The Ribble Valley
A week’s worth of walks from your doorstep
A year’s worth of welcoming inns
The Ribble Valley is a rural haven of spectacular scenery, legend and diverse natural habitats. It’s a place of almost incomparable peace, where adults and children alike can enjoy the simple pleasures of the outdoors without the hustle and bustle of commercialism - the place where the Queen says she’d like to retire (in her official biography by Sarah Bradford)
Within the Ribble Valley is the Forest of Bowland – an area of Outstanding Natural Beauty recently awarded the prestigious European Chartermark for Sustainable Tourism in Protected Areas.
With a population of 15,000 and covering a total area of 803km2, Bowland may cover the same area as New York City – but you’d never find more of a contrast. This is not a densely populated area - there are far more sheep and cows! Dairy farming dominates in the valleys with sheep and beef farming in the uplands.
You won’t find traffic jams here (nor many traffic lights) and our quiet country lanes are the perfect place for exploring at a more leisurely pace. The Ribble Valley, whilst still relatively untouched by tourism, has been acknowledged by all who visit for its beauty.
The area is a paradise for walkers - the adventurous may wish to tackle the 46 mile walk entitled 'Journey through the Centre of the Kingdom' passing through the village of Dunsop Bridge declared by Ordnance Survey to be the nearest village to the exact centre of the British Isles. There are walks and strolls to suit everyone’s legs – passing through local villages, winding along the river, tracking through the forest and even following the trail of the Pendle witches and in the footsteps of JRR Tolkein.
The Bowland moors are a major breeding ground for upland birds and the major part of the Bowland Fells is designated as a Special Protection Area under the European Birds Directive. The lowlands contain important ancient woodland habitat. The United Utilities’ Bowland estate is the single most important site for breeding hen harriers in England and regularly holds between six and ten pairs every year, which can be anywhere between 50 and 90 percent of the English breeding population. Breeding Peregrines and Merlins are also a common sight.
For cyclists of all ages, the beautiful unspoilt countryside, picturesque villages, dramatic open moorland incised by steep valleys and outstanding scenery make it a spectacular area. Follow the fascinating Lancashire Cycleway or get the adrenaline racing in Gisburn Forest where there is a network of off road cycle trails.
The Forest of Bowland is also the home of the infamous Pendle Witches. Many of the convicted witches, who were sent to the scaffold in 1612, and their supposed victims resided in the farms and villages surrounding Pendle Hill. They were publicly executed at Lancaster Castle after a short trial and a failed escape attempt. Few traces of their existence can now be seen around Pendle but many follow the walks, car trails and take tours - and their names Alice Nutter, Demdike and Chattox will long be remembered.
Clough Bottom is home to the locally famous ‘Fairy Bridge’. Legend has it that it was built by kind fairies to aid the escape of a Woodcutter fleeing from witches across a brook. It is, of course, the inspiration behind the name ‘Woodcutter’s Cottage’.
