News articles

Step outside on a clear night in the Forest of Bowland and you're likely to be rewarded with the beauty of a star-filled dark sky – something we're very lucky to have.

The night skies over the Forest of Bowland National Landscape (National Landscape) have been recognised as some of the darkest in England – with several areas being designated as Dark Sky Discovery Sites – and we can all do our bit to help keep them that way.

As part of its Dark Skies Festival, the National Landscape Partnership is inviting people to join them for The Right Light at Night - a free, online talk to be delivered by Steve Tonkin, Dark Sky Advisor with Cranborne Chase National Landscape, on the evening of Thursday 17th February.

Light Pollution was first identified as a problem by astronomers, but its consequences reach far wider. Steve's talk will explain how it is now widely recognised that artificial light at night, especially bright white light, can have profoundly negative effects. 

Studies indicate that too much light at night can affect human sleep patterns and potentially lead to more serious health issues. The breeding cycles and feeding habits of many birds and animals can be affected by stray artificial light, and nocturnal insects in particular have been dramatically impacted.

Steve believes that the solutions are at hand, are simple to implement, will have a net saving (of money, energy use and carbon emissions) and will not compromise security. 

We do, of course, need light at night, but the right type and amount of light, in the right places, can help us continue to enjoy the amazing starscapes above Bowland.

Places for The Right Light at Night can be booked through the TryBooking website at https://www.trybooking.co.uk/BIOU.  The online link will be then be circulated prior to the event.

Local tourism businesses interested in finding out how to become a Dark Sky Friendly business can contact Forest of Bowland National Landscape Sustainable Tourism Officer, Hetty Byrne, by emailing hetty.byrne@lancashire.gov.uk

Details of all the Bowland Dark Skies Festival events, including family friendly, Exploring the Universe with Robots and Discovering Bowland's Bats, can be found on the Forest of Bowland National Landscape website at https://www.forestofbowland.com/dark-skies-festival-2022

We received some fantastic submissions for the Forest of Bowland photo competition running through November.  The images really captured the beauty and opportunities this outstanding area has to offer throughout the year.

Winner Mark Harder said: 'I’ve only recently taken up wildlife photography and I’m naturally drawn to this beautiful countryside which I find inspirational and good for the soul. With the recent lockdown, I had found the Forest of Bowland a source of therapy and taking photos of wildlife a way to expressing my artistic side.'  While runner-up Paul Warrilow said: 'I really enjoy landscape photography and I am fortunate to be living in such a beautiful area as the Forest of Bowland. The varied landscapes in this area offer some wonderful opportunities to capture nature at her very best and having recently retired I have much more time on my hands to discover the area and take more images. I found out about the competition whilst browsing the Forest of Bowland website - I was looking for ideas as to where I might go to photograph some of its spectacular countryside - and a week or so later we had snowfall on the lovely Pendle Hill and so I went along at dawn to take the

image that was entered for the competition.'

Amy and Gavin, Managers at Laythams Holiday Lets Retreats said: 'We're delighted to be able to support Bowland's photo competition, our cottages are located in the heart of the National Landscape in a beautiful, rural setting where we see the wonder and variety of the changing seasons.  The final ten images really capture Bowland at its best from hay making in the summer to Waders returning in the spring and snow-topped fells in the winter!'

The winners of the other prizes were as follows:

Hannah Binns – winner of a virtual cheese tasting voucher, donated by the Courtyard Dairy

Duncan Singleton – winner of afternoon tea for two, donated by Stirk House Hotel

Dave Spellman – winner of a seasonal giftbox, donated by the Rewilding at Patty's Barn

Phillipe Hanford – winner of a £30 voucher for Gisburn Forest Hub, donated by Gisburn Forest Hub Café

Jane Ashall – winner of a Milking Parlour cheese, butter & biscuit hamper, donated by Cobden View Holiday Cottage, Sabden

Janice McCall – winner of a hand knitted scarf and hat, kindly donated by Lancashire Farm Wools.

There are some fantastic prizes on offer in the Forest of Bowland National Landscape photo competition running this autumn.

We'd love you to share images that capture the beauty and opportunities this outstanding area has to offer year-round. These may include landscape or wildlife images, or people enjoying activities in the area - whatever captures Bowland at its best through every season!

