The whole area covers 312sq miles of rural North Yorkshire and Lancashire. There is much opportunity for cycling, horse riding, fishing and walking, and offers some of the most rugged, beautiful and remote walks in the North West of England.
A wide variety of accommodation can be found in the Forest of Bowland including, Hotels, camping barns, farmhouses, B&B’s, cottages and self-catering accommodation.
An ancient castle dominates Clitheroe; the grounds contain tennis courts, formal gardens, summerhouse cafeteria, an open air auditorium, bandstand and bowling green. Regular concerts take place here through out the summer. The castle museum has an exhibit of local life and geology. Well worth a visit are the recreated lead mine, print shop and cloggers workshop.
The market town of Longridge is the shopping and social centre for the local district; here you can find an interesting array of antique galleries and a great mixture of shops. Longridge is set in amazing country side an offers walkers and cyclists a starting point to explore the surrounding area. From Longridge you can see fantastic views of Flyde Plain and from...
Longrideg Fell you can even catch sight of the Isle of Man, the Welsh Mountains, the Loud Valley and Ingleborough.
Lancaster is a historical gateway to the Forest of Bowland, and it has retained much of its original character. Lancaster was originally the site of a Roman Fortress as well as a crossing for the River Lune. It is dominated by a medieval castle and the River Lune runs through the city, there are narrow Georgian streets which surround the castle. There are many attractions to see in Lancaster, including the courts, medieval dungeons, the quayside maritime museum and Lancaster Castle. There are also a wealth of shops and restaurants to visit. The surrounding area is excellent for picnicking where there are many fantastic views to see.
Garstang situated on the River Wyre is a historical market town where historical artefacts from the Neolithic period and Bronze Age, have been discovered. The ancient market cross, stands in the centre of Garstang and the Old Town Hall has been restored to its original character following a fire in 1939. The Old Grammer School founded in 1602 still remains at the north end of the high street. One of Lancaster’s oldest traditional markets is held here every Tuesday.
Preston is located in the heart of Lancashire; it provides a gateway to the surrounding beautiful countryside and historical attractions. It is the most important commercial centre for Lancashire and attracts hundreds of thousands of tourists every year. Plans have been granted for the redevelopment of the city centre which when finished will include new leisure, retail and cultural facilities.
Settle is a bustling market town located in the foothills of the Pennines amongst the fantastic scenery of North Yorkshire. Settle is situated beside the largest outcrop of limestone in Britain in an area of caves, potholes, cliffs and scars. From the rear of the town a path leads to summit of Castleberg Crag offering a view point for the town and surrounding fell and dale. Settle makes a good base to explore the Yorkshire Dales and the Forest of Bowland.
A weekly market takes place on a Tuesday which attracts many kinds of traders from far and wide. Many of the businesses in Settle are family owned selling unique products to the Settle area. The centre of the town is dominated by the Shambles which is a historic three storey building with shops on the first two levels and houses on the top level.
Bentham is an unspoilt small but busy market town, situated in woodlands and meadows at the banks of the River Wenning, a traditional market is held every Wednesday. Bentham is located only three miles from Ingleton which is famous for its caves and waterfalls and only seven miles from the historical market town of Kirkby Lonsdale. Breathtaking views can be seen from The Great Stone of Fourstones which is just two miles south of High Bentham.
Activities
There is plenty of opportunity for enjoyment in The Forest of Bowland including walking, fishing, cycling, horse riding and gliding.
There are walks for all abilities in The Forest of Bowland and surrounding areas, they range form high fell walks to forest walks.
Why not ride around the unspoilt and picturesque countryside visiting the market towns along the way. Whilst travelling around the area by bike you will come across hidden gems, there are rides to suit all ages and levels of experiences. Many of the routes are carefully designed along quiet lanes and through country villages. If you are staying two to three days then you can try one of the cycle tours which include detailed routes, accommodation and baggage transfers.
At Gisburn Forest there is a network of walks and trails to discover.
The Lancashire Cycle way has both a north and south circular route which meet at the town of Whalley. The cycleway has been designed to only use minor roads with low levels of traffic whilst passing through areas of beauty. It is accessible from most railway stations and is well signposted.
Horse riding is growing in popularity within the AONB, and there are plenty of opportunities to ride your own horse along a network of country lanes and bridleways.
Other places of interest
There are many places in Bowland to take a picnic whilst enjoying the beautiful countryside including the historic house of Browsholme Hall, the Sculpture Trail in Ribble Valley, and Coronation Gardens at Waddington to name a few.
