Wray

Straddling the confluence of the rivers which carved two of Bowland’s most enchanting valleys, the picturesque village of Wray remains something of a hidden gem. Draining the highest plateau in the Forest, the rivers Hindburn and Roeburn meet in the village. Artisans such as weavers and clog-makers prospered here for hundreds of years and the village retains a rustic, olde-worlde feel – as if it hasn’t changed much in a century or so. Wray is famous for its annual Scarecrow Festival at the end of April, which attracts thousands of visitors, but aside from walkers and the occasional cyclist, it remains blissfully undiscovered for the rest of the year.

Highlights In Roeburndale, the woodland floor is carpeted in dense drifts of bluebells in May and the autumn colours in September and October rival those of New England. In summer, look out for rare butterflies and woodland birds like the redstart and pied flycatcher.