Give the gift of memories in Lancashire this Christmas

There’s nothing more thoughtful than the gift of memories. Many people will tell you that they don’t recall the gifts they were given when they were a child, but remember the special memories made over Christmas and throughout the year with their loved ones.

This is one of the reasons why the gift of an experience is growing in popularity. More and more people are valuing the time they get to spend with their nearest and dearest, especially after the lockdowns of recent years.

Lancashire offers a fantastic range of experiences, from gin distillery tours to steam trains, alpaca walks to spa days, you’ll have plenty to choose from. Take a look at some of the activities you can find around the county below.

Gin distillery tours in Chorley

A bottle of beautifully handcrafted gin is the ideal gift for any gin lover at Christmas, but how about giving them the chance to see that gin being made first hand. At Brindle Distillery, the home of Cuckoo Gin, your loved one can make their own gin during a gin making workshop, or discover the stories behind this flavoursome gin, with cocktail tasters during the a guided tour of the distillery. What more could your favourite gin connoisseur want for Christmas?

Alpaca walking in Samlesbury

The beautiful village of Samlesbury offers lots to do for any visitor, including the wonderful Alpaca Fold . Any animal lover will relish the chance to meet and greet the alpacas and take them out for a private walk through the village. Guests on the walk will discover the individual personalities of each alpaca, learn more about the animals in general and get to feed their alpaca during the walk. There are also meet and greet options that don’t include the 1.5 hour walk for those with smaller legs, so this experience is a great gift for all the family!

Steam train dining experiences at East Lancashire Railway

The East Lancashire Railway provides 12 miles of scenic Lancastrian landscapes with postcard pretty villages and rural panoramas to enjoy when you climb aboard. Not only is the journey beautiful and the experience authentic, you can make it extra special by gifting one of the railways’ many experiences to your loved one. Options include; the Real Ale Trail where your recipient will learn of the long brewing traditions of the area, stopping at some of the oldest and more popular pubs in the Irwell Valley, or a dining experience during which they can enjoy a meal on one of the trains, made with ingredients from the local area.  

Canal boat cruises in Lancaster

Experience the beauty of a canal boat cruise with Lancaster Canal Boats by Kingfisher Cruises. Kingfisher provide a variety of different canal boat experiences, all of which can be booked by way of a gift voucher for a loved one this Christmas. From musical experiences like the Eurovision and Abba tribute live act, to dining and murder mystery evenings, you can find it all. What’s more, the boats have fully licenced bars to enjoy during the ride, and a fully accredited Boatmaster with friendly crew to look after you throughout the cruises.

Beekeeping Experience, Chorley

When looking for the ultimate experience that no one has thought of before, take a look at The Bee Centre’s Beekeeping Experiences. These 90 minute experiences offer an introduction to honeybees, and beekeeping, where guests can even don a beekeeping suit and get up close and personal with the bees at the centre.

Parachuting in Cockerham

Do you have someone in your life that loves adventure? Why not book them a skydive experience at one of the longest established parachute training centres in the UK? Black Knights Parachute Centre provides experiences for every level of skydive, including tandem skydives for beginners, solo skydives for intermediate and even formation skydives for anyone who has plenty of familiarity with jumping out of those planes! Perfect for any thrill seeker in your life.

Bike Trails in Clitheroe

Inch Perfect Trails offer over 100 acres of trailing in the beautiful Ribble Valley. Perfect for absolute beginners and seasoned motorbike trailers, the experience comes with full training and gear to get you started. Inch Perfect Trails are suitable for all abilities, age 6 and above, so this could be the perfect gift for a parent and child, or a friend and their loved one.

Cookery Courses near Blackburn

What could be better than learning how to cook Michelin star inspired courses with a Michelin star kitchen right next door? Northcote Cookery School is the perfect place to bring new skills to light for a keen cook, and get hands on experience from the experts. Whilst the venue does one off classes including bread and pasta making sessions, homemade seasonal treats and more, there are dedicated Cookery School courses available to gift to your foodie friends. These include creating a two course meal with wine, afternoon coffee and treats, or morning breakfast options, all with a Northcote Cookery apron and course folder.

Spa Days in Wrightington

Give the ultimate gift in relaxation, perfect for that one person who is always spending time looking after others more than themselves! Spa experience days are perfect for Christmas gifts, and the Wrightington Hotel, Health Club and Spa is the perfect place to relax in West Lancashire. The spa experiences include anything from full pamper days to individual treatments and the venue has an 18m pool, state of the art gym, poolside sauna, hot tub and steam room to enjoy too.

No matter what the person you are buying for enjoys, you’re sure to find an experience to match in Lancashire. If you haven’t found the perfect experience in this post, take a look at more Lancashire Experiences, or the Christmas in Lancashire Guide for more inspiration.