Our first call will be to the innovative and popular, Greenlands Farm Village  near Carnforth.  A former dairy farm, it is has now been converted into an interesting venue. There is a comfy coffee shop serving drinks and home made cakes, etc. There are a variety of artisan shops including wine, cheese, Cheesecake Emporium, butchers selling local produce, Gift Shops where you might find some stocking fillers, presents, Garden Centre,  which is sure to have a selection of festive plants, Home Made Chocolates and a lot more.  Then we will be off to the 4* Grange Hotel, Grange over Sands, set in its own grounds and with an enviable reputation for comfort and food.  We will have a 3 course lunch (no choice of meal slip, choose on the day)  with a good selection from their festive menu followed by tea/coffee and mince pies.

When?  Wed. 6th December 2017. Dep. 9.30am  Ret. 6pm Price: £29 inc.3 course lunch/coffee/mince pies. Seats can be booked at our table on Tuesday 25th July

A day with a difference.  We will start with a visit to Ena Mill in Atherton, reputedly named after a Spanish Queen.  This Cotton Spinning  Mill was built in l908 and is a Grade !! listed building,  It is a magnificent example of our Industrial Heritage. After spinning thousands of yards of cotton is was closed in the 1990’s.   It is now converted in a fantastic open space on the ground floor as an Emporium with something for everyone and a nice Coffee Shop.  Maybe a chance to start some early Christmas shopping for stocking fillers etc.  Onto the family owned Rivington Hall Barn Bolton.  which dates  back to the 12th Century.  It still retains original features and huge Saxon beams. We will have a 2 course lunch followed by tea/coffee and then we will sit back and enjoy an afternoon of entertainment from the well known Lancashire Folk Group The Houghton Weavers.  Formed in l975 they have had their own BBC series Set Thee Down and a BBC Radio 2 show.  They are easy to listen to and there is gentle humour appealing to all ages.  Time for a last drink before leaving for home

WHEN? Wed.18th October 2017  Depart 9.15am Return 6pm.  Price £25 includes 2 course lunch with tea/coffee and Houghton Weavers Concert.  Seats will be on sale at our table on Tuesday 11th July 2017.

We first visited the Bay View Garden Centre, which is a bit of a hidden gem, set on the Bay of Morecambe with stunning views across to the Lake District.  There were plenty of plants for sale and a lovely tea room, The Potting Shed, to have a coffee and some lunch

On then to Leighton Hall, which is still a lived in family home, belonging to the famous Waring  and Gillow family.  How many of us can remember their shop in Bold Street? The guides who did the tours were excellent and unusually were very easy to hear  It was generally agreed we could all move in to such a lovely home. The afternoon was completed with a Falconry display and a final cuppa before departing for home.  The weather was overcast but dry!!

Are they considering making an offer???

It used to be in Yorkshire and then the boundary changes moved it into Lancashire and the locals are still fighting to remain in Yorkshire.  We’re off to the interesting area of Saddleworth.  We will begin with a visit to the Daisy Nook Garden Centre where we will have a coffee/cake and a talk about the interesting area which was a particular favourite of L.S.Lowry.  Then we are off on a tour of the ancient Saddleworth Villages,set beneath the West Pennines, they have hardly changed over centuries.  They still have the old mills, market squares, weavers’ cottages and typical village life styles. We will finish up at the popular Old Bell Inn in the quaint village of  Delph for a 3 course set lunch.  After lunch there will be an opportunity to visit Upper Mill, which is the largest and probably the most popular of the Villages.  There is a good selection of interesting things to see/do..Plenty of cafes if you fancy a drink.  If time allows we will visit Grandad Greene’s luxury Ice Cream Parlour on the banks of the Canal where their large selection of home produced ice creams should tempt a few of us (if not all)  There is also a nice licensed Cafe for a cool wine or a cup of tea.

WHEN? Wednesday 27th September 2017.  Dep.9.15am  Ret.6pm  Price: £23 includes morning coffee/cake, talk, 3 course set lunch.  Seats will be on sale at our table on Tuesday 27th June 2017. NB. the usual deposit of £5 is acceptable but in view of the impending closure of the Baptist Church for major repair/refurbishment and the temporary accommodation we will have, it would be appreciated if you could pay in full. Many thanks

It was a glorious morning and off we went to Wirksworth in Derbyshire.  This is an ancient town but not as well known as Buxton, Matlock etc.  However, it is steeped in history and served a good glass of wine at llam in a terrace cafe, in the sun Hic!  Some of our group had a guided tour of the town with Sally from the Heritage Centre, some “wandered” and we had a look at the Well Dressings.  This form of decoration is steeped in history, all done by locals with natural materials and is unique to Derbyshire.  On to Masson Mill, for some lunch in the reasonably priced restaurant and a guided tour of Richard Arkwright’s Cotton Mill built in the the l700’s.  How clever and forward looking, were the people to have sorted out those spinning, weaving machines and no technology to help them.  On our way home we sat on the coach waiting for” the cows to come home” literally.  It must have been a huge dairy farm as there were plenty of cows. It was a warm, sunny pleasant day and good value at £15.