Carnforth is a small market town in Lancashire in Northwest England. It's best known for its railway station, location for the 1945 David Lean film Brief Encounter, with the station clock ticking relentlessly to trammel the characters' lives. However the main reason to visit and stay here is to explore the nearby Arnside and Silverdale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, which straddles the border with Cumbria.
- Carnforth Station Heritage Centre, Carnforth Station, 250 Warton Rd LA5 9TR (Behind the station clock on main platform, +44 1524 735165. Daily 10:00-16:00. The museum depicts the era of steam trains. There's also a section about Brief Encounter and naturally, the film itself can be seen here. The station was rebuilt in 1937 so it's that version that was used in the film, and preserved today. With cafe. Free.
- Over Kellet Pond.: it's small, but this reserve is an important scrap of surviving wetland in an area that's nowadays pastoral. Spot various species of newts and frogs, vivid wetland flowers, and sedge warblers, kingfishers and pipistrelle bats darting above the pond. Open any time but best in late spring / early summer, free access and parking, no dogs. It's two miles east of Carnforth, follow B6254 through village centre then turn right onto Greenways.
- See Arnside and Silverdale for Beetham village, Leighton Hall, and other nearby attractions within the AONB.
Carnforth Station Heritage Centre, Carnforth Station, 250 Warton Rd LA5 9TR (Behind the station clock on main platform, +44 1524 735165. Daily 10:00-16:00. The museum depicts the era of steam trains. There's also a section about Brief Encounter and naturally, the film itself can be seen here. The station was rebuilt in 1937 so it's that version that was used in the film, and preserved today. With cafe. Free.
Over Kellet Pond.: it's small, but this reserve is an important scrap of surviving wetland in an area that's nowadays pastoral. Spot various species of newts and frogs, vivid wetland flowers, and sedge warblers, kingfishers and pipistrelle bats darting above the pond. Open any time but best in late spring / early summer, free access and parking, no dogs. It's two miles east of Carnforth, follow B6254 through village centre then turn right onto Greenways.
See [[Arnside and Silverdale]] for Beetham village, Leighton Hall, and other nearby attractions within the AONB.
- Walk, cycle or boat along Lancaster Canal. Going north from Carnforth, this passes Capernwray, and the navigable section ends after four miles at Tewitfield Marina.; there's accommodation and a pub here. A flight of derelict locks ascends to where the M6 blocks the canal. The section beyond M6 towards Kendal can be walked but is no longer navigable. South from Carnforth, the canal runs near the coast at Bolton-le-Sands and Hest Bank then sweeps inland to cross the River Lune valley over a grand aqueduct, and reach Lancaster after seven miles. It continues south from there past Galgate, Garstang and Woodplumpton to Preston. There are no locks between Tewitfield and Preston.
- Water sports: a mile north of town, Pine Lakes. are old flooded gravel pits. Activities include waterskiing, wakeboarding, canoes, kayaks and boat rides. The main operator is CN Watersports.
- Scuba dive at Capernwray Diving Centre.. You don't want to be in the sea around here, it's muddy with estuary outflow. The dive centre is in the flooded Jackdaw limestone quarry on Capernwray Rd, which runs north from the hamlet of Over Kellett. Maximum depth is 21 m, with training platforms at 2 m and 6 m, so it's good for novices, skill refreshers and blown-out days. Underwater features include the minesweeper Podsnap, a Wessex helicopter, and an infestation of garden gnomes; the lake is stocked with trout and perch. There's a small dive shop, with a filling station for air and nitrox, and licensed restaurant. The centre is open Th-Sun 10:00-17:00 and a one-day pass is £17.
- You can also scuba-dive in the River Lune at Devil's Bridge in nearby Kirkby Lonsdale, if the river's not too churned up.
Walk, cycle or boat along Lancaster Canal. Going north from Carnforth, this passes Capernwray, and the navigable section ends after four miles at Tewitfield Marina.; there's accommodation and a pub here. A flight of derelict locks ascends to where the M6 blocks the canal. The section beyond M6 towards Kendal can be walked but is no longer navigable. South from Carnforth, the canal runs near the coast at Bolton-le-Sands and Hest Bank then sweeps inland to cross the River Lune valley over a grand aqueduct, and reach [[Lancaster]] after seven miles. It continues south from there past Galgate, Garstang and Woodplumpton to Preston. There are no locks between Tewitfield and Preston.
Water sports: a mile north of town, Pine Lakes. are old flooded gravel pits. Activities include waterskiing, wakeboarding, canoes, kayaks and boat rides. The main operator is CN Watersports.
Scuba dive at Capernwray Diving Centre.. You don't want to be in the sea around here, it's muddy with estuary outflow. The dive centre is in the flooded Jackdaw limestone quarry on Capernwray Rd, which runs north from the hamlet of Over Kellett. Maximum depth is 21 m, with training platforms at 2 m and 6 m, so it's good for novices, skill refreshers and blown-out days. Underwater features include the minesweeper Podsnap, a Wessex helicopter, and an infestation of garden gnomes; the lake is stocked with trout and perch. There's a small dive shop, with a filling station for air and nitrox, and licensed restaurant. The centre is open Th-Sun 10:00-17:00 and a one-day pass is £17.
You can also scuba-dive in the River Lune at Devil's Bridge in nearby [[Kirkby Lonsdale]], if the river's not too churned up.
- There's a big Tesco in town centre, open 08:00-22:00 (Sun to 16:00).
- Greenlands Farm Village in Tewitfield is an Open Farm (daily 10:00-15:30) plus farm shop plus retail centre plus bit of everything,
- Carnforth Bookshop, 38-42 Market Street (On the main road., +44 1524 734588. 9-5. A large bookshop with a wide range of secondhand books.
Carnforth Bookshop, 38-42 Market Street (On the main road., +44 1524 734588. 9-5. A large bookshop with a wide range of secondhand books.
- Spice Touch is an Indian on Warton Rd (daily 17:30-22:30). China Essence on Scotland Rd is open Th-Tu 17:00-22:00, and there's a Chinese takeaway just west on Market St.
- Couple of fish & chips places south of the station.
Spice Touch is an Indian on Warton Rd (daily 17:30-22:30). China Essence on Scotland Rd is open Th-Tu 17:00-22:00, and there's a Chinese takeaway just west on Market St.
- The Snug is a micro-pub within the railway station, open until 21:00 (Sun to 16:30 pm).
- The Canal Turn is on main road at the south edge of town, open M-W 11:00-23:00, Th-Sa 11:00-00:00, Sun 11:00-22:30.
The Snug is a micro-pub within the railway station, open until 21:00 (Sun to 16:30 pm).
The Canal Turn is on main road at the south edge of town, open M-W 11:00-23:00, Th-Sa 11:00-00:00, Sun 11:00-22:30.
- In Lancaster, 7 miles south, see the castle, cathedral and priory. You can't help seeing the Ashton Memorial, it's visible from space.
- Head north for an hour to reach the Lake District National Park.