Facing the Irish Sea, on the west coast of Britain, within the county of Lancashire, stands the famous tourist centre of Blackpool. World renowned for its’ sandy beaches and illuminations, Blackpool attracts 10,000,000 visitors every year, making it the most popular seaside resort in the United Kingdom!!
Blackpool is known as the ‘fun city’ of the North and attracts visitors each year to its seven miles of sandy beaches, amusement parks, piers, theatres and night-spots. It started as a recreational resort in the mid 18th century but, with the coming of the railway in the 1840’s, the working class people of the Northern industrial towns were able to reach the seaside for holidays, and the city grew to cater for their wants and needs. This meant that, with very little money in their pockets, they were able to enjoy themselves as they had never been able to do previously. It is a brash and cheerful town, and despite the numbers that now holiday abroad, it still has a loyal group of holiday-makers. Blackpool is well known for its spectacular autumn illuminations along the six miles of its promenade. The famous 518 ft high tower is part of a complex that includes an aquarium, a zoo, a circus, as well as a ballroom, and from the top, magnificent views can be seen all along the promenade and out to sea. Electric trams still run along the promenade with access to donkey rides, roller-coasters and waxworks. There is, also, the Sandcastle Gardens with its ‘indoor seaside’ for rainy days! Blackpool has the lot.
Other sites, in the city, worthy of mention:
Stanley Park, with 300 acres of gardens, famous for its roses and chrysanthemums, and a boating lake and golf course.
The Grundy Art Gallery, with its collection of ivories and 19th and 20th century British paintings.
Other places of interest within 30 kilometres:
Lytham St Anne’s, famous for its championship golf course, is a quieter resort with sandy beaches and sand dunes. The village green, with its old windmill, is near the shore by the picturesque promenade.
Fleetwood, at the mouth of the Wyre Estuary, looks out over Morecambe Bay, and on clear days you can see across to the Lake District. It has splendid sands and fine gardens, and international races for model yachts are held in the pool.
Warton, the village from where ancestors of George Washington came. Their coat of arms is set in the belfry wall of the 15th century church and the ‘Stars and Stripes’ is flown there each Independence Day.
Did you know that – 1,000,000 light bulbs and 200 miles of cable are used to make the Blackpool Illuminations?
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