A barn is a unit of measurement. It was coined after some argument between particle physicists ended with the assertion that some microscopic area was 'as big as a ****** barn door'. I remember that but little else from some lecture in 1969 which probably explains why I'm not a particle physicist today.

Barn or rather B4RN also stands for Broadband for the Rural North, a not for profit Community Benefit Society established by people living in Bowland and the Lune Valley, with the aim of installing a fibre optic superfast broadband network. I'll quote from their own publication/prospectus 'It will be available to every property in our area; no exclusions because it’s too far away or it’s too difficult to reach. The aim is to initially connect properties across 8 parishes in 2012, with further parishes bein added in subsequent years. The network will be owned, managed and supported by members of our community, providing huge benefits to everyone. B4RN will be financed through a community share offer and through work-shares, You can either buy shares or earn them by carrying out work for B4RN e.g. burying fibre ducting across land.'

How simply ******** amazing is that? From Arkholme in the North to Overwyresdale in the South, from Quermore in the (Wild?) West to Tatham in the East people are planning to install their own broadband network in the face of a lack of interest from the people that do such things for a living/profit. You do wonder if a reduction in the advertising budgets for Sky, BT and Virgin Broadband would pay for more miles of network to places like Bowland. Usain Bolt has other talents (and income streams) to fall back on if he wasn't appearing in Virgin adverts. 

Hey, good luck and please succeed! Now you've read this go back and check the link to B4RN. 

Geoff Morries thought that the number of self set ash tree seedlings in Newton community woodland pointed to the lack of small mammals nibbling through them. Perhaps local cats were to blame! On Friday evening as the sun was setting, a small group led by Dr Tim Graham of the WLT and Lancs and Grt Manch Small Mammals Group set a dozen 'Longworth traps' with bedding and supper to see what small mammals might be scuttling around after dark. On Saturday morning, Tim explained that a frightened mouse might well bite and/or wee on us as he carefully examined the traps that had been sprung! There were 2 wood mice which pleased us. The volunteers who set the traps were all members of the newly formed Friends of Bowland group.

We hope to return in the future with more traps and other devices to record the wildlife there. Details will be posted on the Friends of Bowland page. In the meantime, keep your cats under control, don't set any traps unless you have been trained and are allowed to do it. Now wash your hands! 

I had been on a Festival Bowland archaeology event last year with Geoff Morries (former County ecologist) and he asked me if I thought that setting up a 'Friends of Bowland' group would be a good idea. To cut a long story short, we agreed that it would, bought each other a drink and covered the back of an envelope with some ideas and here we are now recuiting! Check this link to find out more and be included in future communications. If you are reading this far then you are already a Friend of Bowland - your views and your help would be very much appreciated. We think that a volunteer co-ordinator could help develop ideas and plan activities. Is that you? Let us know. 

Moving on to furry friends....Geoff has planned a small mammal identification and recording event in Newton in Bowland on 20th and 21st April. This is not an invitation to bring a stray cat or dog, we're just wanting to see what wildlife there is in Newton community woodland. The event is being organised by the Friends of Bowland and the Greater Manchester small mammals group.

Christmas is a time when people far from home (perhaps sipping a gin and tonic in the Raffles Hotel, Singapore or watching the dawn come up like thunder somewhere on the road to Mandalay) fondly remember their roots and cast a fleeting thought for the ones left behind before chasing tigers and dressing for dinner. This crossed my mind as I opened the latest communication from the Lord of Bowland who sadly was unable to join the rest of us in and around storm lashed Bowland over the festive period.

William Bowland, our feudal lord, has done much over the past couple of years to re-awaken consciousness of our Forest's rich history.  His most daring act was perhaps to revive the ancient office of Bowbearer with the appointment of Robert Parker of Browsholme Hall.  Not uncontroversial in some quarters. William has also uncovered details of the hitherto forgotten life of Richard Eastwood, the greatest Bowbearer of the Victorian period, whose descendents still live in the Forest to this day.  
 
A photograph of Eastwood was unearthed and now sits on our Lordship page.  To this, we must now add a fresh and exciting discovery.  Tony Kitto at Towneley Hall has found a lithograph of Eastwood and today, for the very first time, we unveil it to the world - with due thanks to Tony.
 
Rumour has it that William has other plans afoot - a revival of his manorial court at Slaidburn in the autumn and perhaps even a return of the Perambulation of the Forest that last took place in the 1660s to pace out the boundaries of his noble demesne.