Other attractions include the ancient packhorse bridge named Cromwell Bridge after Oliver Cromwell, Pendle Heritage Centre, the Museum at Ribchester which is a former Roman Fort which has many Roman artefacts to see, Clitheroe Castle and the ruins of Sawley Abbey located on the banks of the river Ribble at Sawley.
Clitheroe Castle is a Norman Castle almost 800 years old which is situated in acres of fantastic gardens; there is also a museum on the geology and history of the Ribble Valley.
Little Cragg Car Park locted in Littledale is an excellent starting point for walks on Bains Cragg and the Clougha Access Areas which offer amazing views.
Jubilee Tower located on the road between Abbeystead and Lancaster has amazing panoramic views over Morecambe Bay, the hills of Bowland and the Lancashire Plain. There are many walks from here linking to historical sites such as Abbeystead and Dolphinholme.
Parlick Fell located in the south west corner of Bowland commands views of Bowland fells. It is also very popular with par-ascenders and hang-gliders.
Jeffrey Hill Car Park overlooks the villages of Chipping, the Bowland Fells and the river Loud. The area provides spectacular views on clear days. Panoramic views of Hodder Valley, Ribble Valley, the Forest of Bowland and the Lancashire Coast can be seen from Longridge Fell.
Pendle Hill is famous for its association with the Lancashire Witches; it is separated form the main part of Bowland by the Ribble valley. The summit which is 577m above sea level offers views of the Ribble Valley, the Yorkshire Dales as well as Bowland. There are several walks which set off from around Pendle Hill.
Flora and Fauna
The Forest of Bowland is an area of importance both nationally and internationally because of its rich and unspoilt diverse landscape, heritage and wildlife. It has therefore been designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). The heather moor lands are particularly important as they provide a habitat for the upland birds. Ring Ouzels, Hen Harriers and Whinchats are some of the bird’s found in the beautiful moor lands.
The Hen Harrier is one of the UK’s most threatened birds of prey, and the Bowland area is the most important site for the breeding of Hen Harriers in England. Both United Utilities and the RSPB have worked since the 1980’s to maintain the Hen Harrier population. There are now six to ten pairs in the Bowland area every year.
The Peregrine population is increasing slowly in the Forest Of Bowland area and there are now seven to eight pairs each year. The area is also a ‘hot spot’ for Merlins. The spring time attracts over 6,000 pairs of wading birds including redshanks, curlews, snipe and lapwing.
Some of the best blanket bog is found in the Forest of Bowland which supports a rare and unusual animal and plant species. The wild bog rosemary which has white-pinky bell shaped flowers is one of the rarest and is found in abundance in some areas of the Bowland fells. Cranberry, Sphagnum Moss, Cloudberry and Sundew are other rare plant species found here.
Birds which can be seen throughout the summer include Dunlin, Short-eared Owl, Grouse, Golden Plover and the Meadow Pipit.
Essentially an upland area Bowland forms part of the Pennines, it has an isolated and grandeur character. The central area is dominated by grit stone and some of its summits in the fells reach up to 450m.
The area has a distinctive landscape with expanses of open moor land combined with the lowland valleys of Wyre, Hodder and Lune and well wooded areas, which are sparsely dotted with picturesque villages and farms.
Local History & Heritage
The medieval period has had the most impact on the area of Bowland; it was during this period that the Royal hunting forests were established. This meant that the King used his right to restrict development of the land and prevent landowners from cultivating and clearing the land. Smaller estates and deer parks replaced the hunting forests. Hunting in the forests was traditionally for wild boar, rabbits, hares, partridges and pheasants. The management of the land for game hunting has remained a predominant influence on the landscape.
During the Bronze Age settlers cleared the trees and started cultivating the land, they left little evidence of their presence only the fells which remained clear of trees. Two key route ways were left by the Romans; the Ribchester to Carlisle road and the east-west road north of Downham. Norse settlers left impacts in our language.
Notable Heritage Features:
• 19th Century paper and cotton mills at Caton and Oakenclough
• Dry stone walls and out barns, the oldest are pre 1600AD
• Medieval vaccaries (cattle farms) at Marshaw and Sabden
• The bailey castle and motte in the Lune Valley
• Disused quarries and mines
• Lime kilns
• Parks, grand halls and Houses at Quernmore, Browsholme and Leagram
Local Produce
Fine food and local produce are produced and sold in the Forest of Bowland area, there’s delicious beef, lamb, pork and wild boar! As well as modern and classic forms of cheese, ice cream and milk. There are also several organic farms.
