Forest of Bowland
The Forest of Bowland is an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in Lancashire and North Yorkshire, a large upland area of heather moorland, gritstone hills and limestone valleys between the Yorkshire Dales and the Ribble Valley whose combination of the open moorland scenery, the excellent walking available on the Bowland fells and the characteristic landscape of drystone walls and field barns of the surrounding farmland creates one of the finest and least visited upland landscapes in northern England. The name Forest is used in its medieval sense of hunting ground rather than woodland.
The moorlands of Bowland are among the finest habitats for upland birds in northern England, supporting breeding populations of merlin, peregrine falcon, hen harrier, short-eared owl, curlew and golden plover in concentrations that make the area one of the most significant upland bird habitats outside the Scottish Highlands. The hen harrier, in particular, breeds in Bowland in one of the most important southern populations in England, the open heather moorland providing the nesting and hunting habitat this species requires.
The Trough of Bowland, a road pass crossing the highest part of the AONB, provides access to the finest moorland scenery and the starting point for the major walking routes onto the Bowland fells. The combination of the walking, the birdwatching and the characteristic Lancashire moorland landscape makes Bowland one of the most rewarding natural heritage destinations in the northwest.