News articles

We had some excellent submissions to the Forest of Bowland photo competition running through November.

The winning photographer – Steve Bradley - received two nights at Laythams Holiday Lets Retreats, while the second and third prize winners Mark Harder and Jack Thomas received local produce hampers.

First: Steve Bradley (barn owls)

Second: Mark Harder (great crested grebe)

Third: Jack Thomas (stoat in winter coat)

The prize-winning and shortlisted images can be viewed at: www.forestofbowland.com/photo-comp-shortlist

Look out for all the shortlisted photographs in the 2023 Discover Bowland guide.

A big thank you to everyone for sharing your wonderful photos!

More than 22,000 people have engaged with the Pendle Hill Landscape Partnership over the last four and a half years, which has now come to an end. 

The scheme saw 1,930 volunteer days, 233 events held with 10,008 attending, and 57 schools getting involved in outdoor learning.

The £1.8m National Lottery Heritage Fund supported programme aimed to foster engagement and re-connect people with the landscape and heritage of Pendle Hill.

It leaves a legacy that includes conservation from planting trees and tackling climate change, to restoring hedgerows and wildflower meadows.

Practical projects saw 18 hectares of peatland and 5ha of woodland restored, 19 ha of woodland created, 6km of hedge and 1km of wall restored, as well as 9km of routes created or repaired.

Local arts organisation, In-Situ, created a Pendle Peat Pie to act as a conversation starter about peatland restoration. One hundred orders of the pie were sent to world leaders attending COP26. It was tasted live on the BBC Morning show by TV presenter Gethin Jones. In-Situ also led a youth Summit bringing together culturally diverse young people from both sides of Pendle Hill to explore climate change, identity and leadership.

Other major impacts include education, and health and well-being.

Around 1,097 people have attended 180 health and well-being sessions run in partnership with Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust, deigned to reduce loneliness and isolation,

Cathy Hopley, Programme Manager of the Pendle Hill Landscape Partnership, said: “It’s been an exciting and fast-paced programme, that’s delivered far-ranging, diverse projects with a clear, positive benefit on individuals, our environment, and community at-large.”

Managed by the Forest of Bowland National Landscape (National Landscape), the Pendle Hill Landscape Partnership has brought together 14 projects to celebrate and engage people in the landscape.

The iconic Pendle Hill on the edge of the Forest of Bowland is within reach of many urban communities, and it creates a beautiful backdrop to their lives.

The team have worked with the Dry-Stone Walling Association, Ribble Rivers Trust the Lancashire and Westmorland Hedgelaying Association, encouraged nature friendly farming, and worked with the local Pakistani community to look at links to nature and their faith.

Projects have also inspired new audiences to learn, connecting communities to shared heritage.

In partnership with Mid-Pennine Arts, artists, makers, researchers and story-tellers have been engaged to tell the radial stories of Quakers, Romans, witches and the first female working-class novelist, the ‘Mill Poetess”, Ethel Carnie Holdsworth.

In addition, thanks to support from The Ernest Cook Trust, 57 schools, 160 schools’ sessions, and 10,000 parents, carers, children and young people have engaged in a variety of sessions and settings, such as mini beast hunts and archaeological explorations. 50 teachers recently attended an outdoor learning event to gain knowledge skills and resources to enable them to continue their good work.

Over 100 arts events were delivered, attended by 6300 people; 3369 people engaging creatively with more than 46 artists.

Louise Sutherland, National Lottery Heritage Fund Head of Engagement for the North, said:  “The sheer breadth and the amount of people who have worked on this scheme, made possible thanks to National Lottery players, and its success is testimony to the work of trusted partner organisations who fostered such fantastic community engagement. These creative partnerships have helped the team to access networks within under-served communities, and tailor projects to their needs. The projects have inspired new careers, new volunteering and new friendships, leaving a lasting legacy for Pendle Hill.”

The Honourable Ralph C Assheton, Chairman of the Pendle Hill Landscape Partnership, said: “Thanks to the support of partners and the hard work of volunteers, the programme has left a lasting impact. Pendle Hill is important to a lot of people, and our aim was to protect and improve the landscape and heritage of the area, whilst also providing the opportunity for a wider range of people to connect with this special place.”

A celebration event with participating artists, conservationists, academics, community leaders and others who took part in the Pendle Hill Landscape Partnership was held on Thursday 13th October 2022 at Stirk House in Clitheroe. 

