Forest of Bowland Announce This Year’s Events
By Sandra Silk – sandra.silk@lancashire.gov.uk (07973-923142)
‘Festival Bowland’ celebrates the nature, landscape, culture and heritage of the Forest of Bowland National Landscape and this year’s programme is full of fantastic opportunities to get involved.
The 2026 calendar (full details are available on the Forest of Bowland National Landscape website)
offers the chance to discover some truly ‘champion’ species, enjoy night sky wonders and make the most of Bowland’s more accessible walking routes, alongside regular favourites like the Garstang Walking Festival and National Meadows Day.
We’ll be shining a spotlight on Bowland’s Champion Species this year, the fourteen rare species at the heart of the Forest of Bowland’s Nature Recovery Plan. Whether it’s ballerina waxcap, hen harrier, globeflower or green hairstreak butterfly, we’re hoping that this series of creative sessions, hands-on study days, family events and more, will reveal the champions in all their glory.
The festival programme also includes a series of new ‘Welcoming Walks’, exploring stile-free routes around the Forest of Bowland. Weekly walks in April, and again in July, will offer short, seasonal walks, with the chance to chat over a cuppa afterwards as an optional extra. Booking ahead for events doesn’t work for everyone, so see how you feel on the day and “just turn up”. Each walk takes about an hour, with the emphasis on a friendly atmosphere and fresh air rather than distance. We’ll be starting at different locations each time, but all meeting points will have parking and toilet facilities, and some will be accessible by public transport.
Bowland dark skies events will coincide with International Dark Sky Week, which runs from 13th-20th April. With the chance to explore the University of Lancashire’s Alston Observatory, discover the life of the ‘whispering’ bat or experience an early evening forest bathe, these spring events are a great opportunity to explore the atmospheric world of the National Landscape once the sun has gone down.
Free copies of ‘Discover Bowland 2026: Your Guide to Exploring This Inspiring Landscape’ can be found in visitor information centres, and a digital copy can be accessed at www.forestofbowland.com
