Lancashire’s stunning coastline
Janette Sykes enjoyed the cream of coast and countryside in one of north-west England’s most beautiful – and lesser-known – corners
WHENEVER MY HUSBAND and I drive north on the M6 towing our caravan, more often than not, we’re headed for the tried and trusted landscapes of the Lake District.
But recently, we decided to leave the motorway a junction earlier (35) to explore a lesser-known area, Arnside and Silverdale, at the mouth of the River Kent and the north-western corner of Morecambe Bay.
Blessed with a breathtaking coastline, scenic villages and plenty of scope to enjoy leisurely sightseeing, walking and cycling, it’s deservedly designated as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB).
Big skies, great views
This is also the ideal location for a relaxing long weekend, an unbeatable combination of coastline and countryside, with big skies and panoramic views wherever you roam.
We stayed at the Gibraltar Farm Campsite near Silverdale village, a working dairy farm with fields that stretch down to Morecambe Bay – a brilliant place to catch the dramatic sunsets when the weather is kind. It’s the sort of area where weather conditions seem to change constantly – reminding us very much of the western coasts of Ireland and Scotland. One moment the bay sparkles under blue sky and brilliant sunshine, the next, the clouds and mist move in, bringing blustery breezes and squally showers. It pays to be equipped with both sunglasses and waterproofs, to be on the safe side!
The tides are equally enigmatic, waxing as fast as they have waned over shifting foundations that demand the utmost respect from anyone embarking on a guided walk with an expert Queen’s Guide across the bay’s famously unpredictable terrain.
Having said that, there are magical moments that are all the more precious for being so fleeting. One that stays in my mind is watching the cows return to the fields after early morning milking, mooing contentedly as they crossed traditionally managed pastureland.
Another is a truly stunning sunset that flooded the sky after a day of intermittent wind and rain, with the sun’s dying rays streaming like honey from a canopy of inky clouds, striping the sand flats below. All too brief, but quite spectacular.
With this wealth of natural beauty on the doorstep, it was tempting to stay put, but we found plenty to see and do in the surrounding area. Walking is a real pleasure on National Trust land at Arnside Knott, Heald Brow and Jack Scout, where you can witness equally impressive vistas from The
Giant’s Seat at Jenny Brown’s Point, built by locals in the 19th century, or towards Humphrey Head, where legend has it that the last wolf in England was slain.
At Jack Scout, you can see the remains of a kiln, where lime was once smelted for farmers to mix with manure, to provide fertiliser for their land.
Perfect for cycling
The area’s peaceful roads, bridleways and award-winning coastal National Cycle Network trail are perfect for a spot of relaxing cycling, while keen birdwatchers and wildlife spotters will enjoy spending time at the RSPB’S Leighton Moss and Morecambe Bay Nature Reserves.
Here, if you’re lucky, you’ll be able to spot red deer, otters and some of the UK’S rarest, most elusive birds, such as the bittern.
The lure of the sea led us to Morecambe, once a fashionable and popular resort, but now somewhat faded around the edges. Its heyday harks back to the 1920s and 1930s, when thousands of tourists flocked here to enjoy its spectacular setting, open-air lido and variety entertainment.
Each year, a series of guided walks are on offer to help visitors discover its rich history, focusing on film, comedy, music, drama and its Art Deco heritage.
While most people will be aware of the town’s links with Eric Morecambe, Thora Hird and Victoria Wood, few realise that
Morecambe once had more cinema screens than a modern multiplex, or that in 1903, composer Edward Elgar described the town and its annual music festival as ‘the musical heart of the nation’.
Art Deco style
If your time is limited, but you’re keen to enjoy some Art Deco style with your morning coffee, lunch, afternoon tea or traditionally made ice cream – including grand specialities such as knickerbocker glory or banana split – a visit to Brucciani’s on Marine Road West is a must.
The former milk bar, opened in 1939, still has its original (now listed) exterior and interior, including fabulous wood panelling, period furniture and engraved mirrors.
For me, a visit to Morecambe is always a welcome trip down memory lane, because my parents and their extended families spent many happy summer holidays here.
My memories date from the 1960s, when the lido still hosted bathing beauty contests and The Beatles appeared at the Floral Hall.
But green shoots of hope for the future have sprouted, and now look set to flourish. The four-star Midland Hotel – a magnificent monument to Art Deco architecture and design – has been beautifully restored and dominates the seafront, in the style of an elegant ocean-going liner.
Afternoon tea or dinner is extra-special in the curving, glass-fronted Sun Terrace restaurant, and it’s worth stepping inside the lobby to appreciate its eye-catching cantilevered spiral staircase and Portland stone friezes crafted by Eric Gill.
The seafront – including the Stone Jetty, built in 1853 as a railway terminus serving the Irish and Scottish ferry lines – has been sympathetically remodelled to complement its stunning environment. It now features an impressive range of public sculptures, including seabirds and stone motifs, which form an interesting walking trail.
In addition, Morecambe could soon host the ambitious Eden Project North. If plans are approved to create five mussel-shaped domes on the site of the town’s former swimming pool, the development could open by spring 2023, and estimates suggest it might attract 760,000 visitors a year.
Bookshop browsing
Back towards Silverdale, the market town of Carnforth is well worth a detour for its excellent shopping, including the upmarket Booths supermarket and a large bookshop for leisurely browsing.
We paused for lunch in the atmospheric Refreshment Room at Carnforth Station Heritage Centre. One of this fine old railway station’s claims to fame is that it is where parts of the film Brief Encounter were shot in 1945. The café – now reconstructed to
‘For me, a visit to Morecambe Bay is always a welcome trip down memory lane; my family spent many happy summer holidays here’
resemble the original film set – invites visitors to wallow in nostalgia and revisit the ill-fated romance between housewife Laura Jesson (Celia Johnson) and Dr Alec Harvey (Trevor Howard). Then we explored the rest of the museum, which is fascinating for film fans and railway buffs.
There’s lots of wartime and steam train memorabilia to admire, a gallery dedicated to the life and work of Brief Encounter’s director David Lean, and a film room and gallery, where you can relive some of the film’s most memorable moments.
Castles and gardens
Our adventures also took us further back in time, to the National Trust’s Sizergh Castle, south of Kendal, and the privately owned Leighton Hall at Yealand Conyers.
Grade I-listed Sizergh dates from medieval times and has been home to the Strickland family for 750 years. Head inside to see some really fine examples of Elizabethan woodwork and plasterwork, painting and tapestries, then stroll outside to explore the organic kitchen garden, orchard, stumpery, woodland walks and wider estate. There’s also a well-stocked shop and café, where we had afternoon tea, including locally made damson-ripple ice cream – delicious!
Equally compelling is Leighton Hall, home to the Gillow family of cabinetmakers and upholsterers in the 18th and 19th centuries, and still occupied by their descendants.
Earliest records of the property date back to the 13th century, although the house has been extensively remodelled and has fine examples of English and French furniture, as well as sweeping views to the mountains of the Lake District beyond.
We rounded off our stay with an excellent meal at the New Inn, in Yealand Conyers, which specialises in sourcing local produce. As we tucked into succulent seabass and Cartmel Valley Cumberland sausage, we also ruminated on a weekend well spent!