Quirky Traveller's Tales

If you’ve been to Iceland you’ll understand the singer Björk.  Born and raised in Reykjavik, she epitomises this country’s quirky, eclectic energy.  Visitors on holiday can get a brief glimpse of Iceland’s natural attractions and history by doing The Golden Circle, including Gulfoss (Golden Waterfall), the geothermal filed of Haukadalur where Strokkur geyser erupts very few minutes and the UNESCO World Heritage site, Þingvellir National Park where the original Parliament met.  All this is can be done in a day trip from Reykjavik, Iceland’s historic and vibrant capital city.

In spite of a very changeable climate that Brits will feel at home in and those from warmer countries may find ‘challenging’, Reykjavik is one of the party capitals of Europe.  Lively techno and hard rock bars vie with cool cafes and trendy eateries.  But it’s the fascinating cultural scene, unusual architecture, every-changing seascapes and crisp, sparkling air that I loved.  Standing on The Square  one look at the unassuming, low level Alþing (Parliament House) tells you that this is a country that seems at ease with its identity and has no need to dominate. The white-walled Cathedral next door would not look out of place in a provincial town.  And that’s the secret of Reykjavik’s appeal – it’s small, accessible and utterly charming.

The best way to explore the city is on foot. In a few hours you can see all the main sights ‘downtown’ – we had a guide but it’s not difficult to navigate.  With the sea on one side and linear streets you can’t get too lost.  In front of the Tourist Information Centre on little Faxaflói Square we were shown a rather strange looking sculpture of tall concrete stakes with steam coming from the running water.  Apparently this represents the founding of the city when a Norwegian Viking settler farmed this land and called it ‘Reykjavik’ aka ‘steamy/smoky bay.’

At the nearby Landnamssyningin (Settlement Exhibition) I tried to imagine what ancient island life was like around 1000 AD from the remnants of a turf wall and some Viking objects.  Can’t say I succeeded but worth a try …  Much more appealing was the Kraum Centre for Icelandic Craft in House No 10 Aðalstræti,  said to be the oldest wooden house in centre of the city. As you can imagine, these houses are prone to fire and decay being so near the sea so it is amazing that any have survived.  There was an intriguing collection of pottery, jewellery, household utensils and clothes, all with a definite Icelandic twist in their creation and construction.

Shoppers are well catered for with a great mix of international names and very high quality local  brands.  In the city’s largest shopping centre, Kringlan (a few minutes’ drive from the heart of the city, you’ll find names like Karen Illen, Deisel, Next, Zara and Hugo Boss.  One of the most well-known local names is 66°North, created in 1926 to provide outdoor clothing to protect the fishermen and labourers from the extremes of Arctic weather. Now uber-fashionable, their garments combine practicality and contemporary design.  I got a very snug fleece that looks good and is very cosy on the Lake District fells in winter!  If you have time, just go off the main streets to discover quirky little shops selling all manner of tempting goodies.

Laugavegur is the main shopping street.  Woollen items are a favourite and the Hand-knitting Association of Iceland has a couple of shops in town.  Or you could try a quirky chocolate volcano on an iced cake from a bespoke chocolatier …

Heading towards busy Hafn (harbour) we could smell the fishing boats before we saw them.  Serious looking craft bedecked with industrial-strength nets were bobbing about near the ferries, a military vessel and other shipping that regularly sail around these chilly waters.

Looming over it all like some enormous honeycomb is the Harpa Concert Hall and Conference Centre.  Home to the Icelandic Symphony Orchestra, this state-of-the-art building was only completed in 2011.  Music concerts, opera , art exhibitions and international conferences are held all year round  and there are a couple of shops as well as an excellent restaurant.  Eating a delicious lunch of fresh seafood and local dishes we had a breath-taking view of the harbour’s icy blue waters as the sun shimmered through the geometric windows.

This is a glimpse of a few of the highlights of Reykjavik’s attractions.  Look out for the next article on the city’s Art Museum and Culture House, lovely Lake Tjörnin, a boat trip to Viday Island,  a privileged glimpse inside the Höfði House, where Gorbachov and Reagan met for the Reykjavik summit and a visit to the Presidential Palace to meet the outgoing Icelandic President.

