Local Amenities
Tesco
When the time comes to stock up on provisions, Tesco in Carnforth is open seven days a week (10pm closing, 4pm on Sundays). This is a good ‘they’ll definitely have it’ option when you’re staying at Scout Cragg, a mere 2 mile drive away. There’s also a Timpson key cutting machine, a Max Spielman photo printing kiosk, a recycling point, toilets, baby changing facilities and a large car park (including blue badge / accessible bays) plus an electric vehicle charging point.
Postcode: LA5 9DW
Alternative: Aldi in Carnforth (open seven days a week with 10pm closing, 4pm on Sundays). Postcode: LA5 9JZ
Ash Trees Pharmacy
A short drive from Scout Cragg, the pharmacy at Ash Trees Surgery in Carnforth is open seven days a week with opening times as follows: Monday to Thursday (8am – 9.15pm), Friday (8am to 9pm), Saturday (9am to 5pm) and Sunday (11am to 5pm). Available services include prescription, screening and test, vaccination, healthy living and contraception. There is a private consultation room if required, plus toilet and baby changing facilities and bike and disabled parking.
Postcode: LA5 9JU
Telephone: 01524 727877
Royal Lancaster Infirmary
A twenty-five minute drive south from Scout Cragg, RLI has a range of general hospital facilities and services, including a critical care unit and a full A&E department. Royal Lancaster Infirmary also provides a range of planned care including outpatients, diagnostics, therapies, day-case and inpatient surgery.
Postcode: LA1 4RP
Telephone: 01524 65944
Westmoreland General Hospital
A half-hour drive north from Scout Cragg, WGH in Kendall provides a range of general hospital services including elective operations, outpatient appointments and midwifery-led maternity services. There is also an Urgent Treatment Centre, though this is not an A&E so is not able to treat emergencies, though can help with a range of non-life threatening conditions such as broken bones and minor illnesses.
Postcode: LA9 7RG
Telephone: 01539 732288
King & Associates
If you suffer a sudden dental emergency, King & Associates in Carnforth is open Monday to Friday and may be able to offer an urgent appointment at short notice or advice on where to get out-of-hours treatment.
Postcode: LA5 9LB
Telephone: 01524 733867
Carnforth Pet Care
If you’re at Scout Cragg and require a vet for your dog, this family-run independent practice at Greenlands Farm Village just north of Carnforth provides compassionate and professional services – from medical needs and prescriptions to lifestyle advice and beyond. There’s ample parking on site, and the practice is RCVS accredited.
Postcode: LA6 1JH
Telephone: 01524 805072
Gudgeons Repairs
Established in 2020, Gudgeons Repairs in Carnforth has developed a strong reputation to motorists in the region, including service and repairs to all vehicles, class 4 MOTs, welding, brakes and exhausts, diagnostics and air conditioning (old and new), as well as offering tyres. If you’re having a problem with your car (or van) then Gudgeons offers a local collection and delivery service, available on request.
Postcode: LA5 9JZ
Telephone: 01524 951900
Carnforth Library
Just a short hop from Scout Cragg, Carnforth Library is a safe, accessible and welcoming creative space where friendly and knowledgeable staff will offer guidance on everything from recommended reading to getting online, as well as signposting to local services. There are often craft and cultural events, activities and reading schemes. Carnforth Library is closed on Sundays and Mondays, but opens at 9am all other days (7pm closing on Tuesdays, 1pm closing on Wednesdays and Saturdays, and 5pm closing on Thursdays and Fridays).
