Love Bowland this Autumn: Wildlife Sightings, Where to see the Northern Lights, Celtic History, Feast Bowland & Nature Calling

We’ve created this newsletter to keep people who love Bowland up to date with what’s happening in the National Landscape. The main focus will be on wildlife, conservation and nature recovery, but we’ll also bring you details of events, activities and opportunities to get involved. Every three months or so, we’ll send you news about:

• Seasonal wildlife updates – what to look out for and where to see it
• Updates from local environmental and conservation organisations and volunteering opportunities
• Nature recovery projects – profiles on ambitious recovery and restoration projects
• Nature-friendly farming initiatives – profiles on Bowland farming businesses making a difference
• What’s on in Bowland – reflecting Festival Bowland events and other activities in the National Landscape

We hope you enjoy this newsletter and find it useful and we’d love to hear your suggestions for stories and articles to include. Get in touch via the link below.

WILDLIFE SIGHTINGS

As the days shorten and the shadows lengthen, the steep-sided river valleys gild the fringes of the Bowland uplands with the auburn colours of autumn.

Along the Hodder, Wyre, Roeburn and Wenning, the leaves melt into a fiery display that rivals the best of New England.

On the forest floor, toadstools and mushrooms push up through dense drifts of fallen leaves and the resident roe and sika deer become more visible as the rut approaches.

What to look out for over the autumn months

• On the Ribble and the Hodder, look out for returning merganser and goosander – large, fish-eating ducks with spectacular green or russet heads, which breed inland before the males return to sea.
• Look out for short-eared owls patrolling over the grassland above Stocks Reservoir and Gisburn Forest at dusk
• Head to Roeburndale or the Lower Hodder near Hurst Green for tranquil riverside walks and spectacular autumn colours.
• As dusk descends, watch huge flocks of redwing gather for a communal roosts at Kemple End on Longridge Fell.
• Our friends at Lancashire Wildlife Trust have compiled some more handy autumn wildlife-watching tips over on their informative website.

DARK SKY DISCOVERY

How to see the Northern Lights in Bowland

Bowland’s Dark Skies make it an ideal place to see the Northern Lights (Aurora Borealis) as the sun approaches its solar maximum and geomagnetic activity reaches its peak.

Displays of the Northern Lights are visible under clear night skies in the Forest of Bowland when the flow of charged particles from the sun reaches a certain threshold. This activity is monitored by scientists at Lancaster University (on the edge of the Forest of Bowland) who issue alerts when a display of the Northern Lights is potentially visible.

Aurora displays can be brief and fleeting and are difficult to see with the naked eye, but using a camera-equipped smartphone or digital camera can capture the beauty of the aurora. Set your phone or camera to take a long exposure of up to 10 seconds and review the resulting images to see the pinks and greens of the aurora on screen.

We’d only recommend travelling to one of Bowland’s Dark Sky Discovery sites when a major ‘Red’ alert is issued for the UK and the night skies are forecast to be clear. Look up to the north horizon for signs of a faint glow with the naked eye and train your camera on this glow and take a series of shots.

ART IN THE LANDSCAPE

Forest of Bowland to pioneer £2 million community arts project

The Forest of Bowland National Landscape is to become a major hub in a ground-breaking national £2 million art project: Nature Calling.

Working with writer, rapper and performer OneDa, and artist Rob St John, the Forest of Bowland National Landscape team will creatively engage with young people from Burnley and Nelson to collaborate, explore, and connect with nature.

In the Forest of Bowland National Landscape, the artists will work with communities from Burnley and Nelson, offering young people in particular an opportunity to explore and be inspired by this outstanding countryside on the doorstep. The National Landscape team will work through Blaze Arts and Lancaster Arts to reach new audiences and to ensure we produce high quality ambitious art, inspired by and placed in the beautiful Bowland environment.

Nature Calling is a first for National Landscapes because of its size, scope and the level of investment. It aims to inspire communities across England to connect with National Landscapes, increasing their access to nature, improving their wellbeing and inspiring a sense of belonging in these special places.

DISCOVER ECO ESCAPES

Explore our sustainable tourism itineraries

Eco Escapes is the Forest of Bowland’s award-winning sustainable tourism initiative – which aims to reduce the environment impact of tourism in Bowland and keep it looking beautiful!

The hills and valleys of Bowland are one of the last remaining places in England where you can hike for miles without encountering another soul. Much of the rugged upland landscapes of Bowland is open access land, criss-crossed with footpaths and bridleways.

With miles of footpaths, bridleways, quiet country lanes and dedicated mountain bike trails, the Forest of Bowland Area of Outstanding Natural beauty is a paradise for those who really want to get away from it all.

Our bespoke collection of Eco Escapes Itineraries encourage visitors to arrive by train and explore on foot, by bike or e-bike and support the rural economy by spending money with independent rural businesses.

