New Discover Bowland website

29th September 2020

Rural businesses in the Forest of Bowland are working together to rebuild the visitor economy as demand for domestic holidays in countryside settings looks set to increase.

Led by Champion Bowland – a charity that provides accessible small grants for local projects which benefit the environment, local communities and visitors – the Forest of Bowland Sustainable Tourism Network has launched a new destination marketing website designed to attract everyone to explore the beautiful Forest of Bowland.

This site: www.discoverbowland.uk went live this week – along with a new social media campaign designed to drive traffic to the new website. Champion Bowland has provided the seed capital to launch the site, with future funding to come from stakeholder businesses who have signed up to participate.

Discover Bowland website

A deep well of original content includes information on accommodation, outdoor activities, courses and experiences and the Forest of Bowland’s outstanding food and drink offer.

The new destination website launches with a deliberate focus on bringing in bookings for the 2021 season.

Rural accommodation providers continue to be hit hard with ongoing restrictions affecting the wedding market – an important source of revenue for many rural businesses.

But next year, millions of adventurous couples and active families are expected to seek fresh air and plenty of outdoor activities on UK staycations in rural settings.

As autumn gives way to winter, the focus of the website content will shift to promoting Bowland as a genuine year-round destination, with a comprehensive calendar of events, activities, festivals and shows.

Forest of Bowland National Landscape sustainable tourism officer Hetty Byrne said:

“It’s been a very challenging year for the rural economy in Bowland, but many of these enterprising businesses have been busy preparing to welcome back visitors with even better facilities next year.

“We’ve been working hard with our sustainable tourism business network and local suppliers to collate the content and build this website and we are confident the new website will significantly increase awareness of Bowland and inspire outdoor enthusiasts, nature lovers and foodies to discover the area.

“We will also be encouraging visitors to stay longer and – ideally – spend more money with local businesses to do their bit to help the rural economy recover.”

Chairman of Champion Bowland Mike Pugh said:

“We were delighted to receive such a positive response to the destination website when we first floated it last year and when the pandemic arrived, we decided to accelerate our existing plans when we recognised the need to Build Back Better.

“As a charity that aims to invest in schemes that develop the rural economy and benefit the towns and villages of the Forest of Bowland, we are proud to be in a position to ensure the website launched in time to get Bowland firmly back on the tourism radar for the 2021 season.”

Local Tourism Business owner Dominique Ashford, Dale House said:

“We are really excited to be able to tap into this exciting new website as, since we reopened, we have noticed an increase in enquiries from across the country from people who are nervous about holidaying abroad and also don’t want to negotiate crowds of people in the usual tourist traps.

“We believe the new destination website will inspire a new generation of visitors to Bowland who will really appreciate the fresh air, the amazing landscapes, the stunning wildlife and the delicious food and drink to be found in the Forest of Bowland.”

Outstandingly beautiful – the Hodder Valley in the Forest of Bowland near Dunsop Bridge.

NOTES TO EDITORS

About the Forest of Bowland National Landscape (National Landscape)

The Forest of Bowland is one of 46 Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty across Britain and covers 803 square kilometres (312 square miles) of rural land in Lancashire and Yorkshire. Designated as a National Landscape in 1964, it’s important for its heather moorland, blanket bog and rare birds like the iconic Hen Harrier – symbol of the Bowland National Landscape.

In 2005 the National Landscape became the first protected area in England to be awarded the European Charter for Sustainable Tourism in Protected Areas and this honour was repeated when the Charter was re-awarded in September 2010.

In November 2011 the National Landscape were recipients of the prestigious 'Best Destination' runner-up award from The International Responsible Tourism Awards.

About Champion Bowland

Champion Bowland is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) which provides easily accessible small grants for local projects which benefit the environment, local communities and visitors within the Forest of Bowland National Landscape.

Champion Bowland raises funds from visitor donations, charitable activities and other sources – including this website.

In recent years, Champion Bowland has helped fund projects as diverse as outdoor classrooms for local schoolchildren, bird hides, pollinator patches and wildflower meadow conservation. Read about the projects Champion Bowland has supported in recent years here.


Bowland Dark Skies Festival 2024

- 21st December 2023

Traditional Boundaries Training

- 21st November 2023

All-Terrain Wheelchair Demo Day

- 20th September 2023

Tramper Taster Day

- 22nd August 2023

Pendle Peat & Pie Challenge

- 26th April 2023

New Bowland Visitor Guide

- 20th February 2023

The Festival Continues!

- 10th October 2022

Hay Time Gets Creative!

- 3rd August 2022

REBELLION IN THE FOREST

- 20th July 2022

Langden Intake Gravel

- 1st July 2022

Meadow Art Workshops

- 23rd May 2022

Discovering Wonderful Waxcaps

- 9th September 2021

Tramper Taster Day

- 8th September 2021

Visiting Bowland

- 14th June 2021

Name that Bee!

- 13th April 2021

Meadow Makers Project

- 8th April 2021

Festival Bowland 2021 is here!

- 6th January 2021

COVID-19 Update

- 5th January 2021

Covid-19 Update

- 31st December 2020

Green Recovery Challenge Fund

- 10th December 2020

Bringing Home the Turf

- 7th December 2020

Let's Support Local This Christmas

- 26th November 2020

Photo Competition Winners

- 18th November 2020

COVID-19 Update 05.11.2020

- 5th November 2020

Best of Bowland Photo Competition

- 12th October 2020

New Discover Bowland website

- 29th September 2020

Ginkgo Prize for Ecopoety

- 26th August 2020

Festival Events Go Virtual

- 10th August 2020

Days to Remember

- 31st July 2020

Coronavirus Update

- 6th June 2020

COVID-19 Update

- 20th March 2020

Hay Time Rescue - Project Summary

- 11th February 2020

Bowland Dark Skies Festival

- 6th January 2020

What is Bowland Without its Trees?

- 3rd September 2019

Postcards for Kindness

- 4th July 2019

Meadows to Morris Dancing

- 10th June 2019

Tramper Taster Day

- 15th May 2019

Half a Kilometre of Hedge

- 24th January 2019

Wildflower meadow rescue mission

- 17th October 2018

Traditional Boundaries Training

- 20th September 2018

National Landscape Family's Week

- 13th September 2018

Bowland Heads Back to the Stone Age

- 12th September 2018

Bowland by Night

- 3rd September 2018

Meadow Magic

- 18th June 2018

June is Blooming!

- 15th May 2018

Bowland Wader Project Newsletter

- 22nd February 2018

Outstanding Week 2017

- 5th September 2017

Festival Bowland Fun in Autumn

- 22nd August 2017

Summer in Bowland

- 26th June 2017

Winter Hedge Laying Workshops

- 29th November 2016