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Lapwing © David Patrick

All-Terrain Wheelchairs Open Up Access to the Great Outdoors

23rd October 2023

Gisburn Forest in the Forest of Bowland hosted a gathering of All-Terrain Wheelchair (ATW) manufacturers and organisations on 11th October to promote inclusive access to the countryside.

Paratreker, image by Mark Sutcliffe

Organised by the Forest of Bowland Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty Partnership, in association with Access the Dales, the event attracted representatives from several ATW manufacturers, plus members of the public and delegates from a number of public and voluntary sector organisations who put the vehicles through their paces on the rugged trails running through Gisburn Forest, which is managed by Forestry England.

The Forest of Bowland AONB has a number of hub locations across the region where all-terrain wheelchairs are available to hire and can be used along designated trails, including a Tramper All Terrain Wheelchair, which is available to hire from the café at Gisburn Forest.

TerrainHopper, image by Mark Sutcliffe

There is a growing range of specialist all-terrain wheelchairs now available, which have been carefully designed to be able to cope with different terrains, including muddy woodland trails, gravel paths, wet grass, tree roots and steep hills and even mountains!

A new generation of ATWs is redefining the performance boundaries of traditional wheelchairs and opening up more opportunities for adventure for wheelchair users with a range of mobility impairments.

The Forest of Bowland AONB team is partnering with Access the Dales to explore making the inaccessible accessible and to break down the barriers that prevent people living with disabilities enjoying the great outdoors, either independently or with their friends and family.

Debbie North

By adopting a collective team-wide approach to mobility, mixed able-bodied and mobility-impaired groups can overcome mobility challenges when the going gets tough and ensure everyone can enjoy access to beautiful landscapes like the Forest of Bowland.

Debbie North, founder of Access the Dales said: “We use different wheelchairs in different locations for people with differing needs and it’s wonderful to see such a diverse range of mobility solutions gathered here for people to try out.

“It’s about getting as many people outdoors as possible and events like this provide a wonderful opportunity for people with differing needs to find a vehicle that will meet their specific needs whatever the terrain they want to tackle.”
Mountain Trike, image by Tarja Wilson
Gordon McGregor from Paratreker said: “It’s great to see the Forest of Bowland AONB taking inclusivity really seriously and it’s wonderful that more and more places are opening up to accommodate people with limited ability.

“By making All-Terrain Wheelchairs readily available to hire or borrow, these venues are making opening up a whole world of new opportunities for visitors with restricted mobility to explore the tracks and trails, woodland and farmland of beautiful outdoor spaces like the Forest of Bowland.”

Sarah Dornan, countryside access officer for the Forest of Bowland AONB said: “We’ve been working to improve access to the countryside for people with mobility impairments for around 20 years and events like the ATW demo day demonstrate the expanding range of mobility solutions for different types of terrain and mobility needs.

“It’s no longer a case of ‘one size fits all’ and events like this allow members of the public and access officers to find out more about the options available and find a mobility solution that fits their individual needs and the terrain they want to explore.”

For further information visit: www.forestofbowland.com/access-all

Notes to Editors

Diamonds in the Landscape Photo Competition 2023

16th October 2023

This month sees the launch of a special photography competition to celebrate the 60th anniversary of one of the region's outstanding landscapes.

Designated as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in 1964, the Forest of Bowland AONB celebrates 60 years next year, and AONB Partnership staff are encouraging residents and visitors to share their very own "diamond" memories in photo form.

Image by Nigel Cowking - shortlisted in 2022 competitionBowland is a special place for many people; whether they live in this beautiful area or have visited with family and friends over the decades.

Hetty Byrne, Sustainable Tourism Officer with the AONB said, "The Forest of Bowland is often called a hidden gem and we're sure that many precious memories of the area will have been captured on camera. We'd love people to help us celebrate this special milestone by sharing their 'magic moment' images of Bowland."

Image by Phil Slade - shortlisted in 2022 competition

The competition will run from 16th October to 20th November 2023, with shortlisted entrants and winners announced at the end of November.

