Beacon Fell

The city of Preston has so much on offer and is definitely a worthwhile visit.  History, entertainment, nature; you name it, Preston has it.  This page is purely for tourists visiting Preston, whether for a day, a week or longer, to show you why Preston is the perfect city to visit.  Below are some of the highlights of our city, which you can take your pick from, based on what suits you.

Beacon Fell is a country park with over 270 acres of woodland, moorland and farmland.  At the top of the summit you can see stunning views of the Forest of Bowland and Morecambe Bay.  It has been known that on a clear day, you can even see the Isle of Man.  The visitor centre at Beacon Fell was awarded a prestigious gold standard award by the Green Tourism Business Scheme.  There is a variety of wildlife, including rabbits, hares, stoats, weasels and roe deer.  A café is situated on site, along with various picnic benches placed around the campsite, for those who want to make the most of a sunny day with a traditional picnic. You can find out more on Visit Lancashire.

Advertisements

Preston North End, Preston’s local football club was first formed in 1881, and was one of the founding members of the Football League in 1888.  Not only can you see a game at the popular football ground, PNE is also a brilliant venue for events, meetings, conferences and functions.  You can find out more at the Preston North End website.

The Ribble Steam Railway is more than just a train ride.  A visit here allows you to travel along the ½ mile dock and riverside line, and also gives you access to the newly built museum and workshop.  The journey takes you across he Preston Marina entrance, and along the diverted River Ribble on the site of the former docklands.  Run entirely by volunteers with a gift shop and café on site, this is the perfect day out.  You can find out more at the Ribble Steam Railway website.

Even if you’re not in Preston for long, something that should definitely be added to your itinerary is seeing a show at the Guild Hall and Charter Theatre.  A wide range of entertainment programmes are presented throughout the year, so there is always something to see.   The Guild Hall is a wonderful concert hall, which seats over 2000 people.  Not only is there theatre and music, but the arena is also host to a variety of activities including sporting activities such as, badminton, darts, boxing and the very popular, wrestling.  Previous acts to grace the Guild Hall stage include Katherine Jenkins, Russell Watson, Stereophonics and Peter Kay.  The Charter Theatre is a stylish, traditional theatre, seating around 750 people.  The Circle and Stalls Bar are perfect places to relax before and after a show, where you can enjoy a drink or two.  It is one of the busiest attractions in Preston, with over 400 events per year.  Christmas is one of the most popular times of the year, and Preston would not be the same without the traditional British pantomime, which has been upheld for many years in our city.  Find out more at the Guild Hall and Charter Theatre website.

Finally, there is the Harris Museum and Art Gallery, which is being reformed.  ‘The Story of Preston’ gallery is now closed and is being transformed into ‘Discover Preston’, which provides new stories of Preston’s history.  The gallery will also see a Discovery Room, which will be an opportunity for the public to investigate the collections in the Harris Museum more closely.  Go up the grand staircase and explore two floors of textile, traditional and contemporary art.  There is also an annual events programme at the Harris Museum, which is always filled with talks and guided tours, which are free for you to enjoy.  Find out more at the Harris Museum and Art Gallery website.

Image credit to Philip Garsed