There are some fantastic prizes on offer, donated by members of the Forest of Bowland Sustainable Tourism Network:

• FIRST:  Two nights in Laythams Hayloft (kindly donated by Laythams Holiday Lets Retreats https://www.laythams.co.uk/hayloft image opposite)

• SECOND: £100.00 Individual Inns voucher (kindly donated by the Spread Eagle Inn https://spreadeaglesawley.co.uk/)

• THIRD: Bottle of Wild Fox farm-to-bottle signature gin (kindly donated by Wild Fox Distillery https://wildfoxdistillery.co.uk)

• FOURTH: Virtual cheese tasting voucher (kindly donated by the Courtyard Dairy https://www.thecourtyarddairy.co.uk)
• FIFTH: Goosnargh Gin gift pack (kindly donated by Goosnargh Gin https://goosnarghgin.co.uk/)
• SIXTH: Afternoon tea for two (kindly donated by Stirk House Hotel)
• SEVENTH: A Seasonal Giftbox (kindly donated by the Rewilding www.the-rewilding.com/shop)
• EIGHTH: £30 voucher for Gisburn Forest Hub (kindly donated by Gisburn Forest Hub Café www.facebook.com/gisburnforestcafe)
• NINTH: Milking Parlour cheese, butter & biscuit hamper (kindly donated by Cobden View Holiday Cottage, Sabden www.cobdenview.co.uk)
• TENTH: Hand knitted scarf (kindly donated by Lancashire Farm Wools from Farm to Yarn http://kateschofieldtextiles.blogspot.com/)   

The winners and shortlisted images will appear in the 2022 printed Bowland Discovery Guide and on National Landscape supported websites and social media.

The closing date for the competition is Monday 29th November 2021, for details of the prizes, terms and conditions and a map of the Forest of Bowland National Landscape visit the website:  https://www.forestofbowland.com/photo-competition-october-2020

A shortlist will be made by the National Landscape team and the finalists will go to a public vote (via social media and the National Landscape website) week commencing 6th December.  Please upload up to 3 images via the National Landscape website at: www.forestofbowland.com/upload-your-photos

Images can be taken from any season, so if you didn't manage to take some summer shots, there's still chance to get out and capture the best of Bowland in the autumn sunshine.  We're looking forward to seeing all of your submissions!

If you have any questions please email hetty.byrne@lancashire.gov.uk 

Through funds raised from sales of Goosnargh Gin's 'Hay Time', a re-wild the child project was able to secure educational resources to support visits for youngsters to learn about the special hay meadows in the Forest of Bowland National Landscape.

The wildflower-rich Coronation Meadows are located at Bell Sykes Farm in Slaidburn and they act as a living seedbank – one of the last unimproved flower-rich grasslands in this part of Lancashire. Peter Blackwell, the farmer at Bell Sykes Farm lets the grasses grow much longer before cutting and bailing, so that the seeds can develop and then be used to regenerate wildflower meadows elsewhere.

During 2020, for every bottle of Hay Time gin sold, Goosnargh Gin donated £5 to Champion Bowland.  Owners Richard and Rachel Trenchard were keen to support a project in the Forest of Bowland that would provide educational visits for youngsters to learn about the importance of protecting these wonderful habitats.

Chair of Champion Bowland Mike Pugh said: 'We were delighted to receive £600 from Goosnargh Gin, with a particular focus on supporting an educational project within the Forest of Bowland, linked to the hay meadows.  Working with the National Landscape, we were able to find the ideal project to support these aims. Located at the Gathering Fields - a site already working in partnership with the National Landscape to restore their own hay meadows – is the project 'Re-wild the child'.

Re-wild the child, based at the Gathering Fields near Abbeystead, is a grass roots project in its early stages, raising funds and awareness for the rewilding of a wildflower meadow and providing opportunities for educational visits. Supporting small groups and charities that would not normally be able to access our beautiful countryside.

Carol Edmondson, Hay Time Project Officer for the National Landscape said: 'This type of partnership approach is at the centre of how we deliver projects across Bowland. It's fantastic to see it all tying together, from the restoration work here at the Gathering Fields and at Bells Sykes Farm, to increasing opportunities for the public, then linking that through to the National Landscape's tourism work and a local business with sustainable values being inspired to put something back.'

For further information about Bowland's Hay Time Project visit: https://www.forestofbowland.com/Hay-Time-Project and the charity Champion Bowland visit: http://www.championbowland.org/

To find out more about the Re-wild the Child project at the Gathering Fields visit: https://www.northernapproach.co.uk/

And for details of Goosgnargh Gin's Hay time bottling visit: https://goosnarghgin.co.uk/

NOW FULLY BOOKED - reserve list available

Autumn is the best time to spot fungi and waxcap fungi are amazing!

They are found in old grasslands and, whilst they can be elusive, they have been found on Worsaw Hill before. Their bright colours make them easy to spot - there are white, yellow, red, pink and even green ones called Parrot Waxcaps.