View the end of Scheme film here

UPLOAD YOUR IMAGES HERE

Whether you're an experienced photographer, or a keen amateur, we'd love to see your 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 is a fantastic first prize up for grabs of a 2-night stay at Laythams Hayloft (low season) kindly donated by Laythams Holiday Lets Retreat 

https://www.laythams.co.uk/hayloft

The winner and shortlisted images will appear in the 2023 printed Bowland Discovery Guide and on National Landscape supported websites and social media.

The closing date for the competition is midday Monday 21st November 2022.

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 28th November.  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!

• When taking your photos please remember to take them at as high a resolution as possible. The maximum file size you can upload on the website is 2mb but if your image is chosen for the exhibition we need a high resolution file:  300 dpi, printing to 2480 pixels x 3508 pixels.  If images aren't high enough quality for print, unfortunately we will not be able to include them.

Please note: if you have recently submitted a photo to our website and would like this included in the competition, please do email Hetty (via the email below) and we can make sure it is included.

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

UPLOAD YOUR IMAGES HERE

As we step into autumn, the Festival Bowland programme is looking forward to finding out all about Bowland's dark skies; embracing the turning seasons and anticipating flower-filled summer days ahead. (Because now's the time to start planning!)

Wed, 26 October, 13:00 – 14:00

Whether you want a wildflower patch in your garden or your village, join Carol Edmondson, Bowland Hay Time Officer, for advice and inspiration.

One of the best ways to help our pollinators is to provide them with an abundance of natural food. Sowing native seed, watching it grow and feed your local wildlife is not only satisfying but can be therapeutic too. Now is the ideal time to source your seed and prepare the ground!

Get inspiration from past and present projects and learn how to prepare your patch, where to source your seed and long term maintenance.

Free, but booking essential. Please email sandra.silk@lancashire.gov.uk.

Wellbeing Walk - Garstang

Mon, 7 November, 10:30 – 11:30

Cherestanc Square, off Park Hill Rd, Garstang, PR3 1EF

And every Monday in November.

Join Wyre Coast and Countryside Service volunteer walk leaders for a relaxed walk along the footpaths and tracks of Garstang`s countryside and historic market town, taking in fresh air and enjoying the views of the River Wyre, Lancaster Canal, farm fields and the Bowland hills.

This is an easy walk lasting up to 1 hour and we aim to be accessible to all.

No need to book, just turn up.

For more information on this and other Walking Wyre walks please contact countrysideservice@wyre.gov.uk  or call the Duty Ranger for any specific enquiries on 07976 650803

Thu, 10 November, 19:00 – 20:30

Barley, nr Burnley

Join us for an exciting talk by Lee Hunt where he'll take you on a virtual journey through the night skies of Pendle, from our planetary neighbours to distant galaxies.  

Find out what can be seen with the naked eye and basic equipment.

Booking essential.  Please follow the link to book: https://www.trybooking.co.uk/BXGC

FREE (This event is fully funded through the Pendle Hill Landscape Partnership thanks to National Lottery Heritage Fund.)

Gather & Forage Winter Arrangements

Tues, 6 December, 10:00 - 14:00

Abbeystead

An inspirational  workshop working with the natural resources we have around us in gardens, hedgerows, woodlands and meadows. 

We will take a walk on the wild side and gather ideas for making a winter themed arrangement.  This workshop is designed to be relaxing and  creative within your environment, absorbing and reflecting on the colours, textures and abundance even in the winter months. 

Most of our material will be from nature, and our theme will be finding our way through the colder months. Please bring a small unusual container, vase or jar, and cuttings from your garden of things that inspire you.

We will walk a short distance outside to begin our day, so you will need outdoor clothing, suitable footwear and waterproofs. Please bring a packed lunch. Refreshments will be provided.

Part of the Bowland Hay Time project.

£10

Booking essential. Please book at https://www.thegatheringfields.co.uk/shop/product/gather--38-forage-winter-arrangements/85/

Sir Nicholas Serota, chair of Arts Council England and Philip Hygate, chair of the National Association for Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (NANational Landscape), signed a landmark Memorandum of Understanding on 23rd September. It represents their commitments to working together to nurture new links between arts and cultural organisations, and England’s 34 Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (National Landscapes).

For years, National Landscape teams around the country have commissioned or partnered on awe-inspiring art installations and activities, and the Memorandum symbolises a step change in their commitment to partnering with culture organisations to develop high-quality, ambitious art that will reach and move people and communities across England.