I travelled to Iceland courtesy of easyJet, now offering regular flights and holidays to quirkilicious Iceland, and stayed at the luxurious Hotel Borg, in the heart of the city on Parliament Square.

Read about my exciting experience of The Golden Circle here.

Italy has its iconic, must-see sites that are sure to feature on many peoples’ bucket lists. St Mark’s Square and the canals of Venice, the Leaning Tower of Pisa, Rome’s Trevi Fountain and the Vatican, the rolling hills of Tuscany… I could go on.

However, all these breathtaking icons of Italian tourism have literally hundreds of books, thousands of web pages and millions of photographs dedicated to them. More importantly, they are places that many people have already visited. So in this article we give you five quirky things to do in Italy for an Italian holiday with a difference.  Here’s an unusual, eccentric Italy; a little bit weird but all the more wonderful for it.

Join in an Orange Fight

Many people have heard of La Tomatina that takes place in Bunol, Spain. But real tough guys don’t mess about with soft tomatoes. Oh no, real tough guys come to Italy for the Battle of the Oranges! This peculiar and slightly dangerous festival takes place in Ivrea, about 70 miles West of Milan and what makes a huge fight with oranges even weirder and at least twice as wonderful, is that the fruit doesn’t even grow locally and the oranges (about 250,000kg) are brought from the South!

Stay in a Shepherd’s Hut

The Vatican is a great place to visit if you don’t mind hours of queuing and jostling for position amongst the fervent crowds of tourists in the vain hope of getting a glimpse of the latest elderly man in white robes giving a little wave. If you prefer your holiday to be a touch more tranquil, how about getting out into the wilderness of Sardinia?

The Fiummendosa Valley is stunning, a cornucopia of colour and scents created by swathes of wild flowers, trees and herbs. After a little too much Italian wine I somehow ended up bedding down with a friend of a friend of a friend in his shepherd’s hut. I can’t recommend it enough, although neither the sensational feeling of freedom it brings nor the lungful after lungful of fresh country air made me immune to hangovers.

The hardy amongst you could attempt to scale Sardinia’s highest peak, Punta la Mamora, which has an elevation of almost 2,000m. We decided against it, choosing instead a gentle stroll in the foothills where we found an amazing restaurant which served up a fine, stodgy but very tasty wild boar stew.

Go “fishing” for sea urchins

In many of Italy’s coastal towns sea urchins are a hugely popular delicacy. We tried them in Sardinia and with a squeeze of lemon they are an unusual, refreshing delight. We even tried to catch our own haul but after a few abortive attempts that resulted in perforated fingertips we decided eating was more fun that fishing!

When we ate the yellowy, gooey sludge that was served as “sea urchin roe”, we were a little unsure. But following the “when in Rome…” adage we tucked in. It was only later when I researched how a spiny spherical creature could be turned into said splodge that I found out we had been eating sea urchin gonads. Oh well, they  very were tasty.

Take a walk along World War I trails

For those who prefer a good walk over prickly aquatic gustatory pleasures, the Italian Dolomites near the Austrian border are a superb option. You’ll more than likely have the magnificent Alpine views, fields of wild flowers and clear blue lakes to yourself, or at least only have to share them with the local birdlife.

Many of the trails through the pastures, woods and forests were created by soldiers during the First World War and there are tunnels built into the hills, as well as an informative open air museum.

Visit Umbria’s dying town

Umbria has so much to offer, from historic Assisi, the stunning Subasio Natural Park and culinary delights such as black truffles and arguably the country’s finest olive oils. But that’s all a bit passé for us. We prefer Civita di Bagnoregio, the Etruscan town that pre-dates Christ and today has a population barely in double figures. Perched precariously atop a small rock formation, erosion means it may not be around too much longer, so visit this strange, beautiful town now, before it crumbles completely …

As you can see, there are plenty of quirky things to do in Italy with plenty of hidden delights magnificently complementing the more popular tourist spots. So, for an Italian trip with a difference, get off the beaten track and, if you fancy it, try some of those sea urchin gonads!