Hetty continued, "Images can feature landscapes, wildlife, heritage, people enjoying the AONB – whatever makes a particular moment sparkle for you. Autumn is a great time to get out with your camera, but if you don't get chance over the next few weeks, we're also happy to accept photographs taken previously."

A longlist of images will be included in a special anniversary exhibition, which will tour locations across Bowland during 2024, and a shortlist of 12 images will feature in print in the new, official Discover Bowland guide.

Local businesses have been generous in prize donations for the final six competition winners. These include

  • 1st Prize: 2-night stay at Laythams Hayloft (low season) kindly donated by Laythams Holiday Lets Retreat
  • 2nd Prize: 9 Course tasting menu in a 3 AA rosette restaurant for two people with a house bottle of wine kindly donated by The Traddock, Austwick
  • 3rd Prize: £50 voucher kindly donated by the Parkers Arms, Newton in Bowland
  • 4th Prize: A family day pass kindly donated by Bowland Wild Boar Park
  • 5th Prize: A Bowland local produce hamper
  • 6th Prize: A 'Thoughts from the Tree' t-shirt kindly donated by Bowland Fitness

Competition entries can be uploaded on the Forest of Bowland AONB website at: https://www.forestofbowland.com/diamonds-landscapes-photo-competition-2023  where participants will also find the Terms and Conditions.

All-Terrain Wheelchair Demo Day

20th September 2023

Gisburn Forest  near Slaidburn will be the venue for an all-terrain wheelchair demonstration day on Wednesday 11th October, offering a great chance for people to try vehicles out for themselves.

Terrain Hopper at Wood End Farm

There is such a variety of specialist all-terrain wheelchairs now available, which have been carefully designed to be able to travel over a wide range of different terrains. These terrains can include things like muddy woodland trails, gravel paths, wet grass, tree roots and uneven ground, hills and even mountains!

This is a free event where representatives from several all-terrain wheelchair providers - along with members of the AONB and Access the Dales team - will be on-hand to assist you in exploring the opportunities of these fantastic off-road wheelchairs – including Tramper, Paratreker and TerrainHopper.

The Forest of Bowland AONB team have recently partnered with Access the Dales

to explore making the inaccessible accessible and to break down the barriers that prevent people living with disabilities enjoying the great outdoors, either independently or with their friends and family.Tramper Taster Day at Gisburn Forest

We have a number of hub locations in the AONB where all-terrain wheelchairs are available to hire and can be used along designated trails, including a Tramper which is available to hire from the café at Gisburn Forest provided by Champion Bowland. Come along to this free demo day to find out more about these exciting opportunities.

The demo day will run between 10am and 3pm at the Forestry England site at Gisburn Forest Hub. There is a pay-and-display car park with disabled spaces, an accessible toilet and also a café on-site where you can purchase refreshments.

Please follow the link below to book your demo slot, which will give you an hour to explore the different vehicles, and an opportunity to speak directly with the manufacturers.  Please note that participants must be aged 14+ to use the vehicles and under 18s must be accompanied by an adult. 

Please follow this link to book: https://forms.office.com/e/8JVKyGyx6m.

For more details please email sarah.dornan@lancashire.gov.uk or phone 01200 448000.

We look forward to welcoming you to the beautiful surroundings at Gisburn Forest.

Historic Guided Walk Revives an Ancient Countryside Tradition

12th September 2023

Beating the Bounds PerambulationPopular ‘beating the bound’s perambulation to become an annual celebration of the outstanding landscape of the Forest of Bowland

An ancient tradition which was revived after an absence of more than 350 years will again take place in the Forest of Bowland this autumn.

Walkers will gather in Slaidburn on Sunday October 1st for a 10-mile hike exploring the scenic south-eastern boundary of the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in rural Lancashire.

The last historic Perambulation was undertaken by General George Monck, 1st Duke of Albemarle after he was awarded the lordship of Bowland for his role in restoring Charles II to the throne in 1660.

