Home / What to See and Do in Morecambe, Lancaster & Lune Valley / Escaping to the Countryside

Escaping to the Countryside

The winding rivers and valley villages around Lancaster, Morecambe and the Lune Valley have always inspired with their beauty. The views which touched artists like JMW Turner and poets like Wordsworth are unspoilt today.

Pretty villages like Wray, (home of the Scarecrow Festival) or Caton with the serene Crook o'Lune and the coaching hamlet of Hornby are typical of the area.

Climbing southwards above the Lune Valley is the ancient Forest of Bowland. This Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty is the first protected area in England to be awarded the European Charter for Sustainable Tourism in Protected Areas.

Reaching these countryside escapes is as easy on foot as by car. The River Lune Millennium Park flows from Lancaster to Caton on tranquil cycleways and paths.

The Lune Valley Ramble and Lancashire Coastal Way cross the Park and around every village there are even more walking opportunities.

The valleys and the fells also make for variable, interesting and at many times breathtaking riding country.

The Lancaster canal meets the Millennium Park path by its 18th Century Aqueduct. A trip along the canal envelops Galgate, Hest Bank and the market town of Carnforth, the famous location for the classic love story 'Brief Encounter'. An heritage centre and tea rooms (an exact replica of the refreshment rooms in the film) are open at Carnforth Railway Station.

So leave civilisation behind in Lancashire's unspoilt countryside that's teeming with wildlife. Then unwind at a fine traditional inn, guesthouse or country hotel.

Visit our Walking and Cycling pages for free guidebooks and guides.