This article is brought to you by Headwater Holidays, creators of a global range of tailor-made soft-adventure holiday experiences, specialising in self-guided walking and cycling holidays, luxury accommodation and good food .

You can find them on Face Book and on Twitter @Headwaterhols

On St George’s Day, April 23rd, I spent a magical time photographing Lake District daffodils, exploring an evocative old house that Wordsworth used to live in and discovering that sheep may safely graze in Dora’s Field. Spring is the perfect time of year to visit one of Britain’s favourite destinations. Here’s what I did over a few hours …

The drive from Carnforth to Grasmere is such a pleasure. I went up the A6 through the little market town of Milnthorpe, past the ancient topiary gardens at Levens Hall and on to the A591 past Kendal. As you dip down to the Crook roundabout you get to your first really good view of the Lake District fells. It always lifts my heart and reminds me why I live in this part of the world.  Then it was on towards Windermere, along the lakeshore, past the long, white frontage of the Low Wood Bay Hotel, beside peaceful Rydal Water and into historic Grasmere village with its lovely lake.

In spring the village blooms into life as a ‘host of golden daffodils’ made famous by local poet, William Wordsworth, seem to be permanently ‘fluttering and dancing in the breeze.’  My first stop was to pay a quick visit to the poet’s family grave in ancient St Oswald’s churchyard.  In the summer it is almost impossible to get close to what has become a shrine for visitors from around the world, but this time there was just a solitary American.  ”Which William is the right one?” he asked, looking over at two old tombstones with the same names … A couple of past-their-best daffodils sagged disconsolately in front of their champion’s simple stone.

He then wandered off to visit quaint Dove Cottage and I went into the Wordsworth Daffodil Garden.  Here many people have sponsored a personally engraved slate paving stone, a shrub, or a wild daffodil and there’s an air of peace and tranquility that the poet laureate would have very much appreciated.

Sitting on a wooden bench it was a joy to listen to the River Rothay burbling away under the stone bridge, the ducks quacking as they started house-building for their forthcoming families and the many birds singing their little hearts out in the spring sunshine.

Suddenly the sun disappeared. You may know the saying ‘Ne’er cast a clout till May is out’, which could refer to the month or the blossom.  Well, in Cumbria it’s best to be prepared all year round. As well as my sturdy walking boots and waterproof jacket I had decided to try out some thermals I’d been sent by Universal Textiles. Now, I’ll be honest here and say that for the past few years, I’ve been wearing an almost threadbare set that had belonged to my aunt, which probably boasted a tog-factor of 2. So I was very pleased to be sporting a set of beautifully soft white long-johns and vest (I know – not sexy but sooooo warm – and NO PHOTO!) keeping me cosy as it went decidedly cooler.  Apparently they are worn by the ‘World’s Most Travelled Man’ Fred Finn and what’s good enough for Fred …

Opposite St Olaf’s, next to the cottage of world-renowned Story-Teller Taffy Thomas, is the National Trust shop in an old house called Church Stile. I popped in to see Chris Shaw, who’s a mine of information on Grasmere and the surrounding area.   She suggested I go up the road to visit Allan Bank, one of the National Trust’s latest properties to open to the public, where I could enjoy the views and get a free cup of coffee.  After a quick look round the shop, picking up a few information leaflets, I walked through village and up the short hill to the large cream house overlooking the lake.

Allan Bank has a fascinating history; Wordsworth lived here, as did co-founder of the National Trust, Canon Rawnsley who left it to the Trust.  Badly burned in a fire in 2011, it was finally opened to the public in 2012.  The wonderful thing is, the NT have left it virtually undecorated but created unique spaces where children can play, artists can create and everyone can enjoy a unique atmosphere that seems to positively force visitors to slow down and relax.  Dave Almond explained some of the work being done at present – the gardens are being restored and the public are being consulted at all times to ensure Allan Bank doesn’t lose its special appeal.  The enormous Tweetcloud above the entrance hall fireplace sums up the feelings this charming place evokes.

