Dining
Fabulous food is on the doorstep at Northcote, the only restaurant in the county to be awarded a Michelin star. Executive chef Lisa Allen is Lancashire born and is passionate about creating innovative dishes using local seasonal produce. For the times when you want something a little more casual, the Petre Arms in Langho village will fit the bill with wholesome pub grub. Generally speaking , this is a great area for gourmets. Clitheroe is known as Lancashire’s ‘food town’, and hosts an annual food festival. Its claim to fame is certainly borne out by the number and variety of restaurants and pubs it is home to. They range from historic inns with gastropub menus, to independent restaurants of all nationalities, and coffee shops where you can enjoy a delicious breakfast or afternoon tea. The Emporium, housed in an old chapel, has something for every occasion, from a lunch with friends, a celebratory glass or two, or date night dinner. Holmes Mill is another unique Clitheroe venue, bringing together a bistro, bar, beer hall, grill and cocktail club in a restored textile mill. Exploring the surrounding villages will bring you to even more options for dining out. To name just a few out of the many, Breda Murphy is a British-Irish restaurant in Whalley; the Freemasons is a lovely country pub in Wiswell, while the Red Pump Inn, Bashall Eaves, is justly revered for its steak.
Education
Residents of Northcote Park are fortunate to have a number of good schools locally, catering for primary age onwards. Please see a selection of available schools and ratings below.
Primary
Langho Village, St Mary’s RC (Good)
Langho & Billington St. Leonards C of E (Outstanding)
Salesbury C of E (Good)
Clitheroe Barrow (Outstanding)
Secondary
St Augustine’s RC High School (Outstanding)
Ribblesdale High School (Good)
Clitheroe Royal Grammar School (Outstanding)
Stonyhurst College and Oakhill School and Nursery are the nearest independent schools, while Blackburn College specialises in vocational courses, apprenticeships and
adult education.
Transport
A few minutes’ pleasant rural stroll from Northcote Park is Langho station with direct train services to Clitheroe, Manchester and further afield. The views of the Ribble Valley along the way are spectacular, especially of Pendle Hill. Clitheroe can also be reached by train in just 12 minutes and Manchester in just over an hour. Northcote Park is just off the A59, just a few minute’s drive from the M6 Junction 31. Towns and cities including Blackburn, Manchester, Preston, Leeds and Bradford can therefore be reached relatively easily. The seaside resorts of Blackpool and Morecambe, the Yorkshire Dales, the Peak District and even the Lake District are all feasible day trips by car.
Shopping
The bustling historic market town of Clitheroe is just a 13 minute drive away from Northcote Park; it can also be reached directly by train from Langho Station. Clitheroe’s shopping centre is an independent shopping dream, with markets held in the town every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. The Ribble Valley is one of the UK’s top locations for fine foods with Clitheroe firm at the centre. Another one of its small villages is Whalley, where that personal touch can be found in almost all of its small independently owned shops, cafes and boutiques. The Whalley wine shop is an multi-award winning fine wine merchant situated within the heart of the village, which also offers a great selection of beers and spirits. Another great little find is Whalley Warm & Dry, an outdoor clothing and footwear specialist which offers a multi-award winning boot fitting service, great for all those outdoor lovers.
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Amenities
Billington & Langho community centre hosts a wide variety of activities throughout the year and is home to St Leondards’ scout group who hold their popular community bonfire here in November each year. Within easy reach of the development is a local pharmacy and doctor’s surgery, there is also a convenience store, small sandwich shop, beauty salon and post office. Further amenities such as dentists, veterinary practices etc can all be found in the nearby village of Whalley, which is only an 11 minute drive away.
Leisure
This is a wonderful location for family life, where youngsters can grow up leading a healthy outdoor lifestyle, and everyone can enjoy trips to the countryside and the coast. Most children love animals, so an outing to a nature reserve always goes down well. At Mrs Dowson’s in Clayton-le-Dale, the children can be farmers for a day, and at Smithy Farm in Esprick they’ll meet alpacas, goats and giant rabbits. Horse and pony enthusiasts will find their heaven at Shores Hey Farm in Burnley, or Penny Farm in Blackpool. Brockholes Nature Reserve is another great family day out where you can lose yourself in 250 acres of woodland and lakes. Speaking of Blackpool, who can resist a day at the seaside? Its world famous Pleasure Beach is home to a huge choice of family attractions and rides. Sandcastle Waterpark is the UK’s biggest, and Blackpool Tower is a true icon. The Illuminations are another essential reason to visit this timeless British resort. If you love the great outdoors, there’s plenty of it in Lancashire; 80% of the county is rural. Its landscapes range from heathery moorland to deep forests, from gentle farmland to craggy peaks, with ruined castles and ancient abbeys as a reminder of the region’s often turbulent past. In such an untamed environment, wildlife finds a safe home in many specialised habitats and reserves. One local success story is the Bowland Hen Harrier Project in the Forest of Bowland, that is bringing this bird back from the brink of extinction. Many of the historic attractions of the Ribble Valley and Forest of Bowland are easily accessible from Northcote Park. Evocative ruins such as Whalley Abbey and Clitheroe Castle are reminders of the medieval era. Browsholme Hall has Tudor origins and was the home of the Bowbearers of the Forest of Bowland; Gawthorpe Hall is an Elizabethan gem with Victorian interiors, while Samlesbury Hall’s history is woven through with religion, ghosts and witchcraft.
