The communities of the Forest of Bowland strive to preserve the area’s local crafts and rural skills and their enthusiastic proponents are always eager to share these skills with willing apprentices!
Traditional rural skills such as hedge-laying and dry stone walling continue to thrive along with crafts like weaving, basket-making and furniture making.
These are an important component of the area’s heritage and identity and the distinctive hedgelines and walls of Bowland shape the landscape as much as the agriculture which dominates the local economy.
In recent years, the Forest of Bowland has hosted national and regional hedgelaying and dry stone walling competitions and the areas traditional boundaries have been subject of in-depth study.
The striking upland scenery is increasingly recognised as a source of elemental inspiration for photographers and landscape artists, with some offering residential courses in Bowland.
The National Landscape has compiled a directory of practicing rural skills specialists, many of whom offer regular tuition to newcomers to these trades. Click on the link below to discover more.
Bee Creative Designs
Creative courses and crafts inspired by nature in the Forest of Bowland Make beautiful things in a friendly and relaxed female-led studio on the edge of the Forest of Bowland. We specialise in creative sewing, embroidery, appliqué, fabric printing and ...
A beautiful small garden centre located in a rural location. Lovely tearoom serving homemade traditional food, dogs welcome. Easy access for limited mobility. Gift shop and reclamation shop in our onsite barns also gives interesting things for our home and ...
I’m a watercolour artist and illustrator and I also have a lovely little shop/studio at Wyresdale Park, where I sell my artwork and also hold watercolour workshops. I specialise in nursery and children’s artwork, inspired by animals, nature and all ...
Housed in an imposing former chapel in the heart of town, The Emporium is a unique setting of unique interior design and delicious food. Whether it’s a latte or a lunchtime glass of fizz, this elegant old building has been ...
After returning to her childhood home, natural therapist Helen Leece established a centre for wellbeing and renewal high among the hills on the western fringe of the Forest of Bowland. The Gathering Fields is a rural Retreat centre teaching Yoga, ...
