For many people visiting car boot sales Lancashire is a treasure trove of bargains! From Blackpool and the west coast right over to the Yorkshire border there are car boot sales to be found in virtually every town and village.
Some are little more than church 'yard sales' to raise money for good causes while others are full on second hand markets where you can find anything from golf clubs to valuable antiques, an iPod Touch or even a Wedgewood plate.
So get out to a car boot sale in Lancashire this Sunday and see what you're missing!
Hacken Lane Car Boot Bolton

Tucked away on a quiet industrial estate next to Darcy Lever Cricket Club is Boltons newest car boot venue, Hacken Lane Car Boot, Bolton. It is held every Sunday inside a spacious and well lit modern industrial unit with space for up to 200 pitches. Now while I think that may be a little on the optimistic side it is still a deceptively large market.
The building is split into three large storage rooms that protect you from anything the weather can throw at you while still feeling light and airy. I was there in the icy depths of Sunday morning and it was comfortable once I got inside, out of the arctic wind!
There are toilet facilities on site as well as a burger/breakfast stall so if you like to refuel on the go after a night out on the town you have plenty of choice.
Overall it is a new site that has a lot of promise as long as they manage to get the word out to enough people in its early days.
Preston Car Boot Sales
Preston market offers a wide range of vendors, with a good mix of full time traders and one off car booters wanting to clear their clutter. So whether you want a Nintendo Wii for a nephew or a Hannah Montana DVD for your younger sister you're sure to find it at Preston Market.
As with any big city, car parking could be a problem. So I suggest that if you are coming from out of the area, park your car at one of the Park & Rides on the outskirts of the town and take the short bus ride in. Your car is well looked after and you don't need to worry about feeding the parking meter or dodging the traffic wardens.
See, as the car boot sale is in the centre of the city there's tons of things you can do if you need a break from bargain hunting...such as visiting a museum or enjoying lunch at one of the many cafes, pubs or restaurants.
My advice is to take your time and enjoy a full day out in one of the Northwests friendliest and newest cities.
Lambs Car Boot, Lambs Rd, Thornton

Lambs car boot sale is a popular 'almost' all year round event located in a field adjacent to the B5412 Lambs Road in Thornton-Cleveleys near Blackpool.
Because of this, it is pretty much at the mercy of the weather in the wetter months.
However, during the Summer it is a friendly and welcoming market that hosts a healthy mix of full time traders, charity stalls and happy-go-lucky 'declutterers' hoping to swap their junk for some cash.
Elaines Car Boot Sale Chorley
Elaines car boot sale Chorley is located at the roundabout of the M61 J8 and A674, which is the exit for the Botany Bay shopping area and explains why it is also commonly known as the Botany Bay car boot sale.
It runs from around the middle of May for 14 weeks, weather permitting. It is a great market to visit when the sun shines as the sellers are generally friendly and there's plenty of bargains to be had.
There's plenty of free parking for buyers so it's always busy. If you're planning to sell your surplus gear then it will cost you £10 for a pitch.
For a great day out, pick a sunny Sunday and get there early to pick up the best of the bargains. Then take your car across the road to Botany Bay and browse 5 floors of bargains for some antique office furniture or even antique shaker chairs for your Study Room while the kids burn off their surplus energy at the Puddletown Pirates play area.
How to Profit from Car Boot Sales
The star of Car Boot Sale Challenge, Fiona Shoop is a keen car booter and in this book shares her expertise on how to get the best from car boot sales for both buyers and sellers.So whether you are planning to clear the house or buy and sell at car boots to make some extra cash, Fiona's tips will help make it easier, more profitable and even more fun.
Fiona has also featured as a consultant on many antiques television programmes where the goods were sold at car boot sales, including Life Laundry and helped the contributors to make as much money and sell as many goods as possible. Fiona also practices what she preaches and buys and sells at car boot sales in her spare time. Get The Book Here...
Greenhalgh Car Boot, Fleetwood Road, J3 M55

