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Town in Lancashire, England
Photo: Tom Pennington, CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons
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.
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The museum depicts the era of steam trains. There's also a section about Brief Encounter and naturally, the film 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.
Traditional 3-star railway hotel with public bar and restaurant.
Pleasant 3-star with 12 en-suite rooms, restaurant and bar.
Holiday park, offering holiday lodges for rental, camping, caravans and camping pods.
A privately-owned lakeshore lodge rental with full use of onsite leisure facilities, 2 bedrooms, sleeps 4.
A large bookshop with a wide range of secondhand books.
By road
Carnforth is close to Junction 35 of M6, which runs north to Penrith, Carlisle and Scotland, and south to Preston and the Midlands.
By bike
Carnforth is on National Cycle Route 6. From Lancaster this follows the canal north to Carnforth.
The trains to Barrow are good for exploring around Arnside and Silverdale, as you can take a bike on the train or hike between stations.
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Leeds, West Yorkshire · International · LBA
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