Reliving Childhood Nostalgia in Blackpool

A wintery trip to the north west coast to relieve the magic of the Blackpool illuminations.

Dec 01, 2024

It’s been nearly 10 years since I last stepped foot into Blackpool. Years of childhood family trips up to the north west coast famed for it’s vibrant illuminations and working class roots for families in the summer.

A free weekend and a ready packed van was all we needed to convince ourselves that making the 3 hour journey up the M6 was a worthy trip to go and see the illuminations. Storm Bert came close to casting doubt in our minds, but we ignored the torrential downpours as we made our way north.

It can be a bad idea to try and recreate childhood nostalgia. If time hasn’t run the places you have fond memories of into the ground, then you usually realise that perhaps things aren’t a special as your childhood innocence led you to believe.

That wasn’t the case though. You know what your getting with Blackpool. Tacky shops and amusements, along with a bubbling nightlife of people relieving their own memories. I was here to feel like a child again, and I was all for it.

After a walk along the promenade, with a stop off for some hot donuts, we made our way back to the van. PJ’s on, hot chocolate’s in the cup holder. We crept along the 6 mile stretch of coast, illuminated by over 1 million lightbulbs, just like I did so many times as a kid in my dads old Ford Escort.