The final stop of the day was Dora’s Field in nearby Rydal.  When Wordsworth’s daughter Dora died in 1847, the poet was devastated. He’d given her this plot of land near to his home, Rydal Mount, and in memory of her he planted thousands of daffodils - the tiny ones often found in woods and beside lakes.  Every spring they produce a glorious display.  And there, chomping away on stubby grass (and possibly the daffs) were a couple of other lakeland favourites, Herdwick Sheep.  These study animals are bred to survive the Cumbrian climate and high fells;  they have thick, dark, wiry wool and smiley white faces.

At the top of the field there’s an old bench and from here I caught a glimpse of one of my favourite lakes, Rydal Water, still visible through the skeletal trees. I sat there for a long time, just listening to the sheep grazing and the rustling of a myriad of bright yellow Lake District daffodils …

With his hands clutching his long, flowing coat tightly around him, Sir William Hillary (1771-1841) stands high above Douglas Harbour, ready to face everything the weather can throw at him.  As founder of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution he was well aware of the changeable  meteorological temperament of his home, the Isle of Man.  The weather can shift from clear blues skies, to torrential rain and back again in an afternoon – which adds to this island’s unpredictable charm.  ’Tis said that the ancient sea god Manannan Mac Lir lays his cloak of cloud across his isle to protect it from invaders – but modern-day islanders welcome visitors who come in peace any day. …

Floating in the Irish Sea about 60 miles off the Lancashire – Cumbria coast, en route to the United States, this tiny island has an ancient history that belies its size.  Norse rulers established a system of self-government over a thousand years ago and the Tynwald is still in power today.  The islanders enjoy a laid-back approach to life akin to their Gaelic neighbours in nearby Ireland and the Manx phrase traa dy-liooar is similar to mañana in Spain.

With so many attractions for people of all ages, a weekend is not nearly long enough.  I visited the island as a child and chose to return on a blog trip when I won ‘Britain’s Best Travel Blogger 2011′.  Here are my 7 quirky things to do on the Isle of Man.

1.  Spot the Isle of Man icons

There are two very famous symbols of the Isle of Man - the Manx Cat and the Legs of Man.  The cat is ‘a breed of domestic cat with a naturally occurring mutation that shortens the tail.  Manx cats are prized as skilled hunters, and thus have often been sought by farmers with rodent problems and been a preferred ship’s cat. They are said to be social, tame and active. An old local term for the cats on their home island is stubbin.’ (Wikipedia). You may not see a real Manx cat but there are plenty of them in souvenir shops.

The Legs of Man symbol depicts three legs, said to represent the wheels of the sun. This is known as a Triskelion and is also the symbol of Sicily. Its oldest representation is on the 12^th Century Manx Sword of State. My favourite depiction of this quirky symbol is the sculpture that greets you as you come out of the Airport.  See how many representations you can find during your stay – you’ll soon lose count!

2.   View Douglas Harbour from the Victorian Camera Obscura

One of the quirky legacies the Victorians left us is the Camera Obscura. In the days before TVs, cinema and the internet, these optical lenses were the latest technology and must have seemed quite magical. The Great Union Camera Obscura on the Isle of Man was purpose-built for the tourists rather than the more common astronomical use.  Even today, with all our amazing technology there is something awe-inspiring about viewing Douglas harbour and the surrounding scenery through the upturned mirror. You can get a glimpse of Observatory building in the photo of Sir Hillary above. Check opening times and the weather; If the flag is flying it’s open.

3.  Get a taste of the island with Manx Kippers

When I was a child we used to get the ferry to Douglas and Dad would head straight for the fish-mongers for his favourite treat – Manx kippers.  Traditionally herring fillets, caught locally, are smoked over oak chips in old smoke houses.  The best place to buy these is in Peel, on the island’s west coast.  The smell of smoking fish wafts all over this quaint harbour town so it’s not difficult to find the Peel Kipper House – just follow your nose. If you’re really taken with this local food, you can get a huge kipper bun at the harbour fish van – however, that was too much of a good thing for me … Dominating the town is Peel Castle, an evocative reminder of the land’s battle with invaders.  Whilst you’re in Peel make sure you visit the excellent House of Manannan which has a really interesting interactive history of the island.