The Greenhalgh car boot runs on Sundays (and some Saturdays) from early Spring to late Autumn with the weather being the major influence. It is located just off J3 of the M55 on the A585 Fleetwood Road, making it an ideal first stop before you get to your guest house or hotel.
Entrance is free for buyers and when last checked it was £9 per car for sellers.
The market is well organised with plenty of car parking space as well as a large market area. If you are a reasonably active adult you may be surprised at just how far you walk as you browse the traders tables.
The traders seem to be of a higher quality than some other car boots I've been to which suggests that a lot of effort goes into weeding out the counterfeit sellers.
Overall, the Greenhalgh car boot is a pleasant way to spend a sunny Sunday morning!
Whyndyke Farm, Blackpool
Whyndyke Farm is a huge car boot venue held all year round, weather permitting. It is ideally located just off the M55 J4 and has plenty of parking space.
The farm has excellent facilities with a number of food outlets to keep hungry bargain hunters going. The toilet block is a short walk away from the main field and is well maintained.
If you are staying in one of the excellent Blackpool hotels over the weekend, why not make a trip out to Whyndyke Farm car boot sale and pick up a bargain before you head back home!
Horwich Market, Bolton
The sunday market and car boot sale at Horwich, Bolton is a popular attraction all year round and has space for around 85 stalls. It is held in the old wooden market building that has certainly seen better days but as it is council run it is clean with good amenities.
There is a car park for stall holders next to the market building so browsers tend to park in the surrounding streets.
So, is Horwich car boot sale worth a visit? In my opinion, a resounding yes! The locals are fairly friendly and the stallholders seem to be chatty enough. However, the future of the market building is in doubt so I recommend going soon.
Latest News: Horwich Market Boot Sale has closed its doors for the last time.
Miller's Collectables Price Guide 2009
In 1979 Judith Miller co-founded the international best-seller Miller's Antiques Price Guide and has since written more than 100 books, which are held in high regard by collectors and dealers.Every year more than 4,000 items are photographed to make Miller's Antiques Price Guide the most comprehensive and informative price guide on the market.
So whether you're buying or selling at a car boot sale, this book will help you keep track of what's hot in the world of antiques and collectables. Get your copy of Miller's Antiques Price Guide and find a bargain!
Gisburn Car Boot Sale, Gisburn A59
£2 Entrance Fee
Located on the main A59, the Gisburn car boot sale lies in the heart of the Lancashire countryside. It is a huge venue that will keep even the most enthusiastic car booter happy for hours. Facilities are good and the area is well organised.
This is a true car boot sale in the sense that the sellers pitch a table in front of their cars in the middle of a farmers field. Yes, you will find a few professional traders here but the vast majority are enthusiastic amateurs clearing out their clutter.
I must admit that Gisburn car boot sales are one of my favourite venues, especially on a warm sunny summer sunday!
Ashburner Street Market, Bolton

This car boot is based on the site of the regular Bolton market and runs throughout the year. The facilities are excellent, as you would expect from a council run site, with spotlessly clean toilet facilities inside and various snack trucks outside.
The added benefit is that the local council is actively marketing Bolton shops and services via its own free newpaper.
Lever Street Market, Bolton
Lever Street market is a mix of indoor and outdoor stalls selling new and second hand gear, spread over the sprawling Lever Street industrial area. Of course if you are looking for something in particular you will find plenty of choice among the full time traders and genuine car booters here at Lever Street market.
It did have a fairly shady reputation at first, but the managers have worked hard to clean up the 'quality' of stallholder. However this has only pushed out the dodgy DVD sellers to just outside the market entrance and gangs of Eastern Europeans still sell cigarettes from a canvas bag right at the market door...handy for a quick getaway!
UPDATE!
There has been a lot of activity by the police and Trading Standards recently, resulting in a noticeable drop in 'dodgy' dealers. Keep up the good work!
UPDATE 2!
A lone police mobile video van cruised down the main 'Dodgy Street', scattering the resident "ne'er do wells" in all directions before scooping up their dodgy wares and throwing it in the back of the police van. My guess is that this will become a regular ocurrence on the run up to Christmas. Some weeks a full raid, other weeks a solitary van to disrupt the business.
So the bottom line is that if you want to buy something, stick to the main market area and not the surrounding streets.

