Written by The Pendle Hill Landscape Partnership & Forest of Bowland AONB Sustainable Tourism Officer Hetty Byrne
One of the few positives to emerge over the last 18 months
is seeing so many more people connect with nature and the outdoors during the
Covid Lockdowns. Many of us enjoyed our
daily walks from home to local parks, urban green spaces and open countryside;
This provided us with time and space to notice nature, the changing seasons and
enjoy the simplicity of being outdoors and having more time to be present in
those moments.
As a parent of two youngsters of pre-school age and with no
garden space in our town house, we certainly relished the time we spent
outdoors during these times. Our daily
walks from home, while already familiar to us, gave us the opportunity to stop
and notice so much more; We slowed right down, and all benefitted from it. Our favourite walks in Clitheroe were a riverside
circular to Brungerley Park and exploring Salthill Quarry Local Nature Reserve
– what a gem, right on our doorstep! My
favourite part was my children's daily collection of seasonal leaves, feathers,
pebbles or whatever caught their attention, which we'd leave as treasure to
find on my brother's doorstep as we passed by each day.
As Lockdowns eased it got me thinking about how many people
will have benefitted from these daily rituals but might not necessarily have
the knowledge or insight about where else they can explore. This led to the idea of organising a walking
festival to highlight all the wonderful opportunities on offer in the Pendle
Hill area, and also a chance to spread some of the visitor pressure from the
same popular sites where people often flock.
From 18th to 26th September we're
excited to present a 'new to walking festival' – Together for our Landmark -
to further extend 'walking from home' and the connections made during
Lockdown. The guided walks will also be
an opportunity for people to learn more about the natural and cultural heritage
of the area. We've got a varied
programme from archaeology to herbal medicine, mindfulness to traditional
boundaries and plenty for families to be involved, including buggy and
Tramper-friendly walks. The guided walks
start from locations all around Pendle Hill including Nelson, Barrowford,
Sabden, Downham and Spring Wood. We've
kept the walks to a maximum of 6 miles, but they include a variety of terrain,
so we hope there is something for everyone!
The walks are free, but donations are welcome on the day, contributing
to Rossendale and Pendle Mountain Rescue and the Pendle Hill Fund.
For full details of the walks and information about how to
book, please visit: https://www.pendlehillproject.com/new-walking-festival-2021
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