Why not come and join us from Downham on Saturday 9th October, 10am – 12noon, to see how many different ones are to be found this year?

(Please note that Worsaw Hill is not in "open access land" and access to the hill itself is for this guided event only. A public footpath skirts the foot of the hill on the southern and western edges.)

All under 18s must be accompanied by an adult.  Please note that Worsaw Hill is a steep climb.

This event is subject to any Covid-19 restrictions which may be in place at the time.

Booking essential. For more information and to book a place please email sarah.robinson@lancashire.gov.uk

Free, terrain guide 4, 2 miles approx

Autumn is a fantastic time of year in the Forest of Bowland and this year's Festival Bowland events programme has a great opportunity for countryside lovers who relish getting outside, but who might have restricted mobility.

On Thursday 7th October the Forest of Bowland National Landscape will be running a series of Tramper taster sessions along the Birch Hills Trail at Gisburn Forest & Stocks near Slaidburn.

Trampers are specially designed, all-terrain, four-wheel drive electric buggies, which can be used on country tracks, mud and grass. Trampers can help people who have difficulty walking, or who may be disabled, to experience the countryside and to accompany friends and family on suitable routes. 

The Birch Hills Trail is a stile-free, mile and a half long woodland route in lovely surroundings – and with lots of history to discover.  There are several benches and picnic tables along the way, allowing plenty of opportunity to stop and take in the sights and sounds of the forest.   In addition, the trail has been designed to be of special assistance to people living with dementia and is well waymarked with a "forget-me-not" symbol.  A booklet highlighting wildlife and heritage interest along the walk is also available.

Sessions are available at 10am and 1:30pm and will last around one hour. Toilets and café are located approximately 1 ¾ miles away at Gisburn Forest Hub.

Early booking is recommended as Tramper numbers are limited.  Accompanying family and friends are welcome. The event is free but donations towards the upkeep of the Trampers are welcome via https://www.championbowland.org.uk/index.php/donate

For more information, and to book a place, please email sandra.silk@lancashire.gov.uk

Originally planned for autumn last year but delayed due to the pandemic, Maps, Mines and Minerals: 25,000 Years of Bowland History, will be delivered by award-winning geologist Dr Nick Riley MBE and will take place online on Tuesday 5 October 2021, beginning at 7pm.

William Bowland, 16th Lord of Bowland said: “Bouncing back after months of lockdown, this year’s lecture – our 10th – will take a long view of the Forest we call home.  No-one could be better equipped to guide us through 25,000 years of history in one evening than Nick Riley.

“Born in Blackburn, Dr Riley is the UK’s leading authority on the geology of Bowland. In 2003, he was awarded an MBE ‘for services to UK geoscience’.  More recently, he was awarded the John Phillips Medal by the Yorkshire Geological Society for his ‘lifelong contributions to understanding the geology of Northern England’". 

Traditionally held at Browsholme Hall, the Lord of Bowland Annual Lecture has built a large following over recent years.  Given the continuing situation, however, the decision has been made to hold this year's event online, so that as many people as possible can be accommodated. Open to all free-of-charge, the format will also allow virtual visitors from beyond Bowland to discover the heritage of this beautiful area.

William, 16th Lord of Bowland, will introduce the evening, which aims to raise funds for two local charities: Slaidburn Archive, which works to record the history of the Hodder Valley; and Champion Bowland, which supports projects benefiting the environment, local communities and visitors to the Forest of Bowland. Both organisations rely heavily on grants and donations to continue their work.

Places for the lecture can be booked by emailing sandra.silk@lancashire.gov.uk.

Join the Pendle Hill Landscape Partnership for a FREE 9 day walking festival - Together for Our Landmark - Saturday 18th to Sunday 26th September.

Did you enjoy regular walks from home during lockdown? But need some further ideas of where to explore?  Participate in our 'New to Walking' Festival and experience the Pendle Hill area with the support of knowledgeable guides. Learn more about the area's fascinating natural and cultural heritage, find some hidden gems away from the crowds and gain confidence to venture out on self-guided walks in the future!

Hetty Byrne, Sustainable Tourism Officer for Forest of Bowland National Landscape said: 'The Pendle Hill area has so much to offer for those seeking adventure, exploring history or for a family day out, but all too often people flock to the same busy spots, perhaps gaining reassurance by following the crowds.  One part of the Pendle Hill Landscape Partnership Scheme has been to look at spreading some of that visitor pressure from the same 'honeypot' sites and encouraging people to seek out all the opportunities that the area has to offer.  This led us to the idea of organising a walking festival to highlight all these wonderful opportunities, on all sides of the hill.'

