Have been staying in a converted farm building at Thornton Cleveleys between Blackpool and Fleetwood, 3rd to 10th October. Unfortunately, the big Lightshow on the promenade is this week, including some of the old double-decker trams that were, apparently, taken out of service last year.
Had to wrestle with storm Amy and aftermath on the Friday, Saturday and Sunday; including a big mistake visit to South Beach Funfair on Sunday afternoon, at a huge cost.
Visited Preston on the train during the week but mainly to visit Miller and Avenham municipal parks along the valley side of the River Ribble. Two really fine parks. Driving through Preston on the A59 on the way back passed Moor Park which gets more mention in the textbooks as a contender for the title of Britain’s first park. Also visited Fleetwood by bus, very ‘out of season’ but interesting and fine views north across Morecombe May to the southern Lake District and Barrow shipyard in the distance. Refreshments in the North Euston Hotel where the trains from London once ended and from where passengers bound for west Scotland embarked on a coastal steamboat. One other person only in the lounge, a lady and a proud Grimbarian!
Found the local road systems really confusing, especially in the dark. Lovely to see field after field of permanent pasture with farm animals grazing; however, the inter-war ribbon development properties now often backed by post war housing and streets and lots of new estates being built on the level land of the Lancashire Plain.