Festival Bowland Events 2021

Celebrating the nature, landscape, culture and heritage of the AONB

Perhaps we’ve become more aware than ever of the benefits we get from the natural world - and Bowland offers countless opportunities for discovery.

Like many people, we had to make to 3,000 insects in one night – and that a lot of changes last year, and our gardens can be an important source of Festival Bowland events programme food for these flying mammals? Or that new was no exception. Unable to get out and bumblebee queens hibernate during the about and meet in person, we took the winter – which is why bumblebees don’t festival online – and alongside our regular need to store honey? If you join the Beewalk visitors we met a whole host of new training session in spring you’ll find out festival-goers in the process! lots more about these industrious insects This year we have some great events – including how to identify the “Big 7”. planned. We’ll be going If heritage is your thing, all starry-eyed in February with our third annual Dark Skies Festival. Live “ Festival Bowland is a great introduction don’t miss our encounters with the Pendle Radicals – folk who were key to the Moon Watch, night sky photography tips, family if you’re unfamiliar history of the area (and beyond) but not all of sessions and more during with the AONB, whom will be familiar to a the half-term break. Birds, bats, bumblebees and amphibians are just some of the wildlife we’ll be taking a closer look at in our season-spanning programme. Owls are eternally fascinating creatures, perhaps because they tend to be busy when wider audience. Historywise we’ll also be finding out all about the 12th century Cistercian abbey in Sawley, the ruins of which are in such a wonderful setting close by the River Ribble, with majestic Pendle Hill as a backdrop. but we hope there’s plenty to discover for those who know it well too.” we’re not! Five species can be spotted Want to make sure the younger members here in Bowland – and you don’t always of the family are entertained? Then keep need to be out in the middle of the night an eye out for natural art, bat box making, to see them. seasonal walks, mini-beast madness and Speaking of hard working creatures; did you know that a pipistrelle bat can eat up more. Bowland is full of adventures – for all ages!

We’ll be keeping things virtual until Easter this year then, from mid-April, we’re hoping to re-introduce some small-scale walks and face to face events. These will need to follow any Covid-19 restrictions and guidelines which might still be in place at the time – and we may need to postpone or cancel some sessions at short notice. We’ll do our very best to keep our listings up to date but it will be even more important this year to contact the event organiser and “check before you travel”.

Early autumn sees the return of what is fast becoming a regular fixture in our calendar – Landscapes for Life Week. This is the AONB Family’s week (and a bit) long programme of events to help people reconnect with nature by enjoying, and being inspired by, the UK’s Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Here in Bowland we have a packed programme between the 18th and the 26th September, with both our Foodie Foray, and Pendle Hill Landscape Partnership’s “Together for Our Landmark” Walking Festival, taking centre stage. The Lord of Bowland lecture will be taking place in October once again. This will be the 10th anniversary of this annual event (having had to skip a year in 2020) and each speaker opens the window on another absorbing aspect of Bowland’s heritage. As the year draws on why not come along and be wowed by waxcaps; fascinating grassland fungi which sport rainbow colours. Parts of the UK are globally important for this particular group, and you can certainly find them here in Bowland. Of course, we wouldn’t have Festival Bowland without all the fantastic event organisers, volunteers, local businesses and land managers who make it happen. They help bring Bowland to life and we’re very grateful to them all.

© Graham Cooper

Pendle

Full details of all the Festival Bowland events – including how to book - are available on our website at www.forestofbowland. com/Festival-Bowland-Events We’ll be adding events throughout the year so do make sure to keep popping back to see what’s new – and for any event updates.

For anyone who’d love to find out more about Bowland but can’t join us physically for whatever reason, we’ll be continuing with our online events right through the Festival. They’re easy to join and you don’t need a camera on your device. We’ve also built up a great collection of recordings, video clips and other resources from projects and past events so, if there’s an online event you’ve missed, why not take a look and see if it’s here www.forestofbowland.com/online-event-links You’ll see that a number of our free events include an option to donate to Champion Bowland. Champion Bowland is a charity which provides easily accessible small grants for local projects which benefit the environment, local communities and visitors within and around the Forest of Bowland AONB. By donating, you’ll be helping to keep Bowland special - thank you!