Morecambe

If KateyKrunch thought the 'posh' hotel looked poor, I'm assuming she didn't step inside, because it's anything but poor when you get through the doors!
Sometimes the exterior can look a little less 'white and shining' than one might expect, but that's due to the age of the building, it can only be cleaned on occasion so as not to cause damage to the surface! It is, after all, an historic building, and has to be treated accordingly!
Personally I wouldn't bother with the 'antiques' centre at Lancaster, they charge admission, and it's more junk than anything else! Lancaster is a lovely city though, and will be less busy when you're in the area as the majority of students won't be back at the Uni yet!
If you're in Lancaster, and want lunch, The Sun Inn is perfect, The Waterwitch is a great pub, with fabulous food, or closer into the city centre is the Borough, again wonderful food.
Treat yourself to some potted Morecambe Bay Shrimps, served with brown bread and best butter, utter bliss!

I do agree with others that Morecambe is very run down nowadays, but there are other places to see nearby. Take a trip to the South Lakes (Bowness, Windermere and Ambleside). Lancaster is worth a day out. There is a wonderful antique centre there that is worth a potter round if that is your kind of thing www.gbantiquescentre.com/

we stopped in Lancaster on our way back home last year and visited Morecambe ..bit disappointed with it ,really run down and not much to see .My OH had happy memories of it as a child but he was sorry he'd gone back ,however we met a lot of lovely friendly people including a local fireman who invited us to visit the firestation and some locals who were drowning their sorrows at England being beaten by Iceland at football ....they were a great bunch of people which to me is more important than the surroundings.We will go back ..to the same pubs/hotels and meet up with all those folk who "friended" us on FB and who have kept in touch

kittylester
I've made a good job of selling Morecambe, which is weird because I'm from Cheshire rather than Lancashire!
However, I have an aunt who lives in Silverdale, so we visit the area often!
Morecambe itself is a bit run down, and of course, there's not really much industry around there, so money is in short supply for quite a few folk.
However, the countryside around is stunningly beautiful and it will be lovely for you to be 'beside the sea'!
We actually live on the coast in West Cheshire, so I'm very used to sea air and views, but still think Morecambe is a lovely promenade to walk, and the views across to Cumbria are great!

kittylester, I do hope you have a good time. juggernaught has padded out the great things to do in the area. The bay walk is lengthy I agree but the other suggestions are all not too demanding and good fun. I love Cartmel and Kirby Lonsdale. Lancaster Castle is also worth a visit if you have time. As I said, I have a soft spot for Morecambe and feel sad that like so many of our sea side towns, its in the doldrums. I'm delighted that you are visiting. I know we have holidays and breaks for our own benefit but it's good to support our own seaside towns as well.

Sorry for the xx - I'm messaging daughters at the same time and they expect them!

I know nina as I was about to anniversary (?) trip. Doesn't it look good. Hope kateyk is wrong! We've got a balcony with a sea view but only for 4 nights so need to make the most of it!! Xx

Oh wow, just a teeny bit that hotel is beautiful

Usually visit Morecambe at least One a month..my mum has a caravan just outside Morecambe.

There is a good fish and chip shop called Atkinsons down a little side street (sorry don't know the streets name)

Please do be really careful going onto the sands...the tied sweeps round you in a matter of minutes!!! lost have been stranded and lives have been lost...sorry don't want to frighten you just warn you!

There is a park called Happy Mount park but havent bene for years.

On the front is a park area (up near the Battery) there are water fountains coming out the ground for kids to play with (take a towel) and the sunset is lovely!! up that end..

We went last month on the way back from the Lakes. It was around 10 years since we had last visited. It is really badly run down, even the 'posh' hotel looked poor. I had remembered a rather genteel place and was quite shocked at the difference, such a shame. BUT!, it will be a change of scenery, blow off the cobwebs, nice sea air, a change is as good as a rest....enjoy.

We had a brilliant holiday with our children in Morecambe in the late 1980's. They loved the Illuminations in the park. Less than an hour's drive is Holker Hall, house and gardens are lovely. www.holker.co.uk Silverdale is pretty for a walk.

