowland Beer Hall at Holmes Mill.
Bowland Beer Hall
Bowland Beer Hall is a place of absolute beauty, the Chimney Room is where we ate lunch. Dotted between original mill stone walls, and industrial wheels is a dining space for guests to enjoy lunch or dinner. We went to the bar, one of Britain’s longest at 105ft in length to order drinks. The menu regularly has over 60 different crafts beers and ciders from local (just a few feet away at Bowland Brewery) to up and down the UK.
The menus arrived and we ordered Holmes Made Nachos to share to start, followed by a Bowland Cheeseburger, Bang Bang Chicken Burger, and a Chicken Caesar Salad. It was all very good, the burgers were cooked perfectly, and the salad was hearty and super tasty. The staff were incredibly helpful with the food menu and also the vast beer menu. Equally, we asked about places to visit in the area and were told of a local bridge that one half is in Lancashire and the other half of the bridge is in Yorkshire. So, that was going to be our next port of call.
Brungerley Bridge, Lancashire
Driving back to The Cottage from Holmes Mill, we drive through a lovely little village called Waddigton, in the Ribble Valley. Just outside Waddington is Brungerley Bridge, famed for its three arches, and a piece of stonework featuring boundary inscriptions form the old Lancashire-Yorkshire border.
Once again we dined inside our homely and cosy cottage at Laythams Holiday Lets Retreat. This particular evening we were still full to bursting from our earlier meal at Bowland Beer Hall, so we just ate nibbles and watched a movie on the giant TV.
We spent the evening relaxing and enjoyed playing a few games before packing our suitcases and having a dreamy night at The Cottage.
On our final day in Lancashire we decided to visit Boundary Outlet, a unique shopping centre in Colne. This giant shopping outlet was on route home to North Yorkshire, so it made perfect sense to call by, and spend an hour or so having a little retail therapy.
We couldn’t have asked for a more rewarding 3-days in Lancashire. We managed to fit lots into our trip, from food and drink destinations, to shopping and relaxing, plus some excellent entertainment too. Our only problem is where to go on our next visit to Lancashire!
In Conclusion
These are the reasons you will fall in love with Lancashire. It is a beautiful county, with rolling fells and hills, stunning landscape all around, and extremely friendly locals. We enjoyed the food, the entertainment, and our quaint cottage. We can’t wait to return.
With thanks to Laythams Holiday Lets Retreat, The Cottage, Booths Supermarket, and Holmes Mill including Bowland Social and Bowland Beer Hall for their wonderful hospitality. Furthermore, thanks must go to Marketing Lancashire for their regional recommendations and excellent itinerary.
Words by Rachel McAlley @LadyRach
