On the Trail of the Pendle Witches

In the shadow of Pendle Hill lie pretty villages, which tell a story of intrigue and witchcraft nearly 400 years old. Start your journey at the Pendle Heritage Centre, in Barrowford near Nelson, and follow the route the Pendle Witches took through the Ribble Valley to Lancaster Castle where they stood trial.

Drive the narrow and winding road through the Trough of Bowland; the wild and unspoilt landscape you’ll encounter makes this a dramatic and breathtaking experience. Then as you make the descent into the historic city of Lancaster there are an astonishing array of views from the hills above the River Hodder to the mountains of the Lake District and on towards the sea.

Once in Lancaster a guided tour of imposing Lancaster Castle, setting for the imprisonment and the trial, will bring the story to life. See the dungeons, grand Jury Room and Courts to make your own mind up. Were the Pendle Witches malevolent people possessed by supernatural powers, or the innocent victims of a time obsessed with the pursuit and punishment of witchcraft?

Follow in the steps of the Lancashire Witches

• Download Walking with Witches Trail
• Download Pendle Three Peaks Walk