Apart from those accidental, ‘how did I end up in here for the third time this week?!’ trips to Lancaster’s finest clubs such as the Sugarhouse, there’s also plenty of sweet things to get up to in the town centre during the day and evening time. Whether you’re into going on scenic walks with your significant other or grabbing a coffee with friends, there’s surprisingly plenty of places to choose from in our historical and quaint town. After living in town during second year I’ve gathered a list of personal favourites which are all year round winners in my eyes.
1. Williamson Park
(Image: gb.fotolibre.com)
First on the list is the infamous Williamson Park, home of the Ashton Memorial but more importantly ducks and dog walkers. You might recognise a variation of this picture from many of your Lancaster friends’ Instagram pages, or maybe even your own, and I wouldn’t blame you! Being a guilty party in this too, it’s no surprise that this is one of Lancaster’s most popular past times. You can get some great photos of the stunning views up there and spend some quality time with those that matter, it’s definitely worth the hill climb for this one.
2. Canal and The Water Witch
(Image: coolplaces.co.uk)
As winter is gradually creeping up on us and rain is not a foreign concept to us Lancastrians, it might be a better idea to leave the canal walks for the summer months and grab a drink and complain about the cold from the cosy indoors. With its own wood burning fire and homely pub feel, The Water Witch is ideal for both meals out and evening drinks, and also a great choice for when the parents come to visit!
3. The Study Room & its weekly quiz!
(Image: core-design.net)
Food, cocktails and more cocktails that can be won in their weekly pub quiz, The Study Room in Lancaster has a very vibrant, retro vibe that makes it popular amongst us students! A lot of people visit this hotspot for its quiz held on a Thursday night, which is a really great opportunity to regroup with all your besties, drink cocktails from their extensive menu and all fail together at the Science and Nature round.
4. The Robert Gillow
Okay, this is the last pub on the list, I promise you I don’t have a pint problem! In a way similar to the Water Witch, The Robert Gillow is a cosy pub/restaurant with a warm feel and generally an all-round nice atmosphere. It has a great selection of beers and ciders (so maybe another one to bring the Dads to) and regularly has live music which is fitting to its overall vibe.
5. Atkinsons Coffee
(Image: thecoffeeshopper.com)
You haven’t tried a-maz-ing coffee until you visit Atkinsons (The Hall) on China Street in Lancaster. Unlike your well heard of coffee spots, the coffee from Atkinson’s is ‘vintage’ roasted in the building adjacent and it unsurprisingly makes a huge difference to the quality of their brews. For those non-coffee fans they also sell a range of other hot drinks and freshly baked cakes, yum.
6. Pizza Margherita
The final spot on my list was a hard one to choose because there are so many great independent restaurants in Lancaster it could be a list in itself. So to cater to the masses (because who doesn’t love Italian food?), I felt like Pizza Margherita deserved a shout out. Both the food and atmosphere in here are perfect for any occasion, whether it’s a birthday party or a first date, and they also offer Vegetarian and Vegan meals for the tricky ones of the group!