Group Tour Operator and DMC for Lancashire
NEW TOUR – Discover the Red Rose County
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Lancaster Castle at sunset ©Visit Lancashire
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Crook O Lune, Lancaster ©Diana Jarvis ©Visit Lancashire
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The Judges’ Lodging, Lancaster - Exterior
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The Judges’ Lodging, Lancaster - Servants hall
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The Judges’ Lodging, Lancaster - Panelled room and desk
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Leighton Hall, Carnforth, Lancashire - External panoramic view
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Blackpool Tower and Seafront ©Sean Conboy for VisitBlackpool
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Kingfisher canal boat on Lancaster canal
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Kingfisher canal boat on Lancaster canal
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External view of Samlesbury Hall ©Courtesy of the Samlesbury Hall website
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View across the lawn to Gawthorpe Hall ©National Trust Images, Chris Lacey
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View across the lawn to the South Front of Gawthorpe Hall, Lancashire ©National Trust Images, Chris Lacey
Lancashire adopted the red rose symbol in the 14th century and the county has been synonymous with the flower ever since, from the War of the Roses, to more recent sporting rivalry. On this new tour we explore Lancashire’s great industrial heritage at Helmshore Mill Textile Museum, and things take a spooky turn when we investigate the notorious witch trials at Lancaster Castle and Samlesbury Hall. Blackpool was an incredibly popular holiday destination with mill workers during the Industrial Revolution and the infrastructure created for these boom years included The Winter Gardens, where we will enjoy a guided tour. We also discover two of the counties great houses, Leighton Hall and Gawthorpe Hall, and take to the water on a Lancaster Canal cruise.
Dates
March - October 2024 & 2025
Suggested itinerary by coach
Monday
Travel to your hotel
Tuesday
Lancaster and Leighton Hall
We spend the morning in Lancaster. Lancaster Castle’s origins date back almost 1,000 years, and served as a prison since the 12th century until 2012. The castle has been the scene of notable trials, including the Pendle Witches Lancashire Witch Trials and we learn more on our guided tour. Next we visit the Judges’ Lodgings. Previously a house used by visiting judges, it is now a museum showcasing the finest collection of Gillow furniture on public display anywhere in the world. Here we enjoy a guided tour and refreshments. This afternoon we enjoy a tour of Leighton Hall, home of the Gillow furniture making family. Includes time to stroll in the gardens and a birds of prey flying display.
Wednesday
Blackpool Winter Gardens and Lancaster Canal Cruise
This morning we take a fascinating tour of the famous Winter Gardens Blackpool. Visit backstage of the Opera House and a chance to tread the boards so many famous faces have walked on before, followed by tea and coffee. In the afternoon we travel to Barton Grange Garden Centre marina to board the Kingfisher for a cruise on the Lancaster canal featuring attractive countryside scenery and views of the Bowland Hills. After we depart our cruise there is time to explore the garden centre.
Thursday
Helmshore Mill Textile Museum and Gawthorpe Hall
At it’s peak Lancashire supplied one third of all the worlds cotton goods. At Helmshore Mill Lancashire’s industrial past is brought to life. The museum consists of two historic working mills: Higher Mill a wool-fulling mill and Whitaker Mill a cotton mill. Our guided tour is followed by refreshments. Next we visit National Trust property Gawthorpe Hall, a superb Jacobean historic house nestled in the Pendle Hills. Here we enjoy a free-flowing visit where we can admire the furniture, painting and textile collections.
Friday
Samlesbury Hall and return home
This morning we visit Samlesbury Hall, an impressive half-timbered black and white medieval house built in 1325 as a family home. Here we have a guided tour by one of the historic characters who ‘haunt’ the house. Return home.
Greatdays offer a selection of quality hotels in Lancashire.
| Dates | 5 days / 4 nights |
| 2024 dates |
Price available on request |
| 2025 dates | From £425.00 per person |
Single room supplement available upon request.