Here in the north west, previous projects include Forest of Bowland National Landscape’s Pendle Hill Landscape Partnership, where art and culture were embedded in the 12 projects forming the scheme.  New audiences who may not have previously visited the countryside were invited to take part in the ‘Gatherings’, run in partnership with In-Situ arts. Events ranged from the "Sowing in Time" peat revegetation initiative to a vegan-friendly "Pendle Peat Pie" served to 120 delegates at the COP26 Peat Pavilion.

The Partnership Boards of both Forest of Bowland and Arnside & Silverdale National Landscapes have signaled their commitment to creating greater links with arts organisations by endorsing the National Landscape Network’s Art in the Landscape Strategy. We are excited to see how the project develops nationally and locally over the coming years and we will be building greater links with our local cultural organisations.

The signing was hosted by Kent Downs National Landscape Partnership at Samphire Hoe Nature Reserve, as part of National Landscape’s Salt + EARTH: Festival of Landscape, Seascape and the Environment. The festival saw artists, creatives and scientists explore everything from geography to geology, sounds to sculptures, food to Deep Time. The festival is an exemplar of how when art, science and landscape come together, our understanding is deepened, but more importantly, our enjoyment and curiosity is fired.

Sir Nicholas Serota, chair of Arts Council England said: “The natural environment has inspired artists and writers through the ages. Today, awareness of our environment feeds our imagination, greatly benefits our wellbeing, and broadens our understanding of the climate challenges we face.

“Today’s signing represents further ambitions to deepen our appreciation and engagement with England’s rural landscapes, and their surrounding communities. Reflected through the Arts Council’s commitment to environmental responsibility, this Memorandum highlights the important, crucial connection between culture and the landscape.”

Philip Hygate, chair of the National Association for Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty said: “England’s 34 Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty are deeply committed to working with art and culture organisations. We have seen that when National Landscape Partnerships and artists come together, the results add up to far more than the sum of their parts, creating experiences that will live long in people’s memories. This agreement with Arts Council England provides a framework for us to do more of this invaluable work and enable more people to develop a relationship with the landscapes on their own terms.”

There were Perambulations of Bowland in the 15th and 17th centuries where the Lord’s stewards “beat the bounds” mapping the extent of the Forest and the land of the ten manors within the Liberty of Bowland, including the demesne of Slaidburn with its townships of Newton, West Bradford and Grindleton. 

The last Perambulation was undertaken by General George Monck, 1st Duke of Albemarle after he was awarded the lordship of Bowland for his role in restoring Charles II to the throne in 1660.

Today, 360 years later, William, 16th Lord of Bowland, has announced a new Perambulation ­– although this 21st century version will be largely symbolic, taking the form of a guided walk from Slaidburn on Sunday, October 2, with all proceeds donated to local charities.

William Bowland together with his heir, Henry of Bowland, will send the group off from the steps of Slaidburn Village Hall and welcome the walkers back at the end of their 10-mile perambulation.

The Route

This challenging circular walk from Slaidburn explores the south-eastern extremities of Bowland, beating the bounds first established under Henry V, Lord King of Bowland (1413-22):

“Then over Bradford and Grindleton moors, to the vaccary of Harrop, which bounds on south-east side of Bolton-by-Bowland.”

Starting from the car park in Slaidburn, the route traverses the elevated pastures above the village, climbing gently to Harrop Fold, then more steeply through the woods and onto the summit of Bradford Fell.

Event Format

The walk will be led by local walk leader Mark Sutcliffe, supported by members of Bowland Mountain Rescue. Members of the Forest of Bowland National Landscape, Champion Bowland and the Bowland Sustainable Tourism Network will be among the participants.

The group will be limited to 50 people who will walk as one group around a circular route of approximately 10 miles. Places are available on a first come, first served basis via the Bowland-based ticketing platform Skiddle,

Parking will be at Slaidburn Pay & Display car park with the group assembling in front of the village hall. The walk will last approximately five hours, with the group expected to return to Slaidburn between 3 pm and 4pm.  Tea, sandwiches and cakes (for a small fee) will be served in the village hall from 3pm for walkers, friends and family. All participants will receive an exclusive commemorative lapel badge.

Charities

Places on the walk are free, but participants will be asked to make a voluntary donation, with proceeds being split between Bowland Pennine Mountain Rescue Team and Champion Bowland, which awards small grants to help fund community schemes in the Forest of Bowland.