From 18th to 26th September we're excited to present a 'new to walking festival' – Together for our Landmark - to further extend walking from home and the connections made during Lockdown.  The guided walks will be an opportunity for people to continue with the regular walks they have enjoyed and to develop their confidence to explore new walks in the Pendle Hill Landscape Partnership area.  It is also an opportunity for people to learn more about the natural and cultural heritage of the area.

Hetty said: 'We've got such a varied programme from archaeology to herbal medicine, mindfulness to traditional boundaries and family-friendly walks.  The guided walks start from locations all around Pendle Hill including Nelson, Barrowford, Sabden, Roughlee and Downham.  We've kept the walks to a maximum of 6 miles, but they include a variety of terrain, so we hope there is something for everyone!'

The walks are all free, but donations are welcome on the day contributing to Rossendale and Pendle Mountain Rescue and the Pendle Hill Fund.

For full details of the walks and information about how to book, please visit: www.pendlehillproject.com/walking-festival

Farmers and land managers in England’s National Parks and Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (National Landscapes) will be given grants to make improvements to the natural environment, cultural heritage and public access.

In this area, the funding available for projects in National Parks and National Landscapes in the first year comprises:

• Arnside and Silverdale National Landscape - £132,509
• Forest of Bowland National Landscape - £864,635
• Lake District National Park - £1,041,000
• North Pennines National Landscape – £1,150,000
• Solway Coast National Landscape – £141,000
• Yorkshire Dales National Park - £1,211,159

National Parks and National Landscapes are living, working landscapes that support communities and businesses, but are also home to a huge range of habitats and species. They are also places that are enjoyed by millions of visitors and residents every year. The Farming in Protected Landscapes programme will fund a range of projects to help look after these areas.

The programme will provide funding for one-off projects which allow farmers and land managers in protected landscapes to:

• support nature recovery – such as increasing habitats to improve biodiversity or greater connectivity between habitats
• mitigate the impacts of climate change – such as reducing flood risk or storing more carbon
• provide opportunities for people to discover, enjoy and understand the landscape and its cultural heritage

• support nature-friendly and sustainable farm businesses

In each area, projects will be assessed by a local panel to ensure they provide value for money, a legacy from the work, and meet at least one of the scheme’s outcomes, for people, nature, climate or place. Projects should also meet at least one of the aims of the Management Plan for the relevant National Park or National Landscape.

Projects to help to mitigate the effects of climate change might include measures to reduce flood risk through natural flood management, or by taking action to reduce a farm’s carbon emissions. Action for nature recovery might include land being improved for wildlife, by creating new habitats or by changing the way land is managed to deliver better results for nature.

Other eligible projects can focus on ‘place’, improving the quality and character of the landscape. These might be restoring and maintaining some of the landscape features and historic assets that make our National Parks and National Landscapes so distinctive.

The Farming in Protected Landscapes programme will run from 2021 to 2024, and proposals are invited from 1 July 2021. Further information can be obtained by contacting your local National Landscape or National Park team. The funding is for one-off projects and is not an agri-environment scheme. Receiving funding from this programme will not prevent farmers or land managers from participating in the emerging Environmental Land Management Schemes, and projects on land within existing stewardship agreements can be funded provided they are additional to the current agreement.

Follow this link for full details of the Farming in Protect Landscapes programme in the Forest of Bowland

Grizesdale Class at Scorton Primary School have been developing their persuasive writing skills by writing to persuade visitors to come to the local area. 

What a fantastic piece by a boy in Year 4 all about Nicky Nook!

Are you tired of watching TV and need some fresh air? You can appreciate the wonderful and picturesque nature, whilst admiring the beautiful, outstanding scenery. You can also see the amazing animals and do bird watching too! It's away from eardrum shaking traffic and busy towns. Also the sun gives you vitamin D which makes you stronger! If you reach the top then you can look at the panoramic views and see the peaceful lakes and ponds too.Have you ever wanted to be immersed in nature and feel as free as you could ever feel? Do you dream of keeping fit, at one with your surroundings, whilst being calm and relaxed? Do you want to go somewhere astonishing that is an all round beauty? Well Nicky Nook is the perfect environment for you!

So get your coat, put your shoes on then zoom to Nicky Nook and enjoy the time of your life. This place definitely is amazing for exercise, is outstanding all year round and with brilliant nature along the way. So a walk a day makes you work, rest and play.

Very well done to this young man, I'm sure you're as sold as we are! Visit our walking page for ideas for walks around Grizedale and Nick Nook: ViewRanger App Walking Routes | Forest of Bowland National Landscape