Free Days Out in the North West

Peter Haddington; Wharncliffe Books, 2002, £9.99

Reviewed by Michael Nunn

Barnsley-based Wharncliffe Books publish a range of titles on history and other matters of local interest covering a wide swathe of the North of England, and their excellent "Aspects of Lancaster' has already been reviewed on this site.

This volume looks like a new departure from their well-established formula, and is "designed to help people plan interesting day trips that do not involve them in spending lots of money'. Lancaster is right at the top of the area covered which goes beyond Manchester to the Peak District and down the coast to the Wirral.

It sounds excellent – many people, particularly those with children or on low incomes, sometimes just fancy taking off for a day and seeing somewhere different. Within the book's area there is certainly much to enjoy.

But there is one big rider – you need a car to get best value from this guide. Some of the places listed, whilst they sound fascinating, are simply not within the reach of those without a car. Many are in town or city centres, but the first entry in the book, under the heading Accrington, illustrates what I mean.

Oswaldtwistle Mills (home of the excellent fabric shop here in Lancaster) is about two miles from Accrington, and the two attractions in Haslingden are even further, at about four miles. This is not much use if you are using trains and/or buses. Looking at the some of the other places for non-drivers to visit, the guide works much better for larger centres like Manchester and Blackpool.

The section on Lancaster is useful, clear and mostly accurate. "Lancaster's grim Norman Castle' is neither Norman (if anything it is originally Angevin or Plantagenet) nor grim (unless you happen to work, visit or reside there). I can see it from my house and have lived opposite much grimmer buildings!

Nor do I think that the Priory Church has a "lovely interior' – to my mind it is rather dull and dark, even on a sunny day. It also struck me as odd that the relaxing canal walks out from the City to the Lune aqueduct or towards Aldcliffe were not mentioned. Nor were the villages of Hornby and Caton or the Crook O'Lune included. This is inconsistent, since Blackpool Pleasure Beach is mentioned – a more overtly commercial moneygrabber in the North West is hard to imagine!

The tone of the narrative will suit those of a settled comfort, rather than younger couples or those with families. Little mention is made of things for kids to do, though there is some (incomplete) guidance about accessibility for the disabled.

If you have a car, are over fifty with no young children then this is the ideal book for you. For the rest of us that do not fit all those criteria it is only of limited value, thought it could be useful to give to the parents or grandparents when they come to stay to help entertain them or keep them out of the way. It could look well on the coffee table, and give some good ideas to those new to the region.

But for we who must use buses or trains, or have children, then good nosey around the brochures and a chat with the very helpful staff in Lancaster or Morecambe Tourist Information Offices or public libraries will serve just as well, if not better. And they do not charge!

Copyright © 1 October 2003 Nunn