Thank you juggernaut, I can tell you love your area, and everyone else. I'm really looking forward to it!

When we lived in Lancashire, Morecambe was a popular place for us to take the kids for day trips on the coach, we didn`t have a car back then. On the stone jetty, there used to be a paddling pool, our kids loved it. And the illuminations were in a park, you just walked round at your leisure, they weren`t spectacular, like Blackpool`s, but it was a nice way to spend an evening. We haven`t been back there since about 1978, probably wouldn`t recognize it now, but would definitely go and say hello to Eric.

Now I feel that I must go there to see.

So many seaside towns run down and depressing, it's true.

? that bad is it?

There's a nice set of traffic lights you can watch change.

ninathenana
Google 'Midland Hotel, Morecambe'!

What's the hotel called please. I'm assuming it's art deco, would love to Google pics.

The walk across the bay is fabulous - about 9 miles - but dangerous unless guided - guides are excellent & have a support vehicle - sort of quad thing - for anyone who tires - it's a great experience but only if you're fit & used to walking.
Bird watching in the area is excellent - Leighton Moss and the Bay itself. Too early in the year for the starling murmurations- come again in November!
Grange-over-Sands & Cartmel are well worth visiting - the medieval misericords at Cartmel Priory are unique - look out for the "hedge-pig" & the elephant with hooves!
The sticky toffee pudding at Cartmel village shop is world famous - enjoy And don't forget to take home some Lancashire cheese - crumbly or creamy or tasty - but best if you buy all three

I had a maiden Aunt that lived in Bare many years ago. My late DH and I stayed with her before we were married ( our 1st holiday together) It was all very proper and above board?? as she and her friend with whom she shared the house were very straight laced!! We then went on to stay in Grange over Sands and they came to "vet " the place to make sure we had booked single rooms. Fortunately they didn't know what went on after they had gone home??!! I remember Grange being very nice as was the surrounding area.( 50 years ago)!!!

Sambo's grave is a memorial to a young, black slave who is thought to have arrived in 1736 at the port with his master.

He was born in Africa and taken first to the West Indies as a slave before being brought to Lancaster by his master.

He was taken ill, left behind by his master, and died near a local inn at Sunderland Point.

He was buried in an unmarked grave but in 1795 a schoolteacher - Rev Watson - raised money to erect a memorial to Sambo and penned the elegy on the grave.

The epitaph reads:
Full sixty years the angry winter's wave
Has thundering dashed this bleak and barren shore
Since Sambo's head laid in this lonely grave
Lies still and ne'er will hear their turmoil more.
Full many a sandbird chirps upon the sod,
And many a moonlight elfin round him trips
Full many a summer's sunbeam warms the clod
And many a teeming cloud upon him drips.
But still he sleeps - till the awakening sounds,
Of the Archangel's trump new life impart,
Then the Great Judge his approbation founds,
Not on man's colour but his worth of heart.

There are many people who could learn valuable lessons from the attitudes shown during the 1700's!

Forgot to tell you kittylester, Carnforth Station is where the station scene in 'Brief Encounter' was filmed.
There's a tea room, The Refreshment Room, which has been restored to its 1940's style. The counter has an old till, water boiler etc, very atmospheric! It's a lovely place to sit and have a drink and piece of cake.
If you're feeling silly, have your photo taken dressed as Laura and Alec, standing in/at the door of the train carriage. The staff will happily take a pic for you, with your camera!
There's also an exhibition about the films of David Lean, which is interesting, but I was just gobsmacked by how much of a womaniser he was! He was a bit of a dish though, so I wouldn't have blamed any woman for falling for him!
There's not much else in Carnforth, but the station is a good way to while away a couple of hours.

What is the Sambo Grave? Not going until 17th but don't really relish the walk across the bay.

Great suggestions from juggernaut - the Sambo grave is something of a pilgrimage for us as well. If you're there the first weekend of September, there is a guided walk across the Bay, led by the Queen's Guide.