News articles

  • Access for All Update

    Access for all guided walk

    Accessible Improvements near Dunsop Bridge delivering 150 metres of stone flagging to improve a bridleway that had historically been affected by washouts caused by river flooding. The upgraded surface significantly improved reliability and accessibility, particularly for people with limited mobility. 

    The project was delivered in partnership with Lancashire County Council's Public Rights of Way Team, which provided four replacement bridleway gates and a new pedestrian gate, replacing an existing stile. These improvements enhanced ease of access and contributed to a more inclusive route. 

    Lancashire County Council's Bridges Team also supported the project by combining bridge redecking works with improvements to the turning areas at both ends of the bridge. As a result, all-terrain wheelchair users were able to access and use the bridge more easily, with previous barriers caused by steps and restricted turning space successfully removed. 

    Path improvement on an access for all route

    An additional project successfully upgraded 340 metres of a well-used section of the Tolkien Trail, a popular circular walking route that experiences high visitor numbers. 

    The completed works improved path surfacing for less mobile visitors while providing a clearly defined route that helped reduce impacts on surrounding farmland. Building on improvements delivered in previous years, the project further enhanced the trail and contributed to the creation of an attractive and inclusive circular route that welcomed visitors of all abilities. 

     Other project work has included improvements and Enhancements to 110 metres of bridleway, strengthening an important link within the Forest of Bowland access network. 

    The route had previously been difficult to use due to persistent wet ground conditions and encroaching vegetation. The improvement works successfully created a more open, accessible route free from obstructions, resulting in a significantly better experience for users. 

    Lancashire County Council supported the project by installing new bridleway gates and incorporating the route into its ongoing maintenance programme. This partnership helped secure the long-term accessibility and sustainability of the bridleway for future users.

    Access for all path improvements on Tolkien Trail

    We have also continued to work with the Charity Access the Dales to offer opportunities for users of All Terrain Wheelchairs to access the countryside. With walks held in Wyre Borough as well as the main hubs around the Forest of Bowland, we continue to work to expand the opportunity for more people to benefit from the outdoors.

    Improved interpretation and signage has been installed at two new sites, Wyresdale Park and Bell Sykes to help visitors understand the landscape. Both include maps and QR codes of the walks in the area which ties in with the Launch of the Discover Bowland App which has walking, Cycling, Wheeling and riding routes throughout the Forest of Bowland. A great resource to inform and guide visitors to the area with information about not just routes but the visitor experience as a while encouraging people to enjoy what we have to offer in the Forest of Bowland and respect our area.

    For further information email sarah.dornan@lancashire.gov.uk

  • Bowland Farmer Group Update

    Group of farmers in a meeting room

    The Forest of Bowland Farmer Group has successfully secured Farming in Protected Landscapes (FiPL) funding for a further three years, extending support until March 2029.

    Group membership continues to grow, with 213 members currently signed up, comprising 185 farmers and 28 associated professionals. This represents an increase of 36 members since the previous JAC meeting in April 2026.

    The group has since delivered two evening meetings focused on the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) 2026 and Countryside Stewardship Capital Grants. Sarah Whitwell from the FiPL team provided practical guidance on the schemes, including land management actions and payment rates, how to apply, and the claims process. The two evening meetings, held in Bolton-by-Bowland and Lancaster, attracted more than 80 attendees and generated strong engagement, positive feedback and valuable networking opportunities for local farmers.

    Two e-newsletters have been issued so far this financial year, alongside regular updates on webinars, training events, meetings, funding opportunities and grant deadlines.

    The Forest of Bowland Farmer Group continues to provide an important network for sharing information, encouraging collaboration and ensuring that farmers remain informed about opportunities and policy changes affecting their businesses.

    For further information, please contact laura.simpson2@lancashire.gov.uk.

