Between Blackpool And The Forest Of Bowland Is A Charming Medieval Town Full Of Shops And Walkable Streets

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The Lancaster Canal passes through Garstang, England, while the River Wyre runs nearby. Between the two waterways, Garstang's center is a jumble of shops, alleyways, and historic sites that is easy to explore on foot, with a traditional High Street full of diverging lanes and independent shops. Meanwhile, a Thursday market has been a fixture of the town for centuries, a great opportunity to pick up a unique item and mingle. Garstang sits between the seaside bustle of Blackpool (just over a 30-minute drive away) and the hills of the Forest of Bowland, giving travelers a chance to swap either of the bigger neighbors for a few hours of canal-side wandering and shopping.

Garstang originally grew as a medieval market and drovers' settlement, per Discover Wyre Trails. Its market charter dates to the early 1300s, although, according to British History Online, there was a gap in its operation until the end of the 1500s, when Elizabeth I restored Garstang's right to a weekly market. One trace of the town's earliest market past is the Market Cross, whose surviving sandstone steps date to the medieval period and remain in their original position. Narrow weinds — old alleyways leading from the High Street toward the river — preserve the layout of the town's medieval cattle-trading days, while some of the buildings lining High Street have surviving timbers as old as the 16th century. Exploring Garstang on foot, you can look down a side alley, pause around the Market Cross, or follow a heritage trail to see the past evident all around the town where people still eat and shop today.

High Street is the heart of Garstang, with shops lining both sides of it as well as the weinds that branch off from it. You could walk the length of High Street in about 10 minutes (though Rick Steves recommends getting a rental car for a trip to England, nevertheless). If you want to pick up a local gift, you could stop into Best Wishes Garstang, which sells gift cards, or Nest & Nestlings, which is geared towards gifts for little children. For some secondhand shopping, the Save the Children charity shop is a solid option. "Love this charity shop, you just never know what you will find. It's eclectic and makes you want to look in all the nooks and crannies," a Google Maps reviewer wrote. Garstang is also home to numerous historic pubs, many of which are located on High Street, which you can follow independently on the town's Heritage Pub Trail.

Visit on a Thursday to experience Garstang's historic street market, which stretches along High Street and into the Market House. You can browse stalls along the road that sell everything from fresh fruit and vegetables to books, clothes, and household goods. Regular sellers highlighted by the Garstang Town Trust are The Plant Stall, which has been selling plants at Garstang Market for more than 50 years, and Derek's Books, where you can peruse a big selection of modern paperbacks. The indoor portion of the market has additional specialty stalls for deli goods and baked treats. A Google Maps reviewer attested to the indoor market's pleasant atmosphere: "The market hall was very clean, and the traders were super friendly."

Garstang's waterways offer excellent opportunities to explore other parts of town. The Lancaster Canal towpath traces the canal through town, passing an aqueduct and several bridges. The Canal & River Trust notes the towpath is always open and costs nothing to access. Keep an eye out for herons and kingfishers along the water. You can stop at Th'Owd Tithe Barn next to the canal, a pub converted from an old barn, with open rafters and displays of agricultural tools inside. On the other side of town, the Garstang Riverside Walk follows the River Wyre from the bottom of High Street's parking lot. The walking path continues to Millennium Green, a little park with picnic tables and a couple of offbeat sculptures.

For visitors who want to extend a visit to Garstang beyond a day trip to an overnight stay, options are quite limited directly in town. There is one well-reviewed hotel, the Royal Oak Hotel, located off High Street, which has an 8.3 rating on Booking.com and 4.3 on Tripadvisor, as of this writing. Otherwise, Cleveleymere, about a 15-minute drive north of Garstang, is a lakeside lodging with a Tripadvisor Traveler's Choice award. Staying around the area gives you a convenient launch point for exploring the Forest of Bowland or the piers of Blackpool, which Rick Steves calls England's own "Coney Island." You could also make Garstang part of a trip to multiple small towns around the northwest coast, such as Formby, which has a renowned beach and unique wildlife.