Bacup

Bacup has a quirky mix of things for visitors to dip into. One of its claims to fame is that it is the source of the River Irwell and is English Heritage’s Best Preserved Mill Town and home to Britain’s first Russian Tearoom.

One of the newest attractions in Bacup and the first of its kind in England has to be the Russian Tearoom, choose from over 60 teas and 20 coffees and freshly prepared milkshakes. Their savoury and sweet menus change daily and include Russian salads, soups, Panini’s, pancakes and a wide selection of cakes.

Visitors come from all over the world to see the colourful Britannia Coconutters folk dance their way through the streets of Bacup. With their blackened faces, turban-like decorated hats, red and white kilts, white stockings and shining black Lancashire clogs; they are a sight to behold.

Bacup Market is held on Wednesday and Saturday with a selection of stalls selling household goods, clothes and food; including award winning cooked meats. A flea market is held on Friday.  If you are in the town centre of Bacup see if you can find Elgin St., (OL13 8HE) one of Great Britain’s shortest streets. At 17’ 2” it’s no longer in the Guinness Book of Records but it is still a very short street.

At first sight Bacup’s Royal Court Theatre looks small and unimposing but once inside it’s like a tardis. Where else would you find a theatre with stairs going down to the circle not up! If you are interested in the local history of the area there’s a wealth of industrial, religious, household and military artefacts at Bacup’s Natural History Museum.

The River Irwell is thought to originate from Irwell Springs and the source point for the Irwell Sculpture Trail, high up on Deerplay Moor, once the site of an old colliery.

Not every area can boast its own telescope, but high on the moors above the town of Bacup there’s an Astronomy Centre. At the moment the centre opens on Saturday evenings from 19.30 onwards. So if it’s a clear Saturday evening check it out: you could be in for a surprise.

Continuing with the outdoors theme extreme mountain biking awaits any adrenaline junkies at Lee Quarry Mountain Bike Trail, part of the Pennine Lancashire Adrenaline Gateway.  Bacup Golf Club openly welcomes visitors. Offering spectacular scenery and challenging golf, this 9-hole course is located on the moors above Bacup.

Stacksteads is on the road from Bacup to Waterfoot and it’s the centre for one of the world’s craziest competitions – The World Gravy Wrestling Championships. This family fun day is held at the Rose’ n’ Bowl, Stacksteads where you can watch or participate as contestants slip ‘n’ slide in a pool of warm gravy.

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