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  • FiPL Update

    Polytunnel prior to restoration

    The Farming in Protected Landscapes (FiPL) Programme is now in its sixth year and is currently set to run until March 2029. Originally a 3-year, time-limited programme, it has now allocated £5.7 million in grant funding to support projects across the Forest of Bowland National Landscape. With a three-year extension announced earlier this year, the programme has a confirmed project delivery budget of just over £1 million for the current financial year, with indicative budgets of a similar scale anticipated for the following two years

    With the three-year extension, the team has been focussing on developing ambitious, multi-year projects whilst navigating the range of challenges farmers are facing on a daily basis. There are currently 39 projects either underway or completed during the 2026/27 financial year. The team has also been working on processing claims from the previous financial year and responding to Defra reporting requests. 

    The programme continues to operate under broadly the same eligibility criteria as previous years, with all supported activity required to contribute towards one or more of the FiPL outcomes for climate, nature, people and place. Projects are assessed against their contribution towards the delivery of the Forest of Bowland National Landscape's Management Plan, along with national government targets including; the Environmental Improvement Plan (EIP), 30by30, Protected Landscapes Targets and Outcomes Framework (PLTOF) and Local Nature Recovery Strategies (LNRS).

    As of 6th October 2026, the Forest of Bowland FiPL team had received almost 500 expressions of interest, resulting in 232 approved projects that have either been completed or are currently being delivered. A full list of funded projects is available on the Forest of Bowland website: www.forestofbowland.com/farming-protected-landscapes 

    A number of ambitious and impactful projects have been approved in recent months, with one example highlighted below.

    • To restore and purchase equipment for a 4-span polytunnel for a community farm which will provide space and the tools needed to propagate native wildflowers, tree saplings and sphagnum moss, to be used in current and future landscape restoration projects across Yorkshire and North Lancashire. The project will also provide a space for an information and education area to inform and involve local communities, organisations, volunteers and visitors to learn about the importance of these key habitats.

    For further information email: tarja.wilson2@lancashire.gov.uk 

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  • Peatland Restoration Update

    2026/27

    For 2026/27 we have had our application for £1.95m (full project value) granted by Natural England (our partnership with Cumbria Wildlife Trust and the National Trust). This will see £1.15m in grant and £391,000 in match funds being spent on peatland restoration in the Forest of Bowland across the financial year (from United Utilities, Grosvenor Estate and Lune Rivers Trust). 

    We have been working with the Environment Agency and specialist consultant to design a project which will aim to create an academically robust tool or model which will be able to quantify, more accurately than is possible now, the natural flood management benefits of peatland restoration interventions. Once operational, this should mean that we will be in a strong position to access capital grants in the future as we will be able to demonstrate the natural flood management benefits of specific projects as they pertain to related communities at risk of flooding. The initial presentation of the outputs will be shared with project partners in the week beginning 19th October 2026, and we hope to apply the tool to our restoration planning going forwards to attract NFM funding for capital projects. 

    Bowland fells

    The Brock & Calder Landscape Recovery Project, which is due to enter delivery phase in the new financial year, is reaching final stages of negotiations and planning. The project includes c. 900ha of peatland restoration works, which we hope to support the delivery of in the first five years of the twenty-year project. We are currently working with the delivery team and Defra in order to finalise the monitoring plan for the project, as it presents a rare opportunity to fund peatland monitoring over a long period of time (funding cycles are currently year to year). 

    Our negotiations with United Utilities, mentioned in the June JAC update, have been successful and the peatland team at the National Landscape has, as of 1st September this year, expanded from one to seven (up to the end of March 2030). We are currently supporting United Utilities with a large-scale survey project across the county (linked to dissolved organic carbon reaching drinking water treatment centres), and the team is aiming to survey c. 4500ha between September and the end of March 2026. The new team members are Nathan Thomas, Emily East, Jake Phillips, Valerie Robichaud, Bingzhang He and Matt Radcliffe. Whilst all bring previous peatland experience to the National Landscape team, they also have a range of wider specialisms including invertebrates, birds, scientific monitoring, botany (with a specific focus on mosses and lichens) and mountain leadership. 

