Picnic Sites in and around the Forest of Bowland

Please select a number on the map or make a selection from the list below:

1. Barley.
2. Beacon Fell Country Park.
3. Brock Valley Nature Trail.
4. Scorton Picnic Site.
5. Jubilee Tower.
6. Little Cragg Car Park.
7. Crook O’Lune Picnic Site.
8. Bull Beck Picnic Site.
9. Cocklet Hill.
10. Stocks Reservoir.
11. Birk Bank Car Park.
12. Spring Wood Picnic Site.

Good walks are available all around this area including Pendle Hill, legendary home of the Lancashire Witches. There are many footpaths in the area and good walks can be obtained between Barley and the picturesque villages of Rimington and Downham in the shadow of Pendle Hill.

Beacon Fell lies within the Forest of Bowland Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and was one of the first Country Parks to be designated in England (1969). Managed by Lancashire County Council, the Fell is an area of moorland and woodland covering 185 acres which is open to the public.

It is situated 8 miles north of Preston and is well sign posted from the A6, Longridge and Chipping.

Beacon Fell commands a panoramic view of surrounding countryside. There are waymarked walks within the site that are clearly marked and provide easy routes to the summit. There is also an information centre and cafe serving drinks, hot and cold food, sweets and ice cream which is open seven days a week during the summer from 10.00am till 7.00pm. Car parking and toilet facilities for the disabled are provided. There is also a bike rack. For further details contact the Fell on 01995 640557.

Managed by Wyre Borough Council, this trail offers a pleasant riverside walk through rich woodland. The trail follows public footpaths and culminates at the ruined remains of an old mill with a waterwheel and grinding stone.

Situated alongside the River Wyre this grassy picnic area provides the visitor with a gateway starting point for trips into the Forest of Bowland. Located near Garstang, about a mile east of the A6 (Hollins Lane) it also offers extremely pleasant walks through lowland country to pretty villages such as Scorton and Dolphinholme. For longer walks follow the Wyre to Abbeystead nestling in the valley surrounded by the Bowland fells.

Situated on the road between Lancaster and Abbeystead the tower affords fantastic panoramic views over the Lancashire Plain, Morecambe Bay and the hills of Bowland. The site is on the edge of the Clougha Access Area and the Wyre Valley and there are many footpaths which link the historical settlements around the area such as Dolphinholme and Abbeystead and the hills to the south such as Grizedale Fell. Ordnance Survey Grid Ref: SD 782 367.

The site is located in Littledale and provides good opportunities for direct walking on the Clougha Access Areas and Bains Cragg, where there are excellent substantial views.

Crook O'Lune picnic site is situated at a popular beauty spot on a horse-shoe bend in the River Lune to the north-east of Lancaster. Many pleasant walks are available alongside the wooded river banks and venturing off into the surrounding countryside. The Lune Millennium Way connects this site to Lancaster City centre with the new Millennium Bridge, and Bull Beck picnic site to the east so why not visit by bike!

This site is located to the east of Caton in the Lune Valley. There are extremely pleasant walks along the Lune Valley towards the lovely villages of Hornby and Gressingham or towards Lancaster. There are also longer walks to the south into Bowland and circular walks can be achieved by way of Littledale, Roeburndale and Caton Moor.

This is a Forestry Commission picnic site situated on the road from Slaidburn to Stocks Reservoir. In the heart of the Forest of Bowland it offers a base for many varied walks and waymarked cycle rides as well as horse riding under licence agreement. This is a particularly good site for mountain biking, offering some challenging routes. Contact the Forestry Commission on 01229 860010 for further information.

Stocks Reservoir is managed by United Utilities for water catchment and is home to many species of wildfowl. There are a number of waymarked forest trails and walks in the area. Fishing can also be enjoyed on the reservoir by licence. Contact United Utilities on 01200 454400 for details.

This site is on the edge of the Clougha Access Area about 5km from Lancaster. It affords good walking throughout the Access Area and to Clougha Pike which is 413m above sea level.

This site is close to Pendle Hill and the village of Whalley which is famous for its ancient Abbey. Situated on the main A671 road this popular site provides a good base for walking on Pendle Hill, Whalley and River Ribble. There is a small information centre and toilet facilities with disabled access. Refreshments are available from a mobile kiosk.