Lancaster: Lancashire's Historic County Town on the River Lune
Lancaster is the county town of Lancashire, though Preston took over most of the administrative functions long ago. The city sits on the River Lune, about ten miles from the coast at Morecambe and roughly equidistant between Manchester (55 miles south) and Carlisle (60 miles north) on the West Coast Main Line. The population is around 52,000, bolstered significantly by Lancaster University, which sits on a campus at Bailrigg just south of the city and brings in over 16,000 students. The castle, which looms over the city centre from its hilltop position, served as a crown court and prison until 2011. The Ashton Memorial in Williamson Park, a baroque folly built in 1909 by the linoleum magnate Lord Ashton, is visible for miles around and gives the skyline a peculiar grandeur.
The city centre retains a Georgian and Victorian character, particularly along St George's Quay by the river, which was once a busy port trading with the West Indies. The canal towpath running through the city is well used by runners and cyclists. Lancaster has a decent independent food scene and a monthly farmers' market. The M6 passes just east of the city, making the Lake District accessible within 40 minutes. For those exploring adult companionship in the Lancaster area, the city's university population and its position on the main north-south transport routes make it better connected than its size might suggest.
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Lancaster is the county town of Lancashire, though Preston took over most of the administrative functions long ago. The city sits on the River Lune, about ten miles from the coast at Morecambe and roughly equidistant between Manchester (55 miles south) and Carlisle (60 miles north) on the West Coast Main Line. The population is around 52,000, bolstered significantly by Lancaster University, which sits on a campus at Bailrigg just south of the city and brings in over 16,000 students. The castle, which looms over the city centre from its hilltop position, served as a crown court and prison until 2011. The Ashton Memorial in Williamson Park, a baroque folly built in 1909 by the linoleum magnate Lord Ashton, is visible for miles around and gives the skyline a peculiar grandeur.
The city centre retains a Georgian and Victorian character, particularly along St George's Quay by the river, which was once a busy port trading with the West Indies. The canal towpath running through the city is well used by runners and cyclists. Lancaster has a decent independent food scene and a monthly farmers' market. The M6 passes just east of the city, making the Lake District accessible within 40 minutes. For those exploring adult companionship in the Lancaster area, the city's university population and its position on the main north-south transport routes make it better connected than its size might suggest.
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