Lancaster Tourist Information

Lancaster Arts Scene

Lancaster is a charming historic city with with one of the North West's most vibrant art scenes. Independent theatre the Dukes features exhibitions and special events such as bicycle powered indie films or swishing events. The Storey Creative Industries Centre has been redeveloped and is now home to long running arts night Spotlight, the NICE cafe, gallery space, the popular literary extravaganza Litfest and emerging film company Workshop Productions.

Litfest is an annual cultural event which includes lunch time reading groups and readings by lcoal published authors such as Molly Baxter and Cumbria University graduate Col Buchanan. They publish the Flax Anthology, champion local work and offer both professional development and coaching for budding writers. One of their most fun endeavours is a collaboration with the Dukes Theatre, performance story telling.

The annual outdoor promenade theatre show in Williamson Park is organised by the Dukes and stands as one of the Lune Valley's most popular events. Follow the story around several picturesque locations within the park including an open air theatre space and the famous Ashton Memorial. The stunning Lancaster Grand Theatre has roots as far back as 1782. This is a grand ornate theatre, one of Lancashire's beauties along with Blackpool's Grand. Situated close to the city centre, with adjacent car park the Lancaster Grand offers an eclectic mix of music shows, innovative drama and fabulous children's theatre.

Housed within an award winning building on the university campus, The Ruskin Library offers both a research reading room and Ruskin Gallery open to the public. The Ruskin Collection held here, drawn mainly from the Whitehouse collection, covers Ruskin's broad range of artistic pursuits and includes drawings, prints, books, manuscripts and photographs.

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Lancaster Castle & Museums

The Grade I listed Lancaster Castle overlooks the town from the site of a former Roman fort. This imposing structure has been used for military defence and as a jail for centuries. The castle buildings include the 12th century Keep, a 14th century Witches' Tower and 15th Century Gatehouse. Guided tours run daily. The tour lasts one hour with pre-booking recommended as the castle is now an award winning prison, with a historic Court House.

Lancaster's historic Priory & Parish Church sits adjacent to the castle and dates from the 11th century (founded 1094), although the present building is mostly 15th century. With Benedictine origins, the site is known to have had a church since 630AD. Roman remains have also been discovered underneath the Chancel indicating an even older heritage, and there are the ruins of a Roman bath house nearby. The Judge's Lodgings are another Grade 1 listed building and museum within Lancaster, former home of notorious witch hunter Thomas Covell and now home to the Museum of Childhood. The 18th century Cottage Museum is also situated near the castle and presided over by the resident costumed housekeeper.

The centrally placed Georgian Lancaster City Museum digs even deeper into Lancaster's fascinating history, from the Roman period to the present. The King's Own Royal Regiment Museum is also within. Lancaster City Museum, Market Square, Lancaster, Lancashire LA1 1HT. Tel. 01524 64637. Free to enter, the museum concentrates on the history and archaeology of Lancaster, and often has free visiting exhibitions.

Move down to Lancaster's historic St George's Quay to the former Georgian Customs House, now the award winning Maritime Museum. This museum charts the history of the slave trade, alongside the disintegration of traditional fishing industries.

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Williamson Park, Tropical Butterfly House & The Ashton Memorial

The Victorian splendour of Williamson Park is home to the famous Ashton memorial, built to commemorate Lord Ashton's first wife. Adjacent to this glorious building, which features a gallery on the top floor, is the tropical butterfly house, the elegant Pavilion Tea Rooms and an aviary where jewel coloured birds dart and chirp. Kids will love the mini beast enclosure, complete with scorpions and snakes, as well as a the pens of rabbits and chipmunks.

Williamson Park includes 38 acres of landscaped gardens with many winding paths, features like the Temple Shelter and lakes with ornamental waterfalls. The wide paths are easily accessible for prams and wheelchairs, although the forest is honeycombed with less accessible dirt paths. There is a children's play park and intricate mosaics showcasing an exquisite bronze Sun Dial. If you visit at early evening, take a seat near the park and watch the sun set over the glittering Fylde Bay.

Williamson Park, Quernmore Road, Lancaster LA1 1UX. Tel. 01524 33318.<

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Lancaster Food & Drink

Visit the elegant Sun Cafe, cunningly concealed down a side street by the Sun Hotel, and start the day with delicious real coffee from local specialists J Atkinson & Co. Juicafe make delicious smoothies and milkshakes as well as a delicious Nutella hot chocolate. Vegetarian or vegan visitors should go to the Whale Tail - a family friendly eatery above the wholefoods shop that serves delicious organic meals, and has a wonderful garden at the rear. The Yummy Cupcake Company has - as well as the requisite cakes - its own range of teas, with mouth watering descriptions.

They also have a stall on the outdoor market, open on Saturdays and Wednesdays, where you can buy locally smoked salmon or some flawless hand thrown pottery (you can watch the potter paint his designs throughout the day). The market also has an extremely well stocked second hand book stall and a grocery stall, selling fresh fruit, vegetables and eggs at bargain prices.

You are spoilt for choice with restaurants in Lancaster. Indian restaurant Mognies (next to Lancaster' Buddhist Centre) offers friendly service and a happy hour where you get any main course half price. Chinese restaurant the Bamboo Gardens is situated in the town centre, though some prefer Fortune Star, which looks over Dalton Square. Nearby, luxurious restaurant the Borough serves gourmet meals and is handy for both the Dukes and the Grand. At the other end of the scale, historic pub the Merchants serves high class pub grub such as salmon fishcakes and mushroom crumble; their thick cut home made chips are especially tasty.

For an evening out, rockers can start their night in either the cosy Yorkshire House or corner pub the Bobbin. Gay friendly pub the Dukes (not to be confused with the cinema) is on Church Street, near the opulent Sun Hotel. Both the White Cross and the pricier Waterwitch enjoy beautiful canalside locations, as does the gorgeous Penny Street Bridge. Most pubs in Lancaster have heated beer gardens, with covered tables for that unpredictable Northern rain.