Activities in the Forest of Bowland
Wildlife Tours
and Guided Walks
Cobble Hey Farm and Gardens
 Cobble
Hey Farm and Gardens has been a haven for wildlife for many years
and by building up links with the RSPB, its owners have been able
to preserve this wildlife to a much greater effect. The land provides
habitats for lapwings, curlews, oyster catchers and red shanks -
all of which are being protected and monitored in an attempt to
enhance the local population of these beautiful, farmland birds.
In order to provide visitors with an insight into
ornithology, Cobble Hey has created a "lapwing walk" in
partnership with the RSPB and the Countryside Rangers. This allows
visitors to view these spectacular birds in their natural environment,
and take a look at some breathtaking views over the Forest of Bowland.
Find
out more about Cobble Hey...
Calderbank Country Lodge
Calderbank Country Lodge is offering specialised
accompanied walks around Bleasdale and Calder Fell area in July,
August and September. Dates will be confirmed soon. Circular Walks
will also come into effect later this year. These will start from
Calderbank, taking in Calder Vale village and linking with other
trails.
Find
out more about Calderbank Country Lodge...
Naturalist Walks
With a keen interest in ornithology and the environment,
Graham Hulme is well placed to offer guided naturalist tours around
the area. An experienced teacher, he can tailor walks to suit particular
requirements, or guests can choose from a range of established routes.
Visitors should initially contact Graham by telephone on 01995 605876.
(See also 'Bird Watching' below.)
Find out more about Graham's
tours...
Tamarack Night Walks and Bushcraft Courses
Short overnight breaks and night-walks are available
as part of Tamarack's bushcraft courses. These are described in
more detail below.
Cleveley Mere Fishing and Lodges
In addition to fly fishing, Cleveley Mere offers
a wide choice of on-site walks and bird watching tours. Please see
our Attractions page for
more details.
 Tim
& Hilary Deighton
Tim is an outdoor education instructor who specialises
in team building, outdoor pursuits and nature walks. He offers a
variety of routes and courses in conjunction with other members.
Visitors should initially contact Tim by telephone on 01995 600692.
Find out more about
Tim's tours...
Other Guided Walks
Wyre Borough Council's website provides details
of additional guided walks, many of which take place in an around
the Bowland area. You can search the list by month or activity type,
so it is a useful resource when planning a day's outdoor pursuits.
Visit
the Wyre Borough Council website...
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Bird Watching
and Guided Walks
Graham Hulme
 Outside
of his work as a teacher, Graham often works with Tim Deighton to
organise bird watching tours of the area. An experienced ornithologist
with an intimate knowledge of the Bowland area and all its different
habitats, Graham is the ideal travelling companion for visiting
bird watchers and anyone with an interest in natural history.
Graham has produced an introduction to the bird
life and natural history of of Bowland, which you can read here.
Find out more about Graham's
tours...
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Rambling Routes
Calderbank to Cobble Hey
Calderbank and Cobble Hey have worked together
to organise a series of weekend walks between the two sites by way
of a direct public footpath approximately 3 miles in length. Snacks
are available at both ends of the journey, with more substantial
meals available at Calderbank Country Lodge in the evenings.
Lower Fairsnape Farm
Lower Fairsnape Farm offers excellent walking terrain,
with both woodland and open land providing a natural haven for many
species of bird including lapwing. There are plans to install bird
hides for visitors within the next few months.
Find out more about Lower
Fairsnape Farm...
Other Walks
Details of the Brock Valley Nature Trail, the Beacon
Fell Trails, the Ribble Way and many other popular walks can be
found here.
The Forest of Bowland offers an almost limitless
choice of walking routes for people of all abilities. If you are
visiting any of our members' premises, please feel free to ask for
advice or suggestions about good walking routes in this area. After
all, there is no substitute for local knowledge!
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Cycle
Routes
 The
Forest of Bowland offers wonderful cycling opportunities along quiet
country lanes as well as off-road on a network of bridle paths that
take in some of the region's most attractive countryside.
If you would like to organise a cycling weekend
or if you'd like to stay longer, our members can organise accommodation,
food and refreshments, and can recommend a wide variety of routes,
depending on your particular requirements. Please contact
us for further information.
You can pick up a leaflet about the Lancashire
Cycleway from local tourist information centres. Details of the
North Lancashire Bridleway, much of which is open to cyclists, can
be found here.
