The Forest of Bowland is a shamefully undiscovered place.
It’s understandable, of course, given the neighbours it competes with – the
Peak District to the south, the Yorkshire Dales in the east and the great Lakes
of Cumbria to the north. Hemmed between motorways though, it beats them all for
accessibility and once you leave the tarmac it’s soon apparent there are
trademark landscapes too.
Bleasdale is a perfect case in point. It’s a good half-mile
of private driveway that leads you away from the backwater B-road you took from
the M6. The vast country estate is fronted by old workmen’s cottages, perched at the entrance to the grounds that date back several centuries. In the
background flanks of dark, crowded trees give way to gently rising ridges,
climbing up to Fair Snape Fell – one of the largest hills in the Forest of
Bowland – before curling round a crescent-shaped valley to Parlick Pike. It’s
British beauty that’s difficult to beat, no matter where you go.
The site itself is of the high-end glamping kind. This is a
place where, regardless of how muddy you get stalking wildlife or splashing in
the river, you can return to the utmost of canvas comforts. Five spacious,
well-furnished safari tents are pitched with their backs to a strip of den-friendly
woodland and overlooking a private section of the languid River Brock. Inside
they’re divided into three separate bedrooms and a large open plan living area
with a kitchen in the corner. A central woodburner adds to the cosy feel,
accompanied by furnishings that wouldn’t look out of place in the elegant
outhouses of the estate. Attached to the back is a private bathroom and toilet
with a piping gas-powered shower and thoughtfully provided toiletries in cute minature bottles.
While inside campers can positively hideaway from all the
clamours of daily life, outside the tranquil surroundings provide just the same
dose of calm and relaxation. The campsite has immediate access to several
fantastic local trails and if you head from the river banks in the direction of
Parlick Pike – a heather-topped cone of a hill – there’s a Stone Age circle
around ten minutes away. Most days you’ll be the only one here, so you can
stand around holding hands and pray to the ancient fire gods. When you get back
to camp check if it’s worked by laying out the campfire, then pray to the god
of marshmallows… or just buy them from Bleasdale's honesty shop.