Postcode: LA5 9DZ
Telephone: 0300 123 6703
Things To Do
The Dukes
This theatre and cinema in nearby Lancaster is a mere half hour away, and is a great place to get your culture fix when you’re staying at Scout Cragg. It hosts a varied programme of comedy, live music, dance, cinema and touring theatre, even staging two productions of its own per year. Star Wars, Lord Of The Rings and Planet Of The Apes actor Andy Serkis is an honorary patron of The Dukes, with the venue part-supported by grant funding from Arts Council England. There’s also a very pleasant café bar on site at The Dukes and open during the day on Tuesday to Sunday each week. Closer to Scout Cragg is a small town which once had a huge impact on British film history…
Postcode: LA1 1QE
Carnforth Railway Station
It may not seem like the most obvious place to have a strong silver screen connection, but Carnforth looms very large in British cinema history. The Victorian-era railway station was used extensively during the production of 1945 classic Brief Encounter and, as such, it feels like a huge film set. Brief Encounter was written by Noel Coward and directed by David Lean (Bridge On The River Kwai, Lawrence Of Arabia and Doctor Zhivago), and Carnforth station includes a Heritage Centre dedicated to their work. It includes a photography archive and exhibitions of memorabilia, plus a mini-cinema which shows Brief Encounter on a loop. Admission is free, though the heritage centre is closed on weekends.
Postcode: LA5 9ET
Cinderbarrow Miniature Railway
If your visit to Carnforth station ignites a passion for trains, then Cinderbarrow Miniature Railway near Yealand Redmayne (just three miles to the north of Scout Cragg) could be the thing for you. This charming attraction is run by a group of enthusiastic model engineers who operate ridable miniature trains which run around the picnic site at Cinderbarrow, an attractive setting surrounded by woodland. It’s open to the public for rides on Sundays and bank holidays throughout the summer, and is a great place to take the kids or grandkids. Cinderbarrow Miniature Railway is a charity and doesn’t charge for rides, depending on donations from the public to keep running.
Postcode: LA5 9RX
Leighton Hall
Three miles north of Scout Cragg, Leighton Hall is a spectacular 18th-century house, grounds and gardens and will satisfy any history buffs. As well as the main attractions of the estate itself, Leighton also has a children’s play area, caterpillar maze, woodland walk, tree face trail, brass rubbings, bee corner, insect hotel, displays from birds of prey and charming tea rooms. Interestingly, though Leighton Hall is a lived-in house there are no roped off areas, with tours being quite are informal and entertaining (visitors are allowed to sit on the furniture and get involved). Entry is £12 per adult ticket.
Postcode: LA5 9ST
Warton Old Rectory
This ruin of a former rectory in the village of Warton, just over a mile to the east of Scout Cragg, is also known as Parsonage Court. It’s a rare example of an early 14th century house, and is Grade I listed, owned by English Heritage. Quite well-preserved for its age, the Old Rectory is free of charge to visit, and is open daily from 10am – 5pm from Easter to September, and 10am – 4pm October to March. It’s closed over Christmas and New Year. On street parking is available in Warton.
Postcode: LA5 9PH
Warton Crag Nature Reserve
More-or-less adjacent to Scout Cragg, Warton Crag Nature Reserve is a nationally important conservation site, with unique grassland and woodland habitats providing an extra special array of trees, plants and lichen species. These include bird’s-foot trefoil, horseshoe vetch, kidney vetch, rock rose and bright pink thyme, plus wood anemone, bluebells, primrose, purple orchids, violets and pignut, with ash, hazel, yew, birch and rowan trees in Potts Wood and Strickland Wood. The area is a haven for insects and some of the UK’s rarest butterflies, including Pearl-bordered fritillary, northern brown argus and dingy skippers. Warton Crag itself rises dramatically above Morecambe Bay, and is quite a sight to behold during an enjoyable nature visit to this beautiful area.
Postcode: LA5 9RB
Old School Brewery, Warton
Nestled at the foot of Warton Crag and founded in 2011, the Old School Brewery brews award-winning ales, providing stock to a huge variety of cafes, pubs and bars across Lancashire, Cumbria, The Dales and Greater Manchester. With its own bar (open seven days a week) and canteen (serving food Friday to Sunday), the Old School is a great ‘hand-crafted’ venue for beer enthusiasts staying at Scout Cragg. There’s a quiz night every Thursday, live bands and artists on Sunday evenings and an annual music mini-festival by the brewery each year at the nearby cricket club.