Book tickets here:

https://www.skiddle.com/whats-on/Blackburn/Slaidburn-Village-Car-Park/Beating-the-Bounds-of-Bowland---a-modern-day-perambulation/36167919/

Lancaster-based Jane Huddleston will be sharing the escapades of her friendly dragon family at an online event as part of Festival Bowland on the evening of 20th September, followed by a live reading at Lancaster Library's Fun Palace celebrations on Saturday 1st October.

Aimed at children aged four to eight years old, the books introduce Lucy, Jack, Alice, Theo and the rest of the clan who live in a cave on the side of a mountain and spend their days working playing and having adventures, alongside two young friends who help them stay hidden from human eyes.

Based on tales told to her own children, Jane created this series of fun, rhyming picture books, complete with lovely illustrations by David Robinson, during walks through her local countryside.

Sandra Silk, Forest of Bowland National Landscape Project Officer, said: "It's fantastic to know that Bowland's magical landscape was part of Jane's inspiration for her dragon tales. You never know what you might find when you set off for your next adventure!"

Tom Brown, Reading Development Officer with Lancashire County Council, who is organising the library event, said: "It will be lovely to welcome people to hear Jane tell her fantastical stories at Lancaster Library as part of the national Fun Palace celebrations. It promises to be an entertaining event for families of little ones – we can't wait."

County Councillor Peter Buckley, Lancashire County Council's cabinet member for community and cultural services, said: "There are few things in life as enjoyable as exploring the great outdoors or enjoying a good book.

"It's important that we do everything we can to encourage our children to read more regularly for pleasure, and to appreciate the joy of the great British countryside.

"Both of these things will come together when Jane Huddleston drops by Lancaster Library for its Fun Palace celebrations next month."

A face-to-face storytelling session will then take place at the library in Market Square, Lancaster, on 1st October, starting at 11am and finishing at 11.30am.

Both events are free to attend. Places at the online event on the evening of 20th September need to be booked in advance by emailing sandra.silk@lancashire.gov.uk.  No booking is needed for the Fun Palace session at Lancaster Library, but for more information please contact lancaster.library@lancashire.gov.uk

In partnership with the Yorkshire Dales Millennium Trust, and thanks to funding from Defra's Farming in Protected Landscapes programme, the Hay Time project is working with artists and local creatives to offer a series of hands-on events designed to get people closer to nature – and perhaps learn a new skill at the same time!

July's events featured a fused glass workshop led by Lune valley artist, Anne Somers, plus an afternoon of ceramics with Julie Miles, who is based in East Lancashire.  You can see from the images how inspiring participants found the meadow theme!

For full details of this year's Hay Time events take a look at the Festival Bowland listings on the website: https://www.forestofbowland.com/Festival-Bowland-Events

Lord of Bowland Annual Lecture 2022

Dr Sophie Thérèse Ambler will deliver this year's 11th Lord of Bowland Lecture on the evening of Tuesday 4th October 2022, beginning at 7.30pm.

"John de Lacy: Rebel, Crusader, Lord of Bowland in the Age of Magna Carta", will explore the role and influence of the 5th Lord of Bowland during the early 13th century.

John de Lacy played a leading role in some of the most momentous events of the Middle Ages. He rebelled against King John and was one of the twenty-five barons responsible for enforcing Magna Carta in 1215.

At the same time, he was an active Lord of Bowland – a role that took on new importance with the introduction of the Forest Charter, which promised to reduce the royal forest dramatically. The King insisted that his barons offer the same terms to their own tenants in their private forests, and although pressured by the people of Bowland to abandon his forest rights, John de Lacy staunchly resisted. 

John’s career offers a window onto the wider medieval world, and onto how the lives of ordinary people and their landscape were transformed, in Bowland and across England.

Dr Ambler is Reader in Medieval History and Deputy Director of the Centre for War and Diplomacy at Lancaster University. She currently holds a Philip Leverhulme Prize in History and is a current Visiting Fellow at All Souls, Oxford. 

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.

Thanks to the generosity of the Parker family, the lecture is currently planned to take place in the lovely surroundings of Browsholme Hall's Tithe Barn.

Now in its eleventh year, the annual autumn lecture offers the perfect chance to hear expert speakers sharing their knowledge and passion for Bowland's heritage.

Places for the lecture can be booked online at https://www.trybooking.co.uk/BTOJ. Further details are available by emailing sandra.silk@lancashire.gov.uk or by calling 07973 923142.