    Beyond this financial year, we will be supporting United Utilities on three other peatland projects between now and the end of March 2030. In addition, we will continue to work with any and all other stakeholders who wish to engage with us on peatland restoration survey, planning and delivery. We anticipate another year of the Nature for Climate Peatland Grant Scheme (or similar) to be open for applications soon – this scheme has been the main funder of restoration in Bowland over the past five years. 

    Finally, an application made to the National Landscapes Association has recently been successful. We have been awarded c. £145,000 to purchase monitoring equipment (automated dipwell and barometric loggers, cellular weather stations, audiomoths) which will greatly improve quality of the baseline data we gather, as well as the monitoring of benefits associated with peatland restoration. 

    For further information email: dominic.hartley@lancashire.gov.uk 

    Forest of Bowland Fells

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  • Regenerative Tourism Plan

    Gathering of the Bowland Sustainable Tourism Network at Holden Clough Nurseries

    Work is progressing on the development of the Forest of Bowland National Landscape Regenerative Tourism Plan, which will provide a strategic framework for supporting a visitor economy that delivers positive outcomes for the landscape, local communities, businesses and visitors. The plan is being developed to move beyond traditional sustainable tourism approaches, focusing on how tourism can actively contribute to the environmental, social and economic wellbeing of Bowland.

    The plan is bringing together evidence, stakeholder feedback and best practice to identify opportunities for tourism to support nature recovery, strengthen local distinctiveness, encourage responsible visitor behaviour and increase the benefits that tourism generates for local communities and businesses. It will establish a shared vision for regenerative tourism across the National Landscape and outline practical actions that partners can deliver over the coming years.

    As part of the engagement process, a business event is planned for 5 November, providing an opportunity for tourism and hospitality businesses to contribute directly to the development of the plan. The event will introduce the principles of regenerative tourism, present emerging findings from the project and facilitate discussions around the opportunities and challenges facing the visitor economy within Bowland.

    The workshop will seek to gather local knowledge and business perspectives to help shape the final plan, ensuring that proposed actions are practical, relevant and aligned with the needs of those operating within the area. It will also provide a valuable networking opportunity, encouraging collaboration between businesses and highlighting how a regenerative approach can enhance both visitor experiences and the long-term resilience of the local economy.

    Following the November event, feedback from participants will be incorporated into plan for wider consultation with partners in 2027.

    For further information email: hetty.byrne@lancashire.gov.uk 

  • Illustrated Bowland Map

    Landscape view of the Trough of Bowland

    The Forest of Bowland National Landscape is working with illustrator Carla Gebhard to develop a distinctive illustrated visitor map that celebrates Bowland as a place of discovery, curiosity and connection. The project aims to create a high-quality, engaging map that encourages both residents and visitors to explore beyond the area's best-known destinations and develop a deeper understanding of the landscape, its wildlife, heritage, communities and stories.

    Alongside its role as a visitor resource, the map will also act as a commemorative souvenir marking the passage of the Tour de France through Bowland in 2027.  To ensure the map has a long-term legacy beyond the Tour, cycling-specific digital content will be developed separately and can be removed in future editions if required.

    The finished product will be an A2 illustrated map folded to A5, with content on both sides. It will function both as a practical guide for exploration and as an attractive keepsake that visitors will want to retain and revisit. 

    Current work with Carla is focused on developing the map concept, identifying key stories, locations and themes to feature, and establishing an illustrative style that captures the distinctive character and sense of place of the Forest of Bowland National Landscape. The project will support wider objectives around regenerative tourism by encouraging exploration across the whole area, promoting lesser-known locations, and strengthening connections between visitors, local communities and the landscape itself.
    The new map will be launched in spring 2027.
    For further information contact: hetty.byrne@lancashire.gov.uk 

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  • Days to Remember Update

    Residents of Morecambe-based Woodhill House Care Home so enjoyed their trip on the Bentham Line last September that they boarded the train once again this summer. Working in partnership with the Leeds Morecambe Community Rail Partnership and funded by Northern and the Forest of Bowland National Landscape, a group of staff and clients took a trip to grade II listed Hellifield Station on the 12th of August, where they enjoyed a buffet lunch at the platform café before making the return trip.

