Discover Rufford

Rufford brings together several themes for planning a trip: cultural history, walks along the canal and a landscape shaped by agriculture. If you are looking for a hotel in Rufford, you can first consider whether history, waterside paths or nature will shape your stay most. Rufford Old Hall, the Church of St Mary the Virgin, St Mary's Marina and the Mere Sands Wood nature reserve offer different points of interest. This makes it possible to tailor your stay to the interests that matter to you.

History and culture in Rufford

The Philip Ashcroft Collection is housed at Rufford Old Hall and focuses on life in Lancashire in the 1930s. Its regional and historical focus is clearly defined: it centres on life in Lancashire during a particular decade. The Church of St Mary the Virgin adds the history of a building to this perspective. It is a Grade II listed parish church, built in 1869 by Dawson and Davies. Its year of construction, architects and listed status provide a specific architectural context. For choosing what interests you, this offers a helpful distinction: the collection focuses on life in a region during a particular period, while the church offers insight into the construction date, architects and protection status of a single building.

Canal walks

The gardens at Rufford Old Hall offer peaceful walks along the canal. The Rufford Old Hall Circular Walk follows the Rufford Branch of the Leeds and Liverpool Canal. A walk between Rufford and Burscough Junction also follows the Rufford Branch and the Leeds & Liverpool Canal. One walk ends at Rufford railway station. Different features may be relevant to your plans: the peaceful garden setting, the circular route, or a walk with named places or a railway station as its endpoint. The circular route and the walk between Rufford and Burscough Junction both follow the canal, but differ in their described form. This allows you to prioritise the route type or named destination that matters to you.

Marina and landscape

St Mary's Marina is in Rufford, on the Rufford Branch of the Leeds and Liverpool Canal. This means the same canal branch also features in descriptions of the area: the walks focus on the route along the water, while the marina is described by its location on the canal. This is a specific distinction when considering Rufford's connections to the water: the canal features both as a point of reference for the walks and as the marina's location.

Mere Sands Wood is set in Rufford's agriculturally shaped landscape. This natural setting complements the historical and canal-related themes with a landscape perspective. If you would like to consider the surroundings as well as architecture and walks when choosing places to visit, you can treat the nature reserve as a distinct point of interest. This gives you different ways to explore Rufford: its history through the collection and parish church, walks along the canal, and the landscape around Mere Sands Wood.

Discover more destinations: Accrington, Silverdale, Foulridge, Kirkham, Up Holland, Withnell, Thornton-Cleveleys, Aughton

For the main travel overview: Lancashire.