4.  Discover the enormous Basking Shark

Basking shark – photo c/o boatrips-isleofman.com

Basking sharks, the world’s second largest fish visits these waters between May and August and come very close to land the plankton which floats on the water’s surface when it isn’t windy.  You’ve got a good chance of seeing them around Peel, Port Erin or Niarbyl.  If you want a better view there are plenty of boat trips. (I was supposed to go out on the good ship Pegasus on my last visit but the sea was too rough – another reason to go back.)  As well as basking sharks you may spot seals and a huge variety of sea birds including the funky puffin.

5.  Get a sensory history lesson in Castle Rushen

Castletown was originally the island’s capital and Castle Rushen is one of the best-preserved medieval castles in Europe.  Norse kings fortified this strategic site guarding the entrance to the delightfully named Silverburn River.  Its impressive limestone walls overlook the little port and Nautical Museum and the castle can be seen for miles around.   Its courthouse is still in use and there are regular events throughout the season to entertain and attract visitors.  Inside there are interactive displays and evocative sights, sounds and even smells from centuries past.  The dining room recreates a banquet from medieval times with some very dodgy looking characters presiding over the table.  (For an even quirkier experience if you time it right, go across the road to the Old House of Keys where, for an hour or so, you can become a ‘member of the island’s parliament’ and ‘vote’ in a debate.)

6.  Step back in time at Cregneash Folk Museum

Heading south west towards the Calf of Man, a tiny rocky outcrop separated from the mainland by The Sound you pass a sign to Cregneash National Folk Museum.  Take time to stop and wander around this ‘living museum’.  The tiny thatched whitewashed cottages are still inhabited and on the working farm demonstrations of traditional crafts such as weaving, black-smithing and carpentry are given.  Sea birds swoop overhead, crazy-faced Loaghtan sheep bleat and baa and the delicious smell of home cooking drifts out from the Village Tea Room.  Step into simple St Peter’sChurch, one of many dotted around the island, and take time to embrace the tranquility its cool interior offers.

 7.  Pay homage to ‘Lady Isabella’

 No visit to the Isle of Man is complete without a trip to Great Laxey Wheel, named ‘Lady Isabella’  after Lieutenant Governor Hope’s wife.  Built in 1854, the world’s largest working water wheel has an impressive beauty that belies its industrial heritage.  It has a diameter of 72ft and a circumference of 227ft. It used to pump up to 250 gallons of water a minute from the nearby Laxey mines. These mines produced zinc, lead, copper and silver until 1929.  If you’ve a head for heights you can climb to the top of the wheel and if you’re not claustrophobic go underground in the mines to get an idea of the tough working conditions of the past.  Very close by is the temrinus for the famous Snaefell Mountain Railway (one of many quirky ways of getting around this isle).  This is slow travel at its best – a leisurely 5-mile ascent past the Laxey Wheel, the TT Course at Bungalow Station and on to the often cloud-bedecked summit at 2,000 feet.

I stayed in the lovely seaside town on Port St Mary at the very quirky Aaron House with its Victorian interior and afternoon tea to rival the Ritz.  Getting to the Isle of Man is simple: Manx2 has regular flights from around the UK and there are regular ferries, fast and slow, from Heysham, Liverpool, Belfast and Dublin.  Many thanks to Visit Isle of Man for a fascinating itinerary – they provide excellent tourist information on everything you need to know about the memorable and fascinating Isle of Man.

 Read more about the Isle of Man here

Chatsworth House: a brilliant-cut diamond in the diadem of richly decorated stately homes scattered around Britain.  Settled snuggly in the bosom of the Peak District, the very first National Park in the UK, it is a treasure trove of rich delight.  I visited Chatsworth one Easter and went on a quirky Duck Hunt around the house and gardens.  Here are some impressions of its eye-catching artistic treasures …

Perched nonchalently on top of a flirtatious Greek goddess’s head sits a large yellow duck.  Flora seems quite unconcerned as she beckons visitors into her Temple, built by the 1st Duke of Devonshire in 1695.  On entering the house I have been given a map and todl to look out for the ‘easter Ducks’ hidden about the place.  This is typical of Chatsworth House; as one of this country’s largest and most popular historic houses, it would be easy to assume it has a somewhat venerable, maybe even pompous idea of its own importance – but that is very far from reality.