    Later that month the Days to Remember programme and Woodhill House jointly funded a nature-inspired ceramic workshop, delivered at the care home by local artist, Julie Miles. Residents made lovely, intricate designs, which Julie then fired in her studio kiln before the finished pieces were delivered back to the group.

    On a similarly creative theme, illustrator, Carla Gebhard, worked with a group of clients at Vale View Day Centre in Lancaster.  Using visual prompts and step-by-step instructions, Carla encouraged participants to create beautiful, autumn-inspired watercolours, which captured the tones and hues of the season perfectly.

    For further information, please email sandra.silk@lancashire.gov.uk

    Photo of ceramics created in a days to remember session

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  • Festival Bowland Update

    Wyre Coast & Countryside Service's weekly short walks from Garstang and the annual Garstang Walking Festival proved popular once again, as did RSPB's springtime Moorland Safaris. During Bowland Dark Skies Week in April, an evening visit to Uclan's Alston Observatory was fully booked (and ably supported by volunteers from Preston & District Astronomical Society) whilst the Evening Forest Bathe attracted an LCC staff team outing.

    This year's programme featured a number of events badged under the Bowland Champion Species banner, with family fun and discovery courtesy of Wyre River Trust's family-friendly river dipping sessions, Connecting People and Nature's Bilberry Bumblebee day at Beacon Fell and the summer holiday Champion Species Party at Gisburn Forest.  A swift-focused evening in Slaidburn was very well received, thanks to an inspiring talk by a speaker from the Bolton and Bury Swifts group.

    The North West Fungus Group led a fascinating, fungi-filled walk around the grounds at Browsholme Hall in September and we're looking forward to finding out all about waxcaps at a citizen science session in Wycoller in late October.

    For further information, please email sandra.silk@lancashire.gov.uk

    Forest bathing in Gisburn Forest

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  • Traditional Boundaries Update

    Over the 1st and 2nd of August we held a two-day dry stone walling taster course off Woodhouse Lane in Slaidburn. Once again, Dry Stone Walling Association registered master craftsman, Alan Rhodes, delivered the session, which attracted 11 participants. The course was held on a weekend in order to make it accessible to those who might have found it difficult to access weekday training due to work commitments. 

    Two, two-day hedge laying training sessions have also been arranged, with regular trainers Dave Padley and Andy Kirkwood. These will take place on the 2nd and 3rd of December (venue TBC) and the 9th and 10th of March (Sawley).  The annual Bowland Celebration of Hedges will be held in Downham on Saturday the 13th of March, in partnership with the Lancashire & Westmorland Hedge Laying Association.

    For further information, please email sandra.silk@lancashire.gov.uk

    dry stone walling in Sladidburn

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  • Community Nature Fund Update

    As part of our enhanced funding from Defra this year we have created a new Community Nature Fund to ensure that communities are able to support local wildlife and habitat conservation, and also to support groups who want to have better access and stronger connections to nature.

    So far, we have allocated the following grants:

    £2500 to the Sahara group in Preston: training up volunteers and running visits to the countryside across Bowland this Autumn

    £2925 to the Clarion House near Newchurch in Pendle, to extend their wildlife habitats, particularly the wildflower meadow, and to train up volunteers in how to manage it via a scything course. 

    scything at clarion house

    £7000 to Gressingham Village Trust to develop a new community orchard and to support their swift project – putting up nest boxes around the village

    £2500 to Breaking Cycles to develop a series of 'Forest Family' sessions for intergenerational groups looking to connect with nature in the Dunsop Bridge area

    £5000 to Wellness Walks to recruit and train 6 volunteer health walk leaders in the area. For more information see https://wellnesswalks.org.uk/forest-of-bowland-volunteer-scheme-2026

    £5000 to Martholme Greenway to repair dry stone walls in Gooseleach wood, led by a professional and training up volunteers to continue this endless repair work!

    For further information email: cathy.hopley@lancashire.gov.uk 

    drystone walling at Martholme Greenway

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