Just like Wimbledon village.

garinda · 08-08-2006, 15:34

Last week my best friend Milly came over from Milan to see me. This was her first trip to the north of England.

We'd worked together, well she was unlucky enough to be my assistant in London for four years, before we both went our seperate ways.

I'd encouraged her to visit places that I love in Britain whilst she was living here. She loved Cornwall, Oban and Brighton. Sadly always alone, as we could never have the same time off together.

She flew into Manchester from Milan and didn't really know what to expect of Lancashire. I think she thought it was going to be like All Creatures Great and Small mixed with Coranation Street. Well I suppose it is a bit!

I picked her up at Church and Oswaldtwistle station. Joy and big hugs all round.

She thought the train journey from Preston had been stunning. It is, especially the bit between Bamber Bridge and Pleasington, the part that goes behind Houghton Tower and over a steep ravine with a stream at the bottom is breath takingly beautiful.

The weather was appalling whilst she was here. She looked doubtful when everyone told her just before her arrival we'd had the hottest July on record. I didn't have to put the heating for her, but I think she wished she'd packed a warmer wardrobe, rather than a few flimsy silk things.

The first full day here she got to experience our normal Tuesday trip to Accy market and lunch out. We decided as a treat we'd fore go the Church Street chippy and instead had a very pleasant lunch at the Calder.

Milly loved the Market Hall and Town Hall, and this is when she said Accrington was just as pretty as Wimbledon village, one of our favourite places to mooch around after a Sunday lunch when we lived in London.

Ossy Mills was also a big hit. This involved at first a a reccy, followed by calls to her Mum about the measurements of their new crystal dining table, followed the next day by a buying trip. Her purchase only limited by the amount of stuff she could cram into her case. Her Mother had given her £200 to buy a nice Eygyptian cotton damask table cloth whilst in Lancashire. She'll have two by now....and hopefully £195 change.

She was a little disappointed we didn't have any good bookshops in Accrington, but was more than happy to come away with fifty pounds worth of new books from the Oxfam in Clitheroe for the princely sum of eight pounds fifty.

It was interesting to see how someone who has never visited Hyndburn before saw it. We all like a moan about the bad things that we have to put up with, but it was great that someone thought we live in a beautiful part of the world.

The Lancastrian people must also get a mention. Milly loves us, and everywhere she went was met with genuine warmth, even whilst enjoying good old fashioned English grub....in Franco's.

All in all my best friend loves it here almost as much as I do.

Has anyone else had any comments, both good or bad, about a first time trip to Hyndburn?

(By the way I'm back. I had a bad time health wise before Milly's trip, but am back bigger and badder than ever.

)

lettie · 08-08-2006, 15:44

Welcome back Rindy. I have been worried about you as I haven't seen you online. Someone told me that you had a friend over, so that put my mind at rest. Glad that Milly had a good time, shame about the weather though. We do live in a beautiful part of the world, it's a shame that the litter, graffiti and general chav behaviour spoils it.

AccyMad · 08-08-2006, 15:45

Good to hear someone else's perspective on Accy Garinda and glad your friend enjoyed her visit - pity she didn't get time to take in a Stanley game, that would've rounded her trip off nicely

garinda · 08-08-2006, 15:46

Quote:

Originally Posted by lettie

it's a shame that the litter, graffiti and general chav behaviour spoils it.

Chav1 was thankfully on his best behaviour on a pub crawl round Ossy.

KIPAX · 08-08-2006, 15:50

Yes nice to see you back posting young man

To answer your question... Yes me.. my first experience and one that has never gone.. hence my dismay and my long since given up on moans at people who knock hyndburn all the time.... Its a grand place to live and I continue to thank my lucky stars that I live here... Seriously I wouldn't want to live anywhere else and my first impressions stay.

lettie · 08-08-2006, 15:50

Quote:

Originally Posted by garinda

Chav1 was thankfully on his best behaviour on a pub crawl round Ossy.

Get away!!!! Did you sedate him??

Madhatter · 08-08-2006, 15:54

yes, and I've given them in the past. More or less just as milly has rindy, you have some very nice parts to the town especially the market hall and town hall. I've never been to ossy mills so can't comment. You do need a few more touristy shops though, book shops, gift shops, antique shops. You have all the ingredients that are needed to become a north west tourist town. You all seem to scoff at the idea though

garinda · 08-08-2006, 15:54

Quote:

Originally Posted by lettie

Get away!!!! Did you sedate him??

Ten pints seemed to do it.

jaysay · 08-08-2006, 16:17

Great to hear your back to speed Rindi, and that your friend liked Gods own Country as much as we do, well some of that is.

katex · 08-08-2006, 17:28

Quote:

Originally Posted by garinda

Has anyone else had any comments, both good or bad, about a first time trip to Hyndburn?

Couple of years ago had two ladies over from our American subsiduary in Virginia (I had spent time over there with them). Offered to take them around for the day. The one thing they were most impressed with was the sheep in the fields, thought absolutely amazing.
Well, true, don't see this over there.

They also loved the trip on the canal in a barge. Only had the big rivers in their area, they called it the 'Dirty' Dan, wasn't really, just the clay, etc., that was swept down with it. Yes, is good to see our area in other people's eyes, isn't it.

SPUGGIE J · 08-08-2006, 19:37

me I mump and moan about it and even though I can visit (border guards allowing) I do actually miss Hyndburn. Supose as its my home area it will always try and tug me back.

garinda · 20-11-2006, 22:21

I had two more friends visit the area for the first time.

They were very impressed with Accrington, which did look very nice in the sun on Sunday morning. They thought Warner Street and the area around St. James Church looked like the Lanes in Brighton.

Two more converts to the charms of our part of Lancashire and it's people.

Doug · 20-11-2006, 22:28

I think Accrington is a lovely place rain or shine, especially around that area. I love walking around when I’m over. I just wish that HBC did more to promote what is good about the place.

I take it things went well?

Ianto.W. · 20-11-2006, 22:56

Put's me in mind of Robbie Burns, Would some gift a god would give us to see ourselves as others see us, appologies to the purists for a peasants version.

garinda · 20-11-2006, 23:57

Quote:

Originally Posted by Doug

I think Accrington is a lovely place rain or shine, especially around that area. I love walking around when I’m over. I just wish that HBC did more to promote what is good about the place.

I take it things went well?

Yeah great thanks.

My friends said they can now understand why I moved back here. They thought the pubs in Ossy were a real eye opener, and full of 'characters'.