Courses and Experiences

Alternative Adventure and Outdoor Activities Service

We deliver professionally run outdoor education and outdoor pursuits activities for the widest possible range of groups. Venues used are around the Lancashire, Merseyside and Greater Manchester area. This includes corporate events, management groups, Over 50’s clubs, hen parties, stag parties, adult and junior birthday parties, fun days for family groups, primary schools, junior schools and secondary schools, pupil referral units, special needs organisations, further education and sixth form colleges and youth groups.

Our activities include Rock Climbing, Forest Schools, Open Canoeing, Orienteering, Abseiling, Archery, Gorge Walking, Caving, Mobile Climbing Walls, Problem Solving Exercises, Mountain Biking, Sea Cliff Traversing, Team Building Exercises, Kayak Canoeing, Mountain Walks, Winter Skills, Navigation, Raft Building and more.

We deliver qualification courses from a number of National Governing Bodies.

Bentham Golf Course

Bentham Golf Course is a picturesque, family-run 18 hole golf course situated at the foot of the Yorkshire Three Peaks. Previously described as ‘a Diamond of the Dales’, Bentham offers a challenge to golfers of all abilities and visitors are welcome every day of the week.

Bowland and Bay

As the Forest of Bowland’s reputation for artisan food spreads across the country, Katie Wilson at Bowland and Bay is showcasing some of Lancashire’s best artisan food and drink

After 30 years in various tourism and buying roles, the pandemic prompted Katie Wilson to reappraise her life and start her own business.

After 2020 she set her heart on supporting independent artisans in her homeland, developing sustainable micro-adventures, that bring visitors closer than ever before to the latest and finest food around the Forest of Bowland National Landscape.

Bowland and Bay specialises in food tours across the Forest of Bowland and Morecambe Bay – showcasing the very best produce the region has to offer.

From the wheel of her comfortable Mercedes people carrier, Katie takes groups of up to eight on a magical foodie tour of the finest artisans in the region.

Created for food lovers, in the belief that by eating together and sharing stories, visitors have the opportunity to really engage with producers and reconnect with Lancashire’s unique ‘terroir’ on a deeper level.

Katie’s itineraries offer full and half day food tours, each include 7-8 artisan foodie adventures for adults and children over the age of 12 years. Adventures can include cheese and ice cream at the farm, freshly made bakes and comfort classics. Visiting award winning micro-brewers, gin distilleries and inns. There are plenty of opportunities to buy pantry delights along the way.

Strictly for grown-ups are Katie’s weekend Brewery Tours, visiting five breweries, where guests can taste over 15 beers or sample local craft gins, alongside superb street food.

“For me, Lancashire is one of the UK’s hidden gems,” said Katie. “Our food scene is right up there with renowned foodie hotspots like Burgundy in France or Portland in Oregon and a lot of that is down to our climate.

“Lancashire’s climate means we have incredibly lush grass which in turn means our farmers produce great milk which is turned into some of the best cheese in the country.

“The climate also means we can produce great beef, and all the products you associate with that – including, of course, our famous pies!

“We also have the coastline of Morecambe Bay within easy reach, and the unique seafood that this iconic part of the English coastline produces.

“Lancashire really has it all and I think it’s time the county really shouted about its food culture – not just for foodies from the UK – but from all over the world.”

Katie Wilson, Bowland and Bay

Katie runs bespoke tours for larger groups or scheduled tours which couples or individuals can join and meet fellow foodies on the day. There’s such a vast array of options, no two tours are identical and customers can shape their own itinerary to match their tastes, interests and appetites!

“We might visit six or eight artisan producers, ranging from fantastic bakers and pastry chefs, to microbreweries in a barn, a gin distillery high up in the fells or a Michelin-starred restaurant,” said Katie. “One thing you can be sure of however, you won’t go home hungry. This is Lancashire, we do things properly here – there’s no half measures or tiny portions!”

Bowland and Bay Food tours start at £85 per person for a half-day Lancashire Foodie Adventure – including all tastings. For more details, consult our tour schedule.

Contact us direct to discuss your specific needs: 07476 001539 or hello@bowlandandbay.co.uk

Bowland Country Park

Nestled beside the River Hodder beneath the Bleasdale Fells, Bowland Country Park & Bowland Escapes offers the perfect combination of wildlife, adventure and relaxation in the heart of the Forest of Bowland National Landscape.