 An enormous marble foot lies in a corridor as if dropped by a Roman Cinderella, causing the visitor to speculate on the size and shape of the missing body, fashioned by some ancient sculptor who could never have imagined its present position. Around every corner is curious treasure to delight, intrigue and challenge the viewer.  The Cavendish family have owned this property since the 16^th century and evidence of their tastes and quirks permeate every corner.

 Another duck is found in a cabinet of tiny filligree objects, dwarfing a delicate carriage and hihg-backed chair.  Henry VIII’s Rosary curls along a cabinet in front of a box of emerald green-handled cutlery.  A fluorescent portrait magically changes colour at you look at it.  Under the stairs lies an ancient sleigh which used to be pulled by the family goat.  A couple of impressive lions lie on either side of a doorway guarding a room crammed full of stuary from antiquity, purchased by adventurous 6^th Duke of Devonshire in a lifetime of spend, spend, spend.

In a dressing room beside a fancy bedroom slept in by countless members of the aristocracy, is a rack of varied garments for kiddies to dress up in and play at being lords and ladies.  Taking pride of place in the Great Chamber, largest of the State Apartments (added by the first Duke for William and Mary, who thoughtlessly never visited) a large ceramic ‘buffet’is decorated with curlicues of flowers, festoons of fruit and gold platters with the bust of a child centre stage.  A delftware vase has flowers peeping out of a blue and white pagoda. The dining room is laid out with the most splendid array of silver gilt and shining tableware, ready for a visit by her Majesty Queen Victoria and sailing across the damsk tablecloth is another yellow duck …

In the Music room a violin appears to be magically suspended from a door and the very vain 6^th Duke had 9 leather and gold-embossed portraits of himself made to adorn the walls.    In the Library, Old Masters including drawings and prints by Rafael and Van Dyck can be found alongside quirky, colourful birds by the great American artist John James Audobon.

‘A Sounding Line’ by Edmund de Waal – photo Chatsworth

A line of white porcelain pipes sit on top of a shelf.  ‘A Sounding Line’ installation by Edmund de Waal (author of ‘Hare with the Amber Eyes’)  was created specifically for Chapel Corridor at Chatsworth and is evidence of more recent family intrigue with contemporary art.  ”The Cavendish family’s collections have been changing and growing since the 1550s, reflecting the tastes and enthusiasms of each generation.  The 12th Duke of Devonshire and his family continue this tradition at Chatsworth, and you can see around the house and gardens today a number of the new acquisitions that have been added in recent years.”

Waterfalls, fountains and cascades sprinkle the estate with plumes of iridescent watery rainbows.  Hidden in flowery nooks and tree-covered crannies are  numerous sculptures and architectural oddities.  Wicked Pan tootles on his pipes in a shady arbour ignored by the duck getting a shower from the copper Willow Tree, described by Princess Victoria as ‘the squirting tree.’

A proud profile lies amongst flowering shrubs and a wicked-looking satyr’s head sits incongruously atop a fluted column. Banana palms thrust upwards towards the sun in a glass-framed conservatory and visitors go round in circles in the green-hedged labyrinth.  As I leave the gardens I spot another duck floating calmly along the 18th c Canal beside one of the River Gods lolling on his stone bed …

As a souvenir of my visit I bought a copy of ’The Garden at Chatsworth’ written (and signed) by Deborah, Duchess of Devonshire. It’s a beautiful tribute to this glorious place, written in a personal and lively style. Outlining Chatsworth’s history from 1549 when Bess of Hardwick bought the land to the present day, there are architectural drawings, paintings and etchings plus superbly-shot photographs of the estate through the ages and all seasons.  It’s clear that the Duchess cherishes the place over which she was chatelaine for so long.

