Bowland Escapes - Fun Days Out

Pleasure Beach Resort, long known as Blackpool Pleasure Beach, is an amusement park on Blackpool's South Shore. It was founded in 1896 and sits right along the promenade. Rollercoasters are the main draw, with ten to ride. The Big One was once the tallest and steepest in the world, and is still the longest in Europe. The park also has the largest collection of wooden coasters in the UK, including Big Dipper, Blue Flyer, Grand National and Nickelodeon Streak.

There's plenty beyond the big coasters. Sir Hiram Maxim's Captive Flying Machine, which opened in 1904, is the oldest amusement ride in Europe, and there's a well-known water ride too. Younger children can head to Nickelodeon Land, a themed area where they can meet favourite characters. Non-riders can buy park entry without rides to watch the shows, eat and enjoy the atmosphere. It suits thrill seekers, families with young children and anyone who likes a bit of fairground history.

Tip: Check the official calendar for opening days and times before you go, and book eTickets online ahead of your visit.

Blackpool Zoo is a 32-acre zoo set beside Stanley Park, about two miles inland from the Golden Mile. It cares for over 1,000 animals from around the world, and opened in 1972 on the site of the old Stanley Park Aerodrome.

Highlights include Project Elephant Base Camp, with the largest indoor elephant house in the UK, and Giraffe Heights, where visitors can book encounters to hand-feed the giraffes. You can also see gorillas, orangutans, lions and Amur tigers in the Big Cat Habitat, and watch California sea lions in the 250-seat arena at Active Oceans. Walk-through areas such as Lemur Wood and Amazonia put you close to the animals, and the Dinosaur Safari trail features life-size dinosaur models. There is also a Playbarn.

Tip: Tickets can be bought in advance online. Follow the brown elephant signs if driving, and use sat nav postcode FY3 8PP.

Lancaster Castle is a Grade I listed medieval castle and former prison on a hilltop in the city centre, standing on the site of three successive Roman forts. English Heritage has called it the North-West's most important historic and archaeological monument. It served as a prison for centuries, and part of it still hosts Crown Court sittings.

You can wander the courtyards, enjoy the external views and stop at the courtyard café without paying, but the interiors can only be seen on a guided tour of about an hour. Tours cover the castle's darker past, from witchcraft trials to transportation to Australia. Expect steep approaches from every direction.

Tip: There's no on-site car park and on-street spaces are limited to 2 hours, so use one of Lancaster's larger car parks or the park and ride.

Gawthorpe Hall is a Grade I listed Elizabethan house on the banks of the River Calder, remodelled in the 19th century by Charles Barry, architect of the Houses of Parliament. Inside, the rooms are filled with Victorian Gothic furnishings and show how the Kay-Shuttleworth family lived. Families can follow a trail around the house or dress up in the nursery.

Outside, the estate has over 40 acres of woodland, a formal terraced garden with views over the river, a walled garden and a natural play area with materials for den building. Look out for woodland birds such as nuthatches and woodpeckers, and roe deer. A circular walk takes in the parkland, and the estate is a trailhead on the Brontë Way. It suits families, walkers and anyone who likes a historic house with plenty of outdoor space. Dogs on leads are welcome in the grounds, though only assistance dogs can go in the Hall.

Tip: The Hall isn't suitable for pushchairs, baby backpacks or large bags, so travel light. The access drive is narrow, with passing places.

Clitheroe Castle is a ruined early medieval castle in the Ribble Valley, Lancashire. Its earliest history is debated, but it is thought to be of Norman origin, probably built in the twelfth century. The castle stands on a steep limestone outcrop that rises 39 metres above the surrounding land and gives extensive views over the area. Its keep is the second smallest surviving stone-built keep in England.

The buildings on the site are home to Clitheroe Castle Museum, so there is more to see than the ruins alone. The castle's story takes in the de Lacy family, the Civil War and the Duchy of Lancaster. In 1920 the site was sold to the people of Clitheroe to create a war memorial. It suits anyone who likes castle history and a look at a small, characterful keep.

Blackpool Tower opened in 1894 and was inspired by the Eiffel Tower in Paris. It stands 518 feet tall, and the Tower Buildings around its base are Grade I listed. The Tower Top offers views across the North West of England, a 4D cinema experience and the SkyWalk glass viewing platform, plus a bar.

Around the Tower you will find the Tower Circus, with its acrobatic acts and clowns, and the Tower Ballroom, where you can watch the dancing or take a twirl yourself. Afternoon tea is served in the Ballroom with live organ music. The Tower's line-up also includes the Tower Dungeon walk-through experience, Madame Tussauds Blackpool, Dino Mini Golf and Sandcastle Waterpark. History lovers will enjoy the Ballroom and the Tower's Victorian story.

Tip: Pre-book online to guarantee entry. The Tower Top is weather permitting, and combined tickets for two attractions save money.

The Harris is a Grade I-listed museum, art gallery and public library in Preston, Lancashire. The Neo-Classical building has a grand portico and a pediment sculpture based on Raphael's The School of Athens. Inside, a central hall rises over 120 feet to the lantern tower, with balconies on the upper floors and a Foucault pendulum that works as a decorative clock.

The collections cover fine art, decorative art, costume, textiles, archaeology and local history. The Discover Preston gallery tells the city's story, and its Discovery Room has featured the Poulton Elk, an Ice Age elk skeleton with barbed points embedded in it. Other galleries include British ceramics and glass, plus a programme of contemporary art exhibitions. Admission is free, although visitors are asked to donate if they can.

Ribble Steam Railway is a standard gauge preserved railway running along Preston Docks. It opened to the public in 2005 and is home to one of the largest collections of locomotives in the United Kingdom, much of it moved from the old Southport Railway Museum.

Your ticket covers the museum, Mr Ribble's Playground, Mrs Ribble's Tea Room and travel on the trains. Each journey lasts around 35 minutes, heading from Preston Riverside station to Strand Road and back, usually behind a small steam or diesel engine with Mark 1 coaches. The visitor centre also has a shop and café. It's a good pick for railway fans and for families with children, who can ride the train and then let off steam in the playground.

Tip: Check the railway's website before you go to see which days trains run, as special events need booking in advance.