Home to the Forest of Bowland’s only remaining population of wild boar, the park continues a tradition that dates back to medieval times. Visitors can enjoy encounters with these fascinating animals, including adorable stripey boarlets in the spring, alongside a collection of wildlife including deer, owls, meerkats, ostriches and more.

Set between the picturesque village of Chipping and the historic hamlet of Whitewell, in the area known as Little Bowland, the park is a fantastic family day out with plenty to see and do for all ages.

Why not make the most of your visit by staying at Bowland Escapes? Choose from luxury hot tub lodges, glamping pods and camping pitches, all surrounded by stunning countryside. Whether it’s a family holiday, a romantic escape or a peaceful retreat, it’s a perfect base from which to explore the Forest of Bowland’s walking trails, charming villages and spectacular scenery.

From memorable wildlife experiences to relaxing countryside stays, Bowland Country Park & Bowland Escapes is a destination you’ll want to return to time and time again.

Browsholme Hall

The Parker family has been associated with the Forest of Bowland for more than five centuries and their family seat of historic Browsholme Hall is the oldest family home in continuous occupation in Lancashire.

Browsholme Hall is a magnificent Grade I listed Tudor Hall, displaying an eclectic collection of museum quality artefacts alongside a recently restored Eighteenth Century Tithe barn.

Set amid 600 acres of picturesque parkland, informal gardens and extensive woodland, Browsholme tells a social story of family and local history spanning some 500 years; its origins within the Forest of Bowland National Landscape and its interaction with the local and regional community.

The Parker family has been associated with the care and custodianship of this pretty corner of the Forest of Bowland for 16 generations and they continue to maintain their obligations to the area and preserve their ancestral legacy with pride.

The hall itself dates back to 1507, and despite numerous updates and alterations over the years, Browsholme boasts one of the finest surviving antiquarian interiors in England, displaying a vast collection of family treasured collected over five centuries ranging from the skull of a martyr thought to have been executed following the pilgrimage of grace, to bronze age swords, Roman glasswork and a comprehensive collection of oil paintings.

The grounds are a wildlife-rich natural oasis, comprising mature woodlands, ornamental lakes and acres of beautifully maintained formal and informal gardens.

Although it is still very much a family home, Browsholme is open to visitors on Tuesdays and Wednesdays during the spring and summer months and also hosts special events, functions and bespoke weddings.

Opening Times

Guided Tours: Every Wednesday until October 26.

Tearoom and gardens: Wednesday 11am – 4pm until December 14.

Accommodation

Accommodation is also available within the estate grounds in a handful of cottages and eco-lodges – contact Browsholme for further details or visit the website.

Carla Gebhard

I’m a watercolour artist and illustrator and I also have a lovely little shop/studio at Wyresdale Park, where I sell my artwork and also hold watercolour workshops.

Please note: only open by appointment to view my prints and for workshops.
I specialise in nursery and children’s artwork, inspired by animals, nature and all things whimsical. My aim is to gently inspire and educate children from an early age, to love and to care for the nature around them. Whether it be through my nursery prints, nature activities or children’s books. I strongly believe that little nature lovers, naturally grow into BIG nature lovers, who will then go on to help protect our lovely little planet and all it inhabits.

I like to keep things local to Lancashire – I’m naturally inspired by the wildlife and nature found in and around Wyresdale Park. Which is where my shop/studio is based and where all my paintings come to life. The prints are then printed, mounted and packaged locally in Lancashire, whilst also supporting other local and independent businesses.

I like to make everything eco-friendly (where possible) and I’m also hoping to give back to nature VERY soon by donating a percentage of print sales to planting trees locally in Lancashire through the Wyre Rivers Trust.

WORKSHOPS

Children’s Spring Watercolour Workshop  

11-12pm and 1-2pm (two workshops, 10 children per workshop)

13th February 2025

£12.00 per child

www.carlagebhard.com 

To book please email: hello@carlagebhard.com

I offer private watercolour workshops in my shop, which are available all year round bookable at a time to suit you!

