Staying at The Cartford Inn places you squarely in one of the most rewarding pockets of the country: surrounded by countryside, close to the coast, and within easy reach of some of the North West’s most distinctive spots.
A short, steep walk with sweeping views of the Forest of Bowland and the coast beyond. You’ll find a small tarn at the top, and often a wind strong enough to clear your head. Start in Scorton village (30 minutes away) and finish with a coffee at The Apple Store Café.
Start right from the inn. Cross the toll bridge, stroll through quiet country lanes past farms, and loop into the village of Great Eccleston — a solid excuse for a stop at the bakery, deli, or the weekly market (Wednesdays).
Park up in Knott End (15 minutes away) and head along the sea wall for bracing views across Morecambe Bay.
Woodland walks, sculpture trails, and views across Lancashire. Ideal for families or anyone who enjoys a varied, easy-to-navigate route.
Our nearest village, a few minutes away. Proper butchers, a popular bakery, a monthly Farmers’ Market, and a good example of Lancashire’s down-to-earth charm.
The UK’s first Fairtrade town and a nice place for a potter. Canal-side walks, independent shops, and a solid ice cream parlour. Around 25 minutes away.
Worth the drive (about 45 minutes) for cobbled streets, independent shops, and the famed Ruskin’s View. Feels like a postcard town that’s never tried too hard.
More genteel than Blackpool, with a wide promenade, smart shops, and a windmill on the green. A good option for a relaxed day by the sea.
Yes, really. Rollercoasters, the Tower, or just people-watching on the prom. Blackpool remains one of the most bizarrely brilliant places in the UK. Don’t overthink it — just go.
From world-class music festivals to international sporting events, there’s always something happening along the Fylde Coast. Here are some of the biggest dates for your diary — all within easy reach of The Cartford Inn.
If curiosity gets the better of you…
Samlesbury Hall is a beautiful half-timbered manor with a slightly spooky edge and a surprisingly good Sunday roast. It’s free to visit, hosts regular exhibitions and events, and makes for an easy half-day out at around 35 minutes from the inn.
For something a little quieter, Fleetwood Museum & Ferry Port has an oddly comforting, faded charm. Wander the old docks, explore the maritime museum, or take the ferry across to Knott End and back — there’s something reassuringly unpolished about the whole place.
Brockholes Nature Reserve offers a gentler pace altogether. A floating visitor centre, bird hides and long boardwalks threading through wetlands make it easy to lose a few hours. It’s Wildlife Trust–run, calm, and about 35 minutes away.
And then there’s Lancaster Castle, still very much a working Crown Court. The tours cover witches, prisoners and the darker edges of legal history, and it’s well worth the 40-minute drive.
If the weather’s behaving and the clubs are in the boot…
Royal Lytham & St Annes sits at the heart of England’s west coast golf and needs very little introduction. A regular Open Championship venue, it’s consistently ranked among the finest courses in the world and is around 25 minutes from the inn.
Nearby, St Annes Old Links and Fairhaven Golf Club offer classic championship tests of their own — firm, fast, and shaped by wind and weather rather than water hazards and theatrics.
Further north, the Southport coast opens up a remarkable concentration of world-class courses. Royal Birkdale, Hillside, Formby and Southport & Ainsdale all sit within easy reach, making it entirely possible to build a multi-day golf stay without ever feeling rushed.
Whether you’re here for one round or several, The Cartford makes a quietly comfortable base — far enough from the crowds, close enough to everything that matters.
For days that call for a change of pace.
The Flower Bowl, Barton Grange brings curling, cinema, bowling, crazy golf and fine dining together under one architecturally ambitious roof. It’s ideal for a rainy afternoon, or when you fancy something a little unexpected. Around 20 minutes away.
Farmer Parr’s Animal World is part working farm, part museum of agricultural life, with tractor rides, rare breeds and a refreshing lack of polish. Oddly engaging, gently eccentric, and far better than it has any right to be. Roughly 25 minutes by car.
The Harris Museum, Preston offers art, artefacts and local history inside a handsome neoclassical building. Calm, well-curated, and an easy hour or two if you’re already in town.
Or keep things simple: the Blackpool Tramway and Fleetwood Ferry are both quietly brilliant ways to see the coast without committing to very much at all.
The Lake District is about an hour’s drive away, with all the hikes, lakes, and cake shops you could want. Keswick, Ambleside, and Grasmere are all good bets for a day trip.
Need recommendations or taxi numbers? Just ask.
Our team has been just about everywhere worth going around here — and quite a few places that aren’t. We’re happy to point you in the right direction.
