Festival Bowland celebrates the nature, landscape, culture and heritage of the Forest of Bowland National Landscape and this year's programme is full of fantastic opportunities to get involved.
The 2026 calendar offers the chance to discover some truly "champion" species, enjoy night sky wonders and make the most of Bowland's more accessible walking routes, alongside regular favourites like Garstang Walking Festival and National Meadows Day.
Sandra Silk, Project Officer with the National Landscape Partnership, said, "We're very excited to shine a spotlight on Bowland's Champion Species this year. These are the fourteen rare, inspirational or representative species at the heart of the Forest of Bowland's Nature Recovery Plan. Whether it's ballerina waxcap, hen harrier, globeflower or green hairstreak butterfly, we're hoping that this series of creative sessions, hands-on study days, family events, and more, will reveal the champions in all their glory."
The Festival programme also includes a series of brand new Welcoming Walks, exploring stile-free routes around the Forest of Bowland. Weekly walks in April, and again in July, will offer short, seasonal walks, with the chance to chat over a cuppa afterwards as an optional extra.
Sandra explained, "Booking ahead for events doesn't work for everyone, so we've taken inspiration from the weekly walks organised by Wyre Coast and Countryside Service and similar opportunities in Arnside and Silverdale National Landscape, and made these new Welcoming Walks "just turn up". This means that people can see how they feel on the day. Each walk will last around an hour, with the emphasis on a friendly atmosphere and fresh air, rather than distance. We'll be starting at different locations each time, but all meeting points will have parking and toilet facilities and some will be accessible by public transport."
Bowland dark skies events will be taking place a little later this year, to coincide with International Dark Sky Week, which runs from the 13th to the 20th of April. With the chance to explore the University of Lancashire's Alston Observatory (and discover the chemical origins of the human body!) hear all about the life of the "whispering" bat, or experience an early evening forest bathe, these spring events are a great opportunity to explore the atmospheric world of the National Landscape once the sun has dipped.
Evening bat walks, botanical and bumblebee identification skills and river life explorations all add to the opportunities available to discover Bowland's wilder side. And, for anyone wanting to roll their sleeves up and get stuck in, regular tree planting sessions throughout March, November and December are a great way to make a difference to this very special place.
Full details of the 2026 Festival Bowland events programme are available on our website at Festival Bowland Events | Forest of Bowland National Landscape
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