Botanical Watercolour Workshops for Beginners (for two people)

2 hour workshop – time to suit you -available from 11-4pm 

Thursday-Sunday – all year round

Carla Gebhard’s Shop/Studio at Wyresdale Park

£98.00 for two people – all materials included.

www.carlagebhard.com 

To book please email: hello@carlagebhard.com

Goosnargh Gin

Richard and Rachel Trenchard were quietly building a widely admired brand of artisan gin, distilled and rooted in the landscapes of Bowland – and then the Hairy Bikers dropped in for a quick G&T…

After developing an interest in handcrafted small batch gins, which bordered on an obsession, Richard and Rachel Trenchard decided to use over a decade of amassed knowledge to launch their own artisan spirit brand from an additional outbuilding at their home in the shadow of Beacon Fell.

Being gin obsessives, their approach was meticulous – from botanicals which reflect the local area or promote the rich geography and heritage of Bowland, to the artwork for the label and the distinctive retro bottles, nothing was left to chance.

The end product was – perhaps unsurprisingly – a stand-out gin, which was an immediate hit with gin connoisseurs across Lancashire and beyond, winning a prestigious Gold award at the International Wine and Spirit Competition in 2019.

New bottlings – or ‘chapters’ joined the range – all remaining true to the couple’s core values of distilling an authentic artisan product inspired by – and rooted in – the Forest of Bowland.

Following on from the original Chapter One – Signature Gin, which is distilled with 14 botanicals designed to capture the essence of Bowland, was Chapter Two – Dark Skies – a deeper, more warming gin inspired by the glittering starscapes of Bowland’s velvety black night skies.

Further chapters and seasonal releases followed – including Hay Time – flavoured with summer aromatics sourced in collaboration with local farmer Peter Blackwell whose wildflower meadows are some of the most species-rich in Northern England. Richard and Rachel make a donation to conservation projects in the Forest of Bowland for every bottle of Hay Time gin sold.

Alongside producing award-winning gins, Richard and Rachel opened a gin school, allowing visitors to come along and handcraft their own gin. Their foraging and distilling dates allow visitors to collect and distil with foraged botanical following the guidance of an expert forager on the same day.

And as the nation emerged from the first lockdown, a pair of celebrity foodies dropped in to see what all the fuss was about. Dave Myers and Si King – better known as the Hairy Bikers – spent a day making their own gin for their popular BBC TV series The Hairy Bikers Go North.

Si and Dave clearly enjoyed the experience – and after the programme aired for the first time in September 2021, Richard and Rachel were inundated with bookings from across the country and beyond. In response to the surge in demand for their products and experiences, the couple recently opened a second outlet at Wyresdale Park, near Scorton.

As well as a shop retailing the entire range of gins and associated merchandise, Goosnargh Gin’s new Wyresdale outlet will soon be hosting gin schools and other events. While the new shop is open from Thursday to Sunday from 10am to 4pm, advance booking is essential for gin school. Check the website and social media for updates.

Visitors are always welcome at Goosnargh Gin’s two outlets, but check opening times on the website first. Booking in advance is essential for gin school and foraging courses.

Land and Sea Lancaster

For big skies, wide open spaces and the perfect environment for rewilding yourself, head over to the windswept salt marshes of the Lancashire coast, where the Forest of Bowland meets the sea!

After travelling the world with a high-powered job for more than a decade, Lancashire lass Michelle Parry returned to her family farm with a mission to rewild herself and reverse the noise and clutter accumulated through 21^st century culture by reconnecting with nature.

Now, Michelle runs a busy schedule of events, workshops and wellness retreats under the big skies of the Lancashire coast, where the emphasis is firmly on the healing power of place in a very special landscape on the salt marshes of Morecambe Bay in the shadow of the Bowland Fells.

“I consider myself one of the lucky ones who experienced life pre-mobile phones and computers,” says Michelle. “I have a lot of gratitude for my upbringing: running wild, making dens and being free-range and feral is what I always knew. 

“Over the past 10 years I’ve witnessed the increasingly rapid disconnect humans have with the natural world.

“Today, I find it hard to wrap my head around how much this is impacting our daily lives, our connection with one another, our planet and the devastating impact it is having to our natural world, on our mental wellbeing, creating a broken ‘new normal’ for our future generations.

“Bridging the gap between the countryside and city life is something I’ve become increasingly passionate about. Here at Land and Sea, we’re on a mission to rewild our fellow humans and welcome you all along for the journey.”

One of the centrepieces of Michelle’s mission is the Untamed Supper Club – a series of informal semi al fresco dinners where anyone and everyone is welcome. As you’d expect, the accent here is on wild and foraged foods, served in the rustic surroundings of an old outbarn dressed for a feast.