In the Preface she says,  “The garden I have known from dawn to dusk for fifty years owes its existence to masters and men of exceptional talent … No one person designed the garden at Chatsworth. It has evolved according to the taste of successive Dukes of Devonshire, unshackled by committees.  Every style of gardening has been tried; some have survived and some have disappeared … Several times the landscape was changed as if it were a putty model … The ‘Elysian Fields’ were created to please anyone who cares to come here.” 

As drivers hurtle up and down the M6 to and from the Lake District and Scotland it’s easy to miss out on some of the north of England’s most interesting sights.  Lancashire is an incredibly diverse county with vast areas of charming countryside, rural villages, historic towns and, in Blackpool, one of this country’s most iconic beach resorts.  Here are seven reasons to take a quick detour off the M6 in Lancashire and savour a few of the delights of this ancient region – you will be well-rewarded.

Leighton Hall: a short drive from Junction 35 takes you to the beautiful home of the Gillow family, one of Lancashire’s most famous names, designers and purveyors of quality furniture to the gentry and others of refined taste.  This warm and welcoming house is crammed full of antiques and quirky nick-nacks.  It has a charming walled garden laid out with fruit and vegetables, a little maze and a glorious hebaceous border.  Set in a graceful hollow the views of the Lake District fells and Morecambe Bay are outstanding.

Carnforth Station Heritage Centre: down the road from Leighton Hall, on the A6, you are transported back to the age of steam, when smuts got in your eye and a train’s whistle was the signal for a journey to unexplored areas of the country. Run by knowledgeable volunteers, the Centre traces the vital history of freight and passenger rail in the area.  However, it’s the connection with that classic B&W British weepie ‘Brief Encounter’ that brings visitors from all over the world.  Filmed during WWII, it tells the story of ill-fated lovers kept apart by the upright morals of 1940s England.  You can watch the movie, see stills from the filming and have a sandwich in the meticulously recreated ‘Refreshment Room’, where any minute Stanley Holloway might pop in for a quick cuppa …

Lancaster Castle: get off at Junction 33 or 34 and take time to visit one of England’s most historic buildings.  Looking down over the city and River Lune, it has a solid and authoritarian air, much as it would have done in John of Gaunt’s day.  Modified as a Court and Prison, there’s a fascinating tour taking in the 12^th Century Keep, the Witches Tower, the old cells, the Crown Court and graceful  Shire Hall.   A stroll along the nearby river takes you to the excellent Maritime Museum, where Lancaster’s involvement in the slave trade is told along with more gratifying stories of this old port.

Lancaster Castle – photo c/o Visit Britain

The Forest of Bowland:  in the little maze of narrow lanes and rolling hillsides to the east of Preston (J32) it’s easy to get lost awhile and forget the hectic pace of modern life.  Wander along the main street of pretty Chipping or have lunch in the well-known Inn at Whitewell.  Covering over 300 square miles, this Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty has over 500 listed buildings and 18 scheduled monuments.  One of its most impressive landmarks is Pendle Hill, near the home of the infamous Lancashire Witches.

More things to see and do in the Forest of Bowland in this podcast:

Rivington Pike: easily spotted from the M6 (Junction 27/28) with its Beacon, Tower and aerials, it’s the summit of Winter Hill, on the Pennine Moors.  On a clear day you can see Blackpool Tower, the Lake District mountains, the Welsh mountains and, across the Irish Sea, the Isle of Man.  The Beacon is part of England’s early warning system and the Tower was built as a hunting lodge in the 1700s.  Further down are the recently restored ‘Lost Gardens of Rivington’, originally laid out for Victorian industrialist Lord Lever.  At the foot of the hill you can get refreshments at enormous Rivington Hall Barn, weekend gathering place for bikers showing off their immaculately-kept shiny motorbikes.

Rivington Pike Tower – photo by John Darch

Hopefully you’ll be tempted off the busy M6 in Lancashire and tarry awhile at one or more of these fascinating places …

A shorter version of this article originally appeared in my Visit Britain Superblog section.