Three and a half centuries later, William, 16th Lord of Bowland, revived the tradition last autumn ­– although the 21st century version is largely symbolic, taking the form of a guided walk from Slaidburn with all proceeds donated to local charities.

Last year’s revival attracted a large group of walkers and William Bowland will again send the group off from the steps of Slaidburn Village Hall and welcome the party back at the end of their 10-mile perambulation.

This year’s event has kindly been sponsored by The Traddock – a boutique country house hotel nestled between the Forest of Bowland and the Yorkshire Dales in the pretty village of Austwick. The Traddock is a popular destination for walkers wanting to explore walking routes in the Forest of Bowland and the Dales.

The Route

The Perambulation route explores the south-eastern boundaries of Bowland, beating the bounds first established under Henry V, Lord King of Bowland (1413-22):

“Then over Bradford and Grindleton moors, to the vaccary of Harrop, which bounds

on south-east side of Bolton-by-Bowland.”

Starting from the car park in Slaidburn, the route traverses the elevated pastures above the village, climbing gently to Harrop Fold, then more steeply through the woods and onto the summit of Bradford Fell.

Event Format

The walk will be led by local walking guide Mark Sutcliffe, supported by members of Bowland Mountain Rescue. Members of the Forest of Bowland AONB, Champion Bowland and the Bowland Sustainable Tourism Network will be among the participants.

The group will be limited to 50 people who will walk as one group around a circular route of approximately 10 miles. Places are available on a first-come, first-served basis via the Bowland-based ticketing platform Skiddle,

Parking will be at Slaidburn Pay & Display car park with the group assembling in front of the village hall. The walk will last approximately five hours, with walkers expected to return to Slaidburn between 3pm and 4pm. Tea, sandwiches and cakes (for a small fee) will be served in the village hall from 3pm for walkers, friends and family.

Charities

Places on the walk are free, but participants will be asked to make a voluntary donation, with proceeds being split between Bowland Pennine Mountain Rescue Team and Champion Bowland, which awards small grants to help fund community schemes in the Forest of Bowland.

Book tickets here:

https://www.skiddle.com/whats-on/Blackburn/Slaidburn-Village-Car-Park/Beating-the-Bounds-of-Bowland---Guided-Walk/36532962/?hasNewTicketBox=1

Lord of Bowland Annual Lecture 2023

4th September 2023

TAKING BOWLAND BACK TO THE STONE AGEHodder Valley above Whitewell

Dr Rick Peterson will take Bowland back to the Stone Age with this year's 12th Lord of Bowland Lecture on the evening of Tuesday 3rd October 2023.

Since 2011, archaeologists from the University of Central Lancashire have been excavating around New Laund Hill at Whitewell in the heart of the Forest of Bowland.

With the final season of excavation completed in 2021, this work is starting to help us see how this landscape was used from the Late Mesolithic (around 7000 years ago) until the Middle Iron Age (around 2500 years ago). 

Dr Peterson said, "Over this time, we have discovered a previously unknown landscape of prehistoric occupation including Mesolithic campsites, Neolithic enclosures, Bronze Age burial and Iron Age settlements.

In this lecture we will look at evidence from the whole New Laund area and bring people up to date with the latest results from the excavations and the post excavation analysis."

Dr Peterson is Reader in Archaeology at the University of Central Lancashire. He teaches across a range of modules, with a focus on prehistory and archaeological fieldwork.

William, 16th Lord of Bowland, will introduce the evening, which aims to raise funds for two local charities: Slaidburn Archive, which works to record the history of the Hodder Valley; and Champion Bowland, which supports projects benefiting the environment, local communities and visitors to the Forest of Bowland. Both organisations rely heavily on grants and donations to continue their work.

Thanks to the generosity of Robert Parker, Bowbearer of the Forest of Bowland, the lecture will take place in the lovely surroundings of Browsholme Hall's Tithe Barn.

The annual lecture is booking quickly but remaining seats, or places on the reserve list, can be booked by emailing sandra.silk@lancashire.gov.uk, or by calling Sandra on 07973 923142.

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