Weekender: Grange-over-sands
Joe and Elaine Ormerod spend a few days in the north west, reminiscing as they explore coast and lakes before visiting Squirrel Nutkin’s birthplace
Joe and Elaine Ormerod reminisce about holidays past on a trip to the coast and lakes of the north-west
AS A CHILD, I went to Grange-over-sands regularly with my parents and a few family members. I have fond memories of the town – but not the lido where the water always seemed to be just above freezing! Joe also has wonderful memories of Grange. He used to stay in a static caravan with his late wife, Maureen, and their four children. They still talk about their great holidays there – so it was time to reminisce but also to see what Grange offers now. The Edwardian town lies between Kendal in the east and Barrow-in-furness to the west. It’s well positioned for visits to the south Lakes, too. Our base, Meathop Fell Caravan and Motorhome Club site, lies a little outside Grange-over-sands. From some pitches there are stunning views of the huge expanse of sand that is Morecambe Bay – beautiful but treacherous. Before the railway arrived, the monks of Cartmel Priory led travellers across the sands. Later, a royally appointed post known as The Queen’s Guide to the Sands was created. The current holder, Cedric Robinson MBE, is the 25th guide. He leads charity fundraiser groups across the eight or so miles of shifting sands. Cedric has spent more then 50 years as the official guide and his knowledge of the sands is second to none. It’s not a walk to be undertaken without a guide.
Blast from the past
We set off to walk to Grange on a mild, sunny spring day. The route is a quiet country road past the golf course, then along by the railway line until we reached the far end of the promenade. At this point new visitors to the resort will be puzzled because a grass meadow confronts you, often grazed by sheep. That’s because over the years the River Kent has changed its course and the quicksands and mudf lats Joe and I remember have disappeared. We strolled along the promenade, past the Victorian railway station and stopped in the ornamental gardens to eat our picnic lunch. The gardens were laid out in 1866 by the Furness Railway Company on part of Grange marsh, which had been cut off by the new railway in 1857. There’s a lake, more commonly known as the Duck Pond,
housing a collection of exotic and local waterfowl. It’s a delightful and tranquil place to sit and watch the world go by. It was a pleasant interlude before we continued our stroll along the promenade where there are children’s play areas, gardens maintained by the locals and a popular café. We walked as far as the derelict lido, which is a Grade Ii-listed building. It was built in the 1930s and is the only Art Deco lido in the north of England. Originally filled with filtered, unheated salt water at high tide, the lido closed in 1993. Over the years, many plans have been made to restore it to its former glory. By the time we got back to the site we’d walked just under seven miles. The next day we took a short trip out to Cartmel, just over two miles from Grange. It’s a beautiful historic village with a number of claims to fame, one of them being a sticky toffee pudding! The village is renowned for its 12th-century medieval priory church, a gatehouse built in 1330 and a market cross. This little village has one of the smallest and, I think, prettiest racecourses in the country, with meetings between May and August. The priory church was founded in the 12th century by William Marshall, Earl of Pembroke and was one of the few which avoided demolition during the dissolution of the monasteries. Externally, a square belfry tower is constructed diagonally across the original lantern tower, the only one of its kind in the UK. Meanwhile, inside, the east window is composed of 15th-century fragments of stained glass, the choir stalls date from 1450 and there are skull and crossbone features in the stone floor. Add a stream, the Eea, running through the village, a Michelin-starred restaurant, independent shops, cafés and pubs and you have a fascinating village. We devoured delicious scones, butter, jam and cream at the Mallard’s Nest, just opposite the Priory, before returning to the campsite.
Heritage with a discount
It’s always worth talking to the campsite wardens or checking what’s posted on the noticeboard. We got a 10% voucher off the price of a visit to the Lakeland Motor Museum. They advertise that it’s “so easy to get to by road, sail or rail”, so if you’re staying near Windermere you can catch one of the boats, then the Lakeside and Haverthwaite steam train, and make it a full day out. We arrived by road and were amazed at the collection of not just motors, but anything associated with transport. With more than 30,000 exhibits, there’s something of interest for everyone – vintage and veteran cars, motorcycles, scooters, bicycles, old petrol pumps and die-cast scale models are crammed into every available space. Needing a break, we popped out to Café Ambio for coffee and cake and sat in the sunshine by the River Leven. The Campbell Bluebird Exhibition is housed in a separate building – it’s a tribute to Sir Malcolm and Donald Campbell, featuring full-size replicas of their vehicles. Outside we found a Burlingham Langdale caravan of 1948 vintage. Our next bargain visit was to Holker Hall (pronounced hooker). Another voucher from campsite reception plus our Caravan
‘The Campbell exhibition at the Lakeland Motor Museum has full-size replicas of the Bluebird car and boats’