Some of you may recall the 1970s cult classic The Wicker Man starring Christopher Lee as the sinister Lord of Summer Isle. A recent piece in the Longridge & Ribble Valley News by Gillian Whalley described our own Lord of Bowland as Lord of the Fells.  Of course, in the Wicker Man, the Lord of Summer Isle is more than the laird. He also acts as the high priest of the “old religion", a pagan faith which involved lots of dancing and not much clothing which earned the film an X rating.

The weather has not been conducive to such activities but who knows when spring arrives? Check the Festival Bowland calendar for news of events and check Google for news of 'The Lord of the Fells'.

Morecambe Bay, taken from Arnside Knott looks particularly picturesque in this photograph taken last week by Tony Riden from the Arnside and Silverdale AONB unit there. Arnside and Silverdale AONB is our sister AONB - and we are just a bit jealous of her Bitterns and butterflies (and orchards). With 6 inches of powdery snow, the whole area looked like the film set of Narnia. All it needed was for the White Witch or Princess Lucy to turn up and enchant us - or in the case of Lucy, rescue us.

All the delights of the Arnside and Silverdale area are showcased in a new book compiled by the Landscape Trust.The book costs £8.00 including p&p, or £6.95 over the counter. It's a lovely book and I've already lost my copy by lending it out!

People wishing to order by email can contact Liza Henderson landscapetrust [at] arnsidesilverdaleaonb [dot] org [dot] uk or phone her on 01524 761034.

Here's a poster advertising the book.and another shot from Arnside Knott facing the viaduct. Spectacular!

My wife's grandmother Mille Robinson, who lived for a while at the New Inn Dalehead, sent and received a lot of post cards and those she received are all in a bundle now. Here's one (taken around 1920?) showing Whelpstone Crags before Stocks reservoir was built and before the Forestry Commission was invited by the Fylde Water Board to become the tenant and plant Gisburn Forest.

Looking at a modern map of Gisburn Forest you don't see that the land used to be dotted with farms and barns, you don't see the history, you just see the symbols of a plantation. There is no 'open access', there are a few footpaths (rights of way) and some forest roads (not designated as rights of way) and that's that! The reality is somewhat different, however, and the map is a lie! The place is not just a plantation, there are areas of beautiful deciduous trees, there are clearings and areas carpeted with orchids and other wild flowers designated Biological Heritage Sites. And far from being an area of limited access, the Forest easily absorbs hundreds of people every week who go there to walk on the many paths and cycle on tracks and mountain bike trails and ride horses on the many miles of tracks that the Forestry Commission have created and allow people to use. It is used by youth groups for map reading and navigation, it is used by volunteers on 'Conservation holidays' rebuilding dry stone walls and laying hedges - I could go on! It is easily big enough to get thoroughly lost in and interesting enough to find something new each time you visit - a great place!

I only mention this because the Forestry Commission and what it does is under review - no different to Natural England and us and lots of other organisations. Do the maps, stats and photos even tell the whole story? No! So if you get chance to contribute to the debate on changes in the countryside, tell it how it is or better still still how you would like it to be.

Following on from the phenomenal film successes of Gosford Park, Jurassic Park, Mansfield Park, Regents Park and Green Park* etc , Channel 4 will be filming it's own contribution to the Park genre at the Open Day at Wyresdale Park, Scorton on Saturday from noon to 4pm. Channel 4s 'Country House Rescue' programme, which I haven't dared to watch, features Ruth Watson a feisty sort of 'no nonsense', 'get straight to the heart of the matter' gal who seizes upon hapless folk who happen to have a Country House in need of 'rescuing' and gives them a stern talking to! (This is all hearsay and I advise you to make your own assessment!). I rounded up some volunteers last month to help at Wyresdale Park and the TV cameras were there but not the formidable Ruth Watson. I plan to arrive late when her sting has been drawn, but I encourage you all to get there early and enjoy the homemade food and refreshments....but most of all have a look at the splended house and gardens which are being opened to the public for the first time since it was built in 1865. Be part of living history! 

Follow the signs from the centre of Scorton village.

*Are these last 2 films or tube stations?