Surround yourself with stars in the Forest of Bowland

Did you know that winter is the best time of year to really appreciate Lancashire’s starry skies? The longer nights allow for more opportunities to view constellations, and the colder air allows for better visibility. 2024 has been a bumper year for witnessing the Northern Lights too, due to the biggest geomagnetic storm since 2003, and there have been multiple reports of the aurora gracing the skies in Lancashire. If aroura hunting is on your to do list, be sure to keep an eye on Lancaster University’s Aurora Watch during your visit and you never know, you might spot it.

Each February, the Forest of Bowland’s Dark Skies Festival takes place over the half term week, giving you the perfect opportunity to explore the night skies with guides from the area. However, if you are visiting at other times of the year, get yourself to some of Lancashire’s best spots for stargazing in remote locations within the Forest of Bowland’s designated Dark Skies areas, such as Beacon Fell Country Park, Gisburn Forest Hub, Slaidburn Village Car Park and the Crook o’ Lune Picnic Site. There are also great spots throughout the Trough of Bowland due to its low level of light pollution.

Finding fantastic dark sky-friendly accommodation providers in the area isn’t difficult, with Laytham's Holiday Retreats offering four beautiful self-catering cottages that come complete with open fires or log burners to keep you warm and sleep from two to eight people. Some of the options come with hot tubs, meaning you can stargaze directly from the tub!

Of course, there are so many amazing things to do in the daylight hours too. Just a selection of the great attractions nearby will have you making your own gin at Goosnargh Gin School, enjoying a ramble or cycle around Gisburn Forest and Stocks Reservoir, exploring Clitheroe Castle or shopping at Holden Clough Nurseries.

The Forest of Bowland is home to a huge range of great eateries, so keeping well-fed won’t be a problem. You will find several cosy pubs in the area such as the Inn at Whitewell, with its fascinating history and its roaring open fires, or The Rum Fox which has recently been named on the Good Food Guide’s Top 100 Restaurants list, the Guide named them as one of the cosiest pubs in Britain in November too.

The brand new Oh! Pizza in Longridge is an ideal stop off point too if you’re on your way to Beacon Fell for a stargaze, and with their pizzas lovingly created by BBC MasterChef The Professionals finalist Matt Willdigg – the night stars won’t be the only star you may spot!

The Forest of Bowland National Landscape is an ideal stargazing location at any time of the year, but winter will give you more opportunities than any other time of the year to hone in on constellations and more, so plan your winter getaway to the area today.