Get back to nature. With expanses of sky above the dramatic sweeps of open moorland and gentle lowlands, criss-crossed with dry stone walls - there are even more opportunities for exploration in the Forest of Bowland.

The Forest of Bowland Area of Outstanding Natual Beauty (AONB) covers 312sq miles of rural Lancashire and North Yorkshire and includes the famous landmark of Pendle Hill as well as the majority of Ribble Valley's landscape.

The Forest of Bowland is the 11th largest of all the Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty in England and Wales. It was the first protected area in England to be awarded the European Charter for Sustainable Tourism in Protected Areas making it a spectacular area for outdoor activities.  

An Area of Beauty and Surprises

Bowland is essentially upland country forming part of the Pennines, sharing many of the characteristics of the other upland areas like the Peak District and Yorkshire Dales National Park but its main landscape character is one of grandeur and isolation.

The area is dissected by steep sided valleys which open out into the rich green lowlands of the Ribble, Hodder, Wyre and Lune Valleys.

The stunning landscape has become an area of national importance because of its unspoiled and richly diverse landscapes, wildlife and heritage, with outstanding heather moorland, blanket bog and rare birds - all waiting to be explored.

More information can be found on www.forestofbowland.com

The Bowland Tourism Environment Fund (BTEF)

The BTEF is a registered social enterprise charity which raises funds to promote, enhance, improve, protect and conserve the physical and natural environment of the Forest of Bowland, and to advance the education to the public the issues that surround and concern such a unique place.   

On your travels you may come across collections and pay-back schemes managed by the BTEF that will help the organisation help, preserve and protect this area of outstanding natural beauty. Please show your support if you can.  

For more information please click here