Lovely Lancaster (Lancaster in General)

Member Name: jesperado

Product:	Lancaster in General
Date:	16/04/09 (78 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Lovely people and nice places to visit

Disadvantages: Might be a bit sleepy for those used to city life

Let me begin by stating that I have no sense of direction and cannot drive so you will have to look up the exact locations of points of interest on Google maps or something similar! Fortunately, the centre of Lancaster is pretty easy to find your way around so I've managed not to get lost too much in the 5 years I have lived here.

THE CASTLE:
I am lucky enough to work in Lancaster's most interesting tourist attractions, Lancaster Castle. Building began on the castle in the 11th century and the Norman Keep still remains to this day. It is a fascinating building which comprises a castle, a crown court and a Category C men's prison which makes it truly unique! Tours are available around parts of the castle such as the old courtrooms and the dungeons which give visitors a flavour of the past. The tours are excellent and really informative and there is a castle gift shop from which you can buy souvenirs. The parts of the castle which are open to the public are also occasionally used as a backdrop for plays by theatre companies specialising in using unusual settings for theatre. I have seen a production of Hamlet at the castle which took the audience from the courts, around the ramparts and culminated with the final scene taking place in a dungeon which the audience standing in a gallery above. If you get the chance to see such a production I can assure you, you won't be disappointed!

THE ASHTON MEMORIAL:
Another place to visit is the Ashton Memorial which is an Edwardian folly perched on top of a hill. It offers spectacular views of the city and surrounding areas. There is a butterfly house and an aviary nearby as well as a small playground for children and a large expanse of grass perfect for summer picnics. Within the park surrounding the memorial there are clearings amongst the trees which have been designed for outdoor theatre.

THEATRES:
Speaking of theatre, Lancaster boasts two main theatres: The Grand and The Dukes. The Grand is a beautiful proscenium arch theatre which was rebuilt after being gutted by fire in 1908. It is currently owned and maintained by a drama society called Lancaster Footlights who put on regular shows as well as inviting touring companies and comedians to perform. The Dukes is much more modern and has a traditional rake theatre as well as a round theatre, which accommodate some excellent productions and dance groups. The rake theatre is also used as a cinema showing arthouse and foreign language films as well as recent blockbusters.

FOOD AND DRINK:
There are many good restaurants, cafes and coffee shops in Lancaster. My favourite restaurant is The Gatehouse which you can find by the canal. It offers contemporary English and Mediterranean cuisine in a very relaxed atmosphere and has an excellent wine list. As for cafes, The Sultan of Lancaster has a café/gallery below its main restaurant which offers a range of Asian dishes in a really beautiful setting. The Sun Hotel is one of Lancaster's nicest bars and offers excellent breakfast, lunch and dinner menus. If you are looking for some entertainment whilst you have a drink, there are many open mic nights in places like The Golden Lion (Tuesdays) and The Stonewell Tavern (Wednesdays). The Yorkshire House offers regular rock gigs as well as improvised comedy theatre (Improv Xpress, third Sunday of every month).

LIVING IN LANCASTER:
Lancaster is by far the nicest place I have ever lived. The people of Lancaster are very friendly and although it is a city there is a strong sense of community. The Gregson Centre is a community driven, co-operatively owned pub and restaurant which caters for everyone in the community with a number of regular classes including Salsa, choirs and kids group. This type of thing typifies Lancaster really. There are a lot of arty types as well as a large student community. I have not encountered any crime whilst living here and it is one of those places where you can go to the shops without having to worry about locking your door and hiding your valuables. You can find something to do on every night of the week and it's not too far away from Preston and Manchester if you fancy something a bit more lively.

Summary: I came up here for uni 5 years ago and still haven't left!