The raw ingredients are overwhelmingly locally sourced and a ‘hyper-seasonal’ with food miles often in simple minds, but the cooking influences stretch around the world, from the Scandinavia to the Far East.

The dining is communal, with plates and platters passed between guests seated at a long trestle table where the food, wine and conversation flow as naturally as the tide seeping into the creeks on the salt marsh just a few yards away.

“As a farming family, food is very important to us,” said Michelle. “We’re connected to the land around us and understand the hardworking efforts that go into the production of every mouthful. 

“To us, food represents far more than filling an empty space; it’s about the nourishment it gives our bodies in order to thrive and be healthy, the connection it brings when we come together with others. That’s the spirit that underpins our Untamed Suppers.”

Although it’s off the beaten track, Land and Sea is well connected with good public transport links to Lancaster and perfect terrain to explore on foot or by bike.

There are superb coastal walks direct from the farm gate and the excellent cycleways of Lancaster connect seamlessly with the quiet country lanes crossing the coastal floodplains.

The quirky little port of Glasson Dock is just a short ride away, from where a traffic-free cycleway runs along the Lune estuary into Lancaster and beyond to Morecambe, where another cycle route extends around the whole of Morecambe Bay.

For those who want to make a short break of it, combine a stay in the quality accommodation at Patty’s Barn and some foraging on the marsh with a foodie tour of Lancashire and the Forest of Bowland and a visit to the historic old port of Lancaster.

Smelt Mill Outdoor Centre

Smelt Mill provides accommodation for groups in the heart of the Forest of Bowland National Landscape. It is ideally located for outdoor activities such as walking, mountain biking and bird watching.

• Rooms – 5 x 2 beds, 3 x 4 beds and 1 x 6 beds
• Full central heating
• Lounge with log fire
• Professionally equipped kitchen
• A multi-purpose room for activities and dining
• Showers and changing rooms
• Drying room
• Multi-media presentation equipment and satellite TV
• Indoor climbing wall
• Garden area suitable for activities, games BBQ etc
• Camping with toilet and shower area
• Guest WiFi
• Limited Off-road car parking

The Courtyard Dairy

The finest cheese – delivered to your door. It’s no wonder The Daily Telegraph lists The Courtyard Dairy as one of the Top 10 Cheese Shops in the World. The Courtyard Dairy is a truly special cheese maturer and shop. Housed in a thick-walled, old Yorkshire Dales barn it is a cool and humid shop where cheeses are piled high; perfect for ageing cheese. Owned by Andy and Kathy Swinscoe, who have a background working for some of Europe’s finest cheesemongers and affineurs (from London to Lyon), The Courtyard Dairy’s ethos is to only sell and champion truly special cheese. Only stocking 30 selected cheeses, all the cheese are made very traditionally on farms, most are unpasteurised. They are all hand-selected and chosen at the farm before being aged to perfection, you’ll get to try and sample some truly unique and unheard of cheeses.

The excellence of this shop dedicated to championing and keeping alive farmhouse cheese has not gone unnoticed: winners of multiple awards including: Cheesemonger of the Year (World Cheese Awards 2013), ‘Food Shop of the Year’ (Farm Shop & Deli Awards 2020), BBC Food & Farming Awards. It has already become a renowned destination cheesemongers, as regulars and visitors have the opportunity to sample and purchase some of the finest cheese to be found, and now you can have these very fine cheeses delivered direct to your door.

Cheesemonger of the Year (World Cheese Awards 2013 and Farm Shop & Deli Awards 2020), Food Retailer of the Year 2020

Wood End Farm and Alpaca Experience

Our family have farmed here for over 100 years. It is a traditional hill farm, with beef and sheep, set in the beauty and tranquility of this unspoilt area in rural Lancashire.

We believe in preserving the best of traditional farming practice and work hard to conserve traditional hedgerows, meadows and dry stone walls. We have a double en-suite room and a twin ensuite room that can be changed to king-size if required. We offer a breakfast of your choice made from the finest local ingredients; free wifi; flat screen TV; tea making facilities; stair lift; off road parking and a beautiful garden.

We can also offer you an ‘alpaca experience’, beauty treatments or fusion therapeutic coaching – please ask for more information when you book. We can accommodate horses with a yard, tack room and field turnout and if you are a keen cyclist, fisherman or walker we have lockable storage, drying facilities and a hose in the yard.