Postcode: LA5 9PL
Lancaster Castle
Just a half hour drive from Scout Cragg, Lancaster Castle provides serious history lovers with somewhere very special to explore. Closely associated with law and order, even in the very recent past, this hugely impressive Grade I listed building is located on a city centre hilltop, on the site of three successive Roman forts. English Heritage has described it as ” the North-West’s most important historic and archaeological monument, also of international importance”. Admission is £9 per adult, and access to most of the castle interiors is only by guided tours, which run daily throughout the year (except at Christmas). The Police Museum (Thursday to Friday only), Witches’ Exhibition and Castle courtyards are free of charge, without joining a guided tour.
Postcode: LA1 1YN
Lords Antique & Salvage
Located in Ingleton, close to Carnforth, Lords Antique & Salvage offers a real treasure trove for visitors. On premises there are more than 75 stalls on two floors, rented by reputable antique dealers and creative individuals to sell their wares, including sculptures, furniture, objets d’art, bric-a-brac and curios. Well worth a browse, you never know what you might turn up! Lords is open 10am to 5pm, seven days a week.
Postcode: LA6 3HL
Arnside Country Market
Just a 15 minute drive north from Scout Cragg, the coastal village of Arnside provides a popular weekly market, held between 9.30am and 12noon on Fridays. There are stalls featuring local home-made bread and cakes, handmade chocolates, seasonal preserves and jams, fresh eggs, home-grown fruit and vegetables, flowers and plants, plus hand crafted cards and gifts. Arnside Country Market on Orchard Road is free to attend, and refreshments are available.
Postcode: LA5 0DP
Places to Eat & Drink
The Canal Turn
Located in the heart of Carnforth, The Canal Turn provides visitors with superb waterside views and an authentic relaxed British pub experience, either on its garden terrace or in its cosy indoor corners. Classic pints and local cask ales are served alongside hearty pub food including traditional lunches on Sundays.
Postcode: LA5 9EA
Brief Encounter Refreshment Room
Located in Carnforth station, and therefore inextricably linked to Brit-film Brief Encounter, this bistro and bar has been faithfully restored to its 1940s period glory and offers a superb range of home-made food. There’s a licensed bar serving alcoholic drinks, and top quality hot beverages are available. The Refreshment Room is open 9am – 4pm every day, and can be hired in the evenings for private parties.
Postcode: LA5 9TR
Eagles Head
This charming village pub in Over Kellet, near Carnforth, serves great food and beers, at lunchtimes and in the evenings (there’s no food available on Tuesdays). There’s a fireplace in the welcoming bar plus outdoor seating, and the Eagles Head hosts quiz nights and live music on a regular basis.
Postcode: LA6 1DL
The George Washington
This pub in Warton is so-named because the first President of the USA had ancestral roots here. It offers a good choice of cask ales and a varied selection of home cooked food (including a kids menu). Set at the foot of Warton Crag and handy for Leighton Hall, the George Washington has free Wi-Fi and free parking.
Postcode: LA5 9PJ
Royal Station Hotel
This hotel in Carnforth overlooks the historic railway station made famous as the setting for Brief Encounter. It’s a great spot to dine, serving high quality locally sourced food in the Cocktail Lounge or Junction Bar. Both traditional bar food and a more elegant menu are available at the Royal Station Hotel, which is open seven days a week.
Postcode: LA5 9BT
Oliver’s Chippy
Serving fish and chips in the heart of Warton, close to Scout Cragg, Oliver’s is a traditional chippy with great food and an inviting atmosphere. Closed on a Sunday and Monday and open throughout the rest of each week, Oliver’s offers a delivery service as well as takeout.
Postcode: PR4 1XE