BOWLAND LECTURE

Uncovering the Lost Celtic Past of North West England: Annual Bowland Lecture

Browsholme Hall’s Tithe Barn will be the setting for an early autumn lecture delivered by Neil Whalley on the evening of Tuesday, October 1.

In his talk, The Celtic history of the North West, local historian Neil Whalley will trace the history of the ‘Celts’ in the North West, from their European origins to their eventual disappearance, exploring their language, religion, literature and legends, and looking at what they left behind.  

The Celtic past in North West England is fascinating but, according to Neil, often overlooked. Fragments of evidence from history, archaeology and literature help us piece together a world of ancient gods and tribal territories, and a medieval warrior society inhabited by semi-legendary kings, bards and saints. Meanwhile, place names offer a glimpse at the lost Celtic language of Cumbric, once spoken in the region. 

The lecture will begin at 7.30pm, with a pay bar available from 7pm.  Admission is £5 and places need to be booked in advance by emailing sandra.silk@lancashire.gov.uk.

WALK THIS WAY

Our favourite autumn walks

The season of mists and mellow fruitfulness provides the chance to see some stunning autumn colours in the Forest of Bowland. The densely wooded valleys of Roeburndale in the north of the Forest of Bowland and riverside walks along the Rivers Hodder and Ribble showcase the most spectacular autumn colours. The Forest of Bowland’s self-guided walks archive is packed with beautiful autumn walks for all abilities. Lace up your boots and click on the button below to find a walk.

AUTUMN ADVENTURES

Feast Bowland 2024: Celebrating Local Food and Heritage

The annual Feast Bowland week returns from September 21 to 27, offering a week-long celebration of the rich culinary heritage and local produce found across the Forest of Bowland.

This year’s events promise a variety of activities, including guided walks, foraging, picnics, dark sky explorations and food tours, providing participants with a unique opportunity to engage with Bowland’s outstanding food culture.

Highlights include:

• Foraging and Wellbeing Wander: Join us September 23 for a foraging wander in Barley, exploring the benefits and uses of local plants, trees, and mushrooms.
• Bowland and Bay Food Tours: Experience the best of Bowland produce with artisan food tours on September 25, featuring cheese tasting, craft gin, and more starting in Clitheroe.
• Elderberry Jam Making: Join the Lovely Cow Shed on Jeffrey Hill for an elderberry forage around the farm on September 25,  followed by a jam-making session using your foraged goods.
• Foraging for All in Gisburn Forest: On September 25, discover the edible treasures of Gisburn Forest and reconnect with nature on our Foraging for All and wellbeing wander.
• Pendle Skies and Peat Pie: An exciting evening of dark sky discovery on September 26 with a talk by local astro-photographer, Lee Hunt. 

NATURE RECOVERY

RSPB pioneers new conservation techniques to save our endangered upland waders

RSPB volunteers in the Forest of Bowland have collected a record amount of data to inform innovative new ways to improve the breeding success of iconic upland species like the curlew and lapwing.

During the spring nesting months, RSPB staff and volunteers monitored breeding waders on 72 farms across the Forest of Bowland, recording 281 pairs of lapwing, 245 pairs of curlew and 192 pairs of oystercatcher plus 23 pairs of redshank and 33 pairs of snipe. The total area of land surveyed increased to more than 3,200 hectares

Many of these species are red-listed – indicating their populations have declined significantly in recent years. This year’s cold, damp spring took its toll on nesting birds this year, but Bowland remains a stronghold for upland waders – many of which have all but disappeared from lowland Britain.

Thanks to funding from the Forest of Bowland’s Farming in Protected Landscapes (FiPL) scheme plus a grant from Champion Bowland the data collected enabled RSPB staff to trial new ways to improve the breeding success of Bowland’s waders.

For the first time this year, RSPB staff used super-sensitive thermal imaging cameras mounted on drones to locate nests – dramatically reducing the search time to find well-hidden nests.

SUSTAINABLE TRAVEL

All Aboard to Explore Bowland by Bus

September is ‘Catch the Bus’ month – a nationwide campaign to raise awareness of bus services around the country – including the recently relaunched Route 11 through the beautiful Forest of Bowland.

As part of a national initiative by the Department for Transport, all local bus fares are still no more than £2 per journey, with all bus fares in Lancashire just £1 on Sundays.

To celebrate Catch the Bus Month we are highlighting the bus links into and around the Forest of Bowland National Landscape, including the newly-reintroduced Bowland Bus service 11 linking Clitheroe, Dunsop Bridge, Slaidburn, Tosside, Settle and Horton-in-Ribblesdale on Monday to Saturday.

Buses are the most accessible form of public transport, connecting millions of us every day to work, education, healthcare, shops, friends and family. They ensure everyone has access to life’s opportunities, including people who are older, younger, disabled or experiencing physical or mental health issues. They are also great for the environment, the economy, the countryside and our health and wellbeing.