Farm Stays

Cobden View self catering cottage

Cobden View cottage is set in its own grounds with glorious panoramic views of Sabden valley and Pendle Hill in the Forest of Bowland. Through its windows, you can also see sheep and cattle (plus some hens and geese) that graze the hillside fields at Cobden Farm. The well-equipped cottage, with two bedrooms, can sleep up to five people and a baby. There’s a spacious lounge with a log burner, a dining kitchen with plenty of room, a shared four-piece bathroom and a utility room. All have lots of extras aimed at making your stay special.

Well-behaved dogs are more than welcome. The private rear garden has decking area ideally sited for al fresco meals, or just relaxing and enjoying the wonderful scenery. On clear nights, it’s perfect for Dark Skies gazing.

Walk from the door of Cobden View onto public footpaths close by that link with others criss-crossing Sabden valley. The cottage is a mile from Sabden with its two shops, including a Post Office; Sanwitches cafe in the former mill; a beauty salon Ella-Mia; and two pubs. For children, there’s a lovely play park and grass play area next to Sabden Brook where they can paddle. A Sabden Treasure Trail leaflet, produced by the Pendle Hill Landscape project, is a great way to discover the village.

Location-wise, the cottage is not far from Blackpool, Lytham St Annes and Southport seasides (less than an hour’s drive), the Yorkshire Dales and West Pennine Moors (an hour); M65 (10-15 mins); A59 (10 mins).

Higher Gills Farm

If you want a complete escape from the stress and strain of modern life, a holiday at Higher Gills Farm could be just what you need. Situated at the foot of Pendle Hill, Higher Gills Farm offers magnificent panoramic views of the Forest of Bowland, and the Ribble Valley from your accommodation. In the distance can be seen the high moors of the Yorkshire Dales including Ingleborough and Penyghent.

Numerous footpaths run through the farm and onto the moors and nearby villages. If birdwatching is your passion we have our own bird hide and are close to many wildlife hot spots.

Patty’s Barn

Patty’s Barn is a collection of 10 self-catering cottages all full of character and original features. Situated on the edge of Morecambe Bay and just south of the bustling, historic city of Lancaster.

With the great outdoors directly on the doorstep, we welcome you to indulge in the constant change of nature whilst enjoying the unspoilt natural beauty of the surrounding area. The perfect spot for a rural coastal retreat with family and loved ones.

Our accommodation can sleep up to 54 people combined with a combination or indoor and outdoor events spaces. We welcome group bookings.

The Rewilding

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. I’m one of the lucky ones who experienced life pre-mobile phones and computers.

“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 the Rewilding, 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, The Rewilding 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.

Wild Fox Distillery

Deep in the heart of the Forest Bowland’s famed ‘Lancashire cheese triangle’, a traditional dairy farming family are ploughing their own furrow by producing a distinctive artisan gin with deep roots in the local landscape

Founded in 2019 as part of a farm diversification scheme, Wild Fox distillery has gone from strength to strength, winning the title of best rural drink business in the 2021 Rural Business Awards.

Established by fourth generation Lancashire farmers Rob and Lizzie Billington, the distillery draws pure, fresh water from its own bore hole and features subtle flavours from wild herbs foraged among the farm’s hedgerows for an authentic ‘farm-to-bottle’ product.

Lizzie’s career in new product development, instilled a real passion for creating new products which kept ‘real produce’ at the heart of each new line.

When the couple decided to diversify, Lizzie started exploring what the farm naturally had growing within the fields and hedgerows and combined with fruits and leaves from the orchard. She then purchased a small table top still and began experimenting. After trialling 47 recipes, they were happy they had a product worth sharing with world. 

The range now extends to four gins plus seasonal specials including Ivy’s Signature Gin, Blushing Vixen and Twelve Bore – a spicy winter warmer flavoured with orange zest and ginger and bottled at a potent 45% proof!

Rob and Lizzie’s family has been associated with dairy farming and cheese making in Lancashire since 1932.

“For as long as I can remember, a G&T was the staple after-work tipple,” said Lizzie. “Once they’d finished the evening milking, mum and dad used to relax with a gin and tonic. It wasn’t trendy and there weren’t hundreds to choose from, it was simply a high-quality spirit enjoyed with tonic, ice and a slice.”

Alongside farming, Rob’s passion for agricultural engineering has come in handy for maintaining Ivy, the 50-litre copper column still which produces their gin.

Ivy now takes pride of place in a purpose-built distillery and café on the farm which nestles in the shadow of the Bowland Fells in the heart of Lancashire’s rich dairy farming pastureland.

The café welcomes visitors to watch Lizzie and colleagues making the gin and enjoy coffee and home-baked cakes – along with the occasional sample of the latest fruits of their labours.

The Wild Fox Distillery and café is open to the public Wednesday – Friday from 10am – 5pm and on Saturdays from 10am – 3pm for coffee, cake, gin tasting and nibbles. To reserve a table, email spirited@wildfoxdistillery.co.uk or call 01995 641136.

For special events and tastings, visit the website: wildfoxdistillery.co.uk or follow Wild Fox on social media.

Why not combine your visit with a walk, developed in partnership with the Forest of Bowland AONB:

Wild Fox Distillery to Beacon Fell Circular: www.forestofbowland.com/walking#800625304

Wild Fox Distillery to Brock Bottoms Circular: www.forestofbowland.com/walking#801401612

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.