Lancashire has just launched a bid to become the City of Culture in 2025 – despite being an entire county, not a city.
The whole county is putting forward a compelling pitch for the prestigious award, and is using its 137 miles of coastline, epic castles and sweeping countryside as selling points.
Coventry will become the next City of Culture in 2021, following an announcement in 2017, and the award will likely help to boost tourism and investment in the area.
Given that today is also Lancashire Day, and at the risk of enraging everyone from Yorkshire, we thought we would take a look at all the things that make this North West county so brilliant.
Lancashire hot pot
Let’s start with a traditional, warming dish. It doesn’t get more Lancashire than a hot pot.
Traditionally cooked in a tall, earthenware pot, inside it contains mutton or lamb in a rich, savory gravy, topped with a stodgy layer of sliced potatoes. Perfection.
Epic countryside
From the rolling hills around the Ribble Valley, to the green fields of Clitheroe and the idyllic village of Downham – Lancashire has a lot to offer when it comes to picturesque countryside.
Get your walking boots on and start exploring some of the many country parks. With rugged peaks and tranquil lakes, rolling hills and harsh moorland, you’ll be spoilt for choice.
Blackpool
Say what you will about Blackpool – it is a national treasure.
Yes, the sea is the colour of Diet Coke, and it is overrun with drunken hen/stag parties every weekend – but there is something quintessentially British about the faded glamour of this iconic seaside town.
And the illuminations will always make us feel like excited children at Christmas.
Formby
If you’re after a slightly more low-key coastline, you can’t go wrong with Formby beach.
It has stunning sand dunes, which are perfect for picnics in summer and frosty walks in winter. There’s also a wood which is home to some of the UK’s last remaining red squirrels.
Fish and Chips
The UK’s first ever fish and chips shop opened in this part of the world.
It is believed that entrepreneur John Lees was selling fish and chips out of wooden boxes near Oldham from as early as 1863.
The weather
Hear us out. Yes, it’s rainy in Lancashire. Very rainy. It apparently rains as much as it does in the Amazon.
But a little rain never hurt anyone. In fact, the wet conditions are what makes the area so lush and green, which in turns make the livestock really healthy and robust too.
It’s also why people from Lancashire are so hardy – they’re used to just cracking on, whatever the weather.
The culture
There is a hub of famous comedians who all hail from the county; George Formby, Victoria Wood, Les Dawson, Ken Dodd and Peter Kay – who says it’s grim up north?
Shakespeare lived here, Tolkien based The Lord of the Rings on the countryside here and Lowry painted his epic works based on the industrial revolution in the area.
Famous actors who began their careers in Lancashire include Leonard Rossiter, Ian McKellan and Albert Finney.
Beer
People in Lancashire love their beer.
So much so that the county is dotted with micro-breweries in garages, out-buildings and industrial units, owned by people honing their craft.
Lancashire is also home to a host of breweries specialising in real ale, stout and blond beers.
Pies
Anyone from the north knows the importance of a good pie.
The legendary Holland’s Pies are based in the county, and butter pie (a pie filled with buttery mashed potato) was also created here.
Other culinary delights that are native to Lancashire include, Eccles cake, black pudding, Parkin and bonfire toffee. So we should all probably just move there.
MORE: Ey up cocker! Lancashire wants to become the City of Culture 2025
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source https://metro.co.uk/2019/11/27/lancashire-day-reasons-lancashire-great-11226233/
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