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Fishing
Cleveley Mere Fishing and Lodges
For details of the fly fishing facilities at Cleveley
Mere, please see our Attractions
page.
 Wyreside
Lakes Fishery
Wyreside Lakes Fishery offers eight different fishing
lakes, a restaurant and licensed bar. The lake complex features
a mixture of carp, pike and coarse fishing - details of which can
be found on our Attractions
page.
Multi-site Fishing
If you would like to sample a range of different
fishing experiences, why not contact us (either at Cleveley Mere
or Wyreside) and ask us to arrange a multi-site excursion. With
two fully equipped angling sites and detailed knowledge of other
good local fishing spots, we can recommend a schedule based on your
particular preferences and your choice of accommodation.
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Bushcraft
and Survival Courses
Tamarack
The Tamarack vision is simple: to give people of
all ages and genders a deeper understanding of the natural world
and a thorough insight into crafts and skills that are still alive
in the working countryside today. The only way to learn these skills
is to be hands on and practice them until they are second nature.
 With
this in mind, the company offers an extensive choice of outdoor
bushcraft courses - ranging from single skills based courses such
as firelighting, through family friendly "Wilderness Breaks",
to a comprehensive survival package that provides students with
an understanding of the essentials of living like our aboriginal
ancestors.
If you have ever wondered about how you might survive
without the trappings of modern society - how you would build a
simple shelter, find safe and edible food, develop tracking skills
or produce simple tools - then Tamarack can help you meet that challenge.
Complete course details can be found here.
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Dry Stone
Walling Courses
Tamarack
 In
addition to its Bushcraft courses, Tamarack also runs a series of
dry stone walling courses covering a range of abilities, from beginner
to advanced. Tutor Mike Rushton was trained by Bryan Hough, former
President of the DSWA, over 3 years on his farm in Lancashire. Mike
gained his Master Craftsmanship Certificate in December 1998 and
is a qualified instructor and a member of The Professional Register
of Dry Stone Waller's and Dykers. Beginners' courses take place
over a weekend, while week long courses for intermediate and advanced
students can also be arranged.
For more details, please see the Tamarack
website.
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Corporate
Entertainment
Cleveley Mere Fishing and Lodges
 Cleveley
Mere specialises in corporate entertainment services and can provide
tailor made fly-fishing and clay pigeon shooting packages. Professional
fly-fishing tuition and equipment for novices is provided and the
lake is pre stocked prior to an event, enabling most guests to catch
a fish or two. Tuition and equipment for clay pigeon shooting is
also provided.
Costs and a typical itinerary can be found on the
'Corporate' page of the Cleveley
Mere website.
Wyreside Lakes and Fisheries
 The
Fisherman’s Rest Bar and Restaurant is the life and soul of
Wyreside Lakes. It is ideal for private functions and corporate
events all year round. The restaurant caters for all tastes, from
a hearty English breakfast onto lunch, sandwiches and bar snacks.
On weekend evenings, an "a la carte" menu is also available.
A range of meal ideas can be planned to suit the occasion and budget
- from a finger buffet to a three course meal.
The owners can organise everything from catering
to entertainments - which come in addition to an exciting entertainments
programme running from April until November. A full programme can
be found on the Wyreside
Lakes website.
Calderbank Country Lodge
Calderbank Country Lodge is a fully licensed bar
and restaurant that can cater for corporate meetings and private
functions. The restaurant normally seats 30 people but this can
be extended to 40 if required for private meetings, for which various
facilities such as flip charts, OHP and screen are available.
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Gliding
Bowland Forest Gliding Club
 Bowland
Forest Gliding Club has a 56 acre site which is situated at the
Southern tip of the Forest of Bowland. It operates every Saturday,
Sunday, Wednesday and Friday throughout the year, weather permitting.
The local fells offer excellent soaring in most wind directions,
and beginners are warmly invited to book a trial flight in one of
the club's four two-seater trainers.
For more details, see the Gliding
Club's page on this website. For enquiries about trial lessons,
joining the club or visiting the club as a reciprocal member please
visit the club's website.
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School
Visits
WH & M Bainbridge
Henry Bainbridge and his family run a hill farm,
raising sheep and managing the land according to a time honoured
tradition. The farm welcomes visits by schools and other groups,
and provides an opportunity for people to learn about an important
aspect of the county's farming heritage.
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