Garstang

Garstang is a historic market town, situated on the banks of the beautiful River Wyre. It is located 15-minutes drive from our Lancashire caravan park in between Lancaster and Preston. With plenty of cafés, shops and scenic walks nearby, there’s much to offer visitors during a day out from Moss Wood Caravan Park. We highly recommend taking some time to explore this pretty town whilst holidaying in the North West.

If you plan on indulging in a spot of retail therapy during your holiday in Lancashire, Garstang is the place to go. Unlike larger towns and cities nearby, there are few national retailers, but a fantastic mix of independent shops to peruse.

Garstang market dates back to the 1300’s and continues to draw people to the town every week. The traditional market takes place on Thursdays and stretches along the length of the high street. There are a variety of goods available to purchase, including stalls selling household goods, clothes, plants and more.

Photo credit: Gee Leonard, Flickr

In addition to the weekly market, there are a number of stalls in the Market Hall on Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. Here you can find fresh fruit and vegetables, as well as locally sourced meats and other artisan produce. Interestingly, Garstang was crowned the world’s first Fairtrade Town due to the importance it placed on sustainably sourced food. In the years that have followed many places around the world have achieved this status, but Garstang certainly was at the forefront in this field.

Walks from Garstang

If you like walking there are a number of scenic routes that can be easily reached from Garstang. We highly recommend picking up the Garstang Heritage Trail leaflet and following one of the marked routes around the town. There are 3 trails of varying lengths, each showing various buildings of historical importance. The leaflet includes original artwork and lists interesting facts.

Photo credit: Maljoe, Flickr

Another of our favourite places to walk during a trip to Garstang is the Millennium Green. This outdoor space is just moments from the town centre and provides the perfect setting for both the local community and visitors to enjoy the outdoors. There’s a picnic area and interesting bird sculptures to take in. There’s also a 30-minute circular walk, from which you may be lucky enough to spot a range of birdlife, squirrels and may be even a bat!

Photo credit: A S Morton, Flickr

Places to eat in Garstang

You certainly won’t go hungry during a trip to Garstang – there are lots of lovely places to eat and drink. If you’re in the mood for traditional pub food, we suggest treating yourself to a meal at Bellflower Garstang, Pipers or The Horns Country Inn. For lighter bites or delicious tea, coffee and cake head to Bella’s Coffee House or Bridge 64 Café Bar.

Family friendly events

Every year Garstang plays host to a number of fantastic events. Perhaps the most well-known is the Arts and Music Festival, which culminates on the August bank holiday. Over the course of the 10-day event there are plenty of performances from entertainers and local bands. The Arts Centre is a hive of activity with a variety of workshops and exhibitions taking place.

Other events include the annual Garstang Agricultural Show, Ice Cream Festival, Children’s Festival, Victorian Christmas Festival and Scarecrow Festival.