So Sir Elton John has seen the light and is headed to South
Cumbria in June 2015. It’s not every day
we get a superstar on our doorstep and there will no doubt be thousands of
folks heading to the region to enjoy the fun in sun (it never rains in Cumbria). Las Vegas may have the bright lights, but
Morecambe Bay has the jaw dropping views and spectacular wildlife, so why not
add on a couple of extra nights to your concert visit and explore some of the
amazing things that Morecambe Bay has to offer? (I've even given them an Elton John theme...)
St Patrick’s Chapel just to the south of Morecambe dates
back to around the 8th Century.
Near to the ruins of the chapel there are 6 stone tombs carved in to the
rock – sitting on a headland at the south of Morecambe Bay they offer stunning
views across the bay and a glimpse into the history of the area.
We all know the song was originally written as a tribute to
Marilyn Monroe and in Lancaster we have our own tribute to a beautiful
woman. The Ashton Memorial was commissioned
by Lord Ashton as a tribute to his late wife and sits in Williamson Park high
above Lancaster. It was completed in
1909 and the views from the first floor viewing gallery will take your breath
away.
Morecambe Prom is the home to various festivals and events
throughout the year – at last year’s Vintage Festival (centred around the
beautiful art deco Midland Hotel) we were treated to a fly past by a pair of
Lancaster Bombers – not sure if either of the pilots was called Bennie though...
OK – I’ll confess, this particular grey seal wasn’t
photographed in Morecambe Bay – but there are many places around the bay where
you can spot them, particularly at high tide.
My suggestion is to head to South Walney Nature Reserve & pack a picnic.
Say Goodbye to the Yellow Brick Road and “hello” to
Morecambe Bay Cycleway. Timed perfectly
to coincide with Sir Elton’s visit, the Morecambe Bay Cycleway will open in
June 2015. The cycleway runs from Walney
in the north to Glasson Dock in the south linking over 100 miles of traffic
free routes with quiet backroads and country lanes – perfect for family days
out and those wishing to get closer to the local wildlife.
The RSPB nature reserve at Leighton Moss is famous for being
the home of BBCs Autumnwatch for the past 2 years – but it’s perfect to visit
any time of the year. You don’t need to
be a birding expert, you can hire binoculars when you arrive and there will
always be someone on hand to help you spot something interesting – like this
gorgeous Marsh Harrier.
It’s not that we’re expecting trouble, but right in the
middle of Lancaster is the castle – which up until 2011 still operated as a
working prison. The prison tours are an
absolute must; though brace yourself for a few fabulous grisly horror stories -
the famous Lancashire Witches are only half the story...
Whatever shade of blue you fancy – Morecambe Bay has
it. The vast expanse of the bay
stretches as far as the eye can see with huge skies looming large above
you. Beautiful blue skies and white
sandy beaches may lull you into thinking you're somewhere rather more exotic –
but you don’t need to travel to the Bahamas - these blues are all on show at South Walney Nature Reserve.
Some folks think the chimney at Jenny Brown’s Point near
Silverdale was part of an old copper smelting mill – others disagree. Whatever its origins, they built it well and
it makes for a dramatic view across the saltmarshes found in this part of the
bay.
OK, so Sir John Barrow didn’t build a rocket, but he was
born in Ulverston and was a founder member of the Royal Geographic
Society. The Hoad Monument is a scale
replica of the Eddystone Lighthouse and stands on a hill overlooking the
town. On the days it’s open, for a small
donation, you can climb to the top of the monument for views across the Lake
District fells in the north and away to Blackpool Tower in the south.
Piel Island is a rocky outcrop just off the Furness
Peninsula and though it has no crocodiles (and is unlikely to have unless
global warming really kicks in) it does have the magnificent 14th
Century Piel Castle which was built by the Abbot of Furness to guard the Barrow
harbour from pirates. While you’re over
there nip into The Ship Inn next door to learn about the King of Piel Island
and his knights....
Warton Crag is the perfect spot for an evening stroll and
the ideal vantage point for watching one the superb sunsets over the bay before
enjoying dinner at one of the many fantastic local pubs and restaurants. Although, to be fair, in the middle of June
the sun doesn’t actually go down for all that long so you’ll have plenty of
daylight to enjoy the hundreds of other attractions in the area – like learning
to sail at the Bay Sea School, afternoon tea the Midland Hotel, a visit to Carnforth station (where they filmed Brief Encounter) or a stroll
around Leighton Hall.
If you want to find out how to make the most of your visit
to the area, click here to go to the local tourist information pages – choc
full of other ideas and inspiration.
Don’t just come up for the Elton John gig – stay a while and see what
Morecambe Bay has to offer – I promise you won’t be disappointed.
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