LANCASHIRE HOTPOT

Nigel and Kay Hutson discover a bubbling cauldron of history and witchcraft in the Forest of Bowland

- Nigel and Kay Hutson

A few years ago, a friend suggested we should visit the Forest of Bowland, and in particular the Trough of Bowland. To be honest, until then, neither Kay nor I had even heard of these places, let alone knew where they were. When we learned that they were in northern Lancashire, we realised we’d skirted the area many times before, when traversing the country to visit my sister, who lives in the Lake District. Recently, when we were discussing trips with the caravan, Kay suddenly remembered that conversation, so we started looking more closely at the sites in the area, and duly booked a Caravan and Motorhome Club site a few miles from Clitheroe.

Arriving at Acre Hill CL, we were soon set up and the kettle was on. We spent the rest of that day just relaxing and taking in the glorious views from the campsite.

Next morning, we needed provisions, so we decided to go to Clitheroe, an attractive town with plenty of independent shops and cafés, and the remains of a medieval castle. After coffee in one of the cafés, we made the climb up the hill to explore the castle.

We slogged our way up the steps to get there, not realising that we’d walked past a far more accessible route. While there’s not much remaining, other than the shell of the 12th-century keep, the views from there are stunning, looking down over the town and across the countryside all around.

As the weather wasn’t great, we decided to leave Clitheroe and drive into the countryside of the Forest of Bowland, designated an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, and made our way to Whitewell, where I’d read of stepping stones crossing the River Hodder.