Need advice on side visit to Blackburn
Jan 12th, 2004, 10:19 AM
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Need advice on side visit to Blackburn
My wife & I are making our first visit to Europe this May with a week in London.
Her Mother came from a town up North called Blackburn & I'd like to take her to see her Mom's old house. I don't want to drive a car in England.
I've been thinking that at the end of our time in London we could train up & stay a night in Manchester & visit Blackburn from there. We could then fly back to the States from Manchester. Any advice/suggestions will be greatly appreciated. Thanks!
Her Mother came from a town up North called Blackburn & I'd like to take her to see her Mom's old house. I don't want to drive a car in England.
I've been thinking that at the end of our time in London we could train up & stay a night in Manchester & visit Blackburn from there. We could then fly back to the States from Manchester. Any advice/suggestions will be greatly appreciated. Thanks!
Jan 12th, 2004, 10:42 AM
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This is all perfectly do-able. It's about 3h to 4h from London to Blackburn by train, depending on connexions. You may even want to consider overnighting in Blackburn; it is only about 1h 30m from Blackburn to Manchester Airport by train.
You can look at schedules and fares at www.qjump.co.uk.
You can look at schedules and fares at www.qjump.co.uk.
Sep 8th, 2005, 10:34 PM
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Yes, to me, it seems like it must be Lancashire, the Manchester bit gives it away.
It is very doable - Blackburn can be reached easily by bus or train from Manchester.
There are plenty of nice places near Blackburn to visit. For instance, Stonyhurst College where both Conan Doyle and Tolkein were schooled. Pendle Hill with its witch/Quaker/methodism associations is nearby and the charming village of Downham where they filmed 'Whistle Down the Wind' is near. West Yorkshire is only miles away where it is easy to reach Bronte's Haworth, and charming and not much visited Heptonstall (where Sylvia Plath is buried) is nearby. Let me know if you need any detail on travel arrangements etc.
ps pity you are not going this weekend as it is the start of the 'Blackpudding throwing championships' in Lancashire.
It is very doable - Blackburn can be reached easily by bus or train from Manchester.
There are plenty of nice places near Blackburn to visit. For instance, Stonyhurst College where both Conan Doyle and Tolkein were schooled. Pendle Hill with its witch/Quaker/methodism associations is nearby and the charming village of Downham where they filmed 'Whistle Down the Wind' is near. West Yorkshire is only miles away where it is easy to reach Bronte's Haworth, and charming and not much visited Heptonstall (where Sylvia Plath is buried) is nearby. Let me know if you need any detail on travel arrangements etc.
ps pity you are not going this weekend as it is the start of the 'Blackpudding throwing championships' in Lancashire.
Sep 9th, 2005, 03:33 AM
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Alya
I know what you mean - my job as a nurse tutor involves me going round West Yorkshire and visiting students in what i consider a most beautiful part of England. One of the clinics I visit is in a delightful spot called Luddendenfoot- its where Branwell Bronte worked and not far from Heptonstall. Heptonstall is also asociated with Ted Hughes whose parents lived there, and of course you know the connection with Sylvia Plath.
I know what you mean - my job as a nurse tutor involves me going round West Yorkshire and visiting students in what i consider a most beautiful part of England. One of the clinics I visit is in a delightful spot called Luddendenfoot- its where Branwell Bronte worked and not far from Heptonstall. Heptonstall is also asociated with Ted Hughes whose parents lived there, and of course you know the connection with Sylvia Plath.
Sep 9th, 2005, 06:46 AM
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Every time I read a question re Blackburn I'm reminded of the Beatle song "A Day in the Life" which has these lyrics:
"I read the news today oh, boy
Four thousand holes in Blackburn, Lancashire
And though the holes were rather small
They had to count them all
Now they know how many holes
it takes to fill the Albert Hall
I'd love to turn you on"
Just in case you do get turned on you may want to travel to Darwen and act out your fantasies in Bold Venture Park.
"I read the news today oh, boy
Four thousand holes in Blackburn, Lancashire
And though the holes were rather small
They had to count them all
Now they know how many holes
it takes to fill the Albert Hall
I'd love to turn you on"
Just in case you do get turned on you may want to travel to Darwen and act out your fantasies in Bold Venture Park.
Sep 9th, 2005, 10:00 AM
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whoops - too much steak and ale pie without the steak and pie! And anyway, the trains are pretty slow around here. But keeping on the theme of trivia - did you know that Butch Cassidy has roots in Blackburn?
Sep 9th, 2005, 07:08 PM
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stevelyon - haven't lived in Yorkshire since the 80's but when visiting family our first meal was always Fish & Chips.
We didn't tend to eat them in the south - just not as nice.
So, 2001 we move to the US and I know I'll never had good F&C again
Until... we find a 'Chippie' in RI whose owners are descended from a Yorkshire family and brought the recipe with them. The aroma when we opened the door was wonderful. Now instead of the 200 miles we had to travel to Yorkshire we only have to travel 15 miles!
We do have to take our own mushy peas though
We didn't tend to eat them in the south - just not as nice.
So, 2001 we move to the US and I know I'll never had good F&C again
Until... we find a 'Chippie' in RI whose owners are descended from a Yorkshire family and brought the recipe with them. The aroma when we opened the door was wonderful. Now instead of the 200 miles we had to travel to Yorkshire we only have to travel 15 miles!
We do have to take our own mushy peas though
Sep 11th, 2005, 10:31 AM
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Alya
Absolutely the ‘bestest’ fish and chips are found in West Yorkshire, and you should know Shipley isn’t far from where Harry Ramsden’s started out before it got corporate and spoilt. I can never get over how all the fish and chip shops in West Yorks are all in separate little igloos. Isn’t Shipley where they have the famous ‘Idle Working Mens Club’?
Absolutely the ‘bestest’ fish and chips are found in West Yorkshire, and you should know Shipley isn’t far from where Harry Ramsden’s started out before it got corporate and spoilt. I can never get over how all the fish and chip shops in West Yorks are all in separate little igloos. Isn’t Shipley where they have the famous ‘Idle Working Mens Club’?
