If you’ve ever driven along the stretch of the M6 which passes the Forest of Bowland between the cities of Lancaster and Preston you can’t have failed to notice the unique hexagonal Pennine tower at Forton services and you’ve probably wondered what it is. Now a grade two listed building it was opened in 1965Continue reading “The Pennine Tower at Forton Services”
Tag Archives: #Forestofbowland
The Brimstone Butterfly
The Brimstone Butterfly Gonepteryx rhamni, is one of our largest butterflies and quite often the first to be seen as it languidly flaps across the landscape after emerging from its winter hibernation. It is thought to be the original butterfly after which the common name for this type of insect came from, as its wingsContinue reading “The Brimstone Butterfly”
The Great Spotted Woodpecker
The Great spotted woodpecker, Dendrocopus major, dendrocopus being Latin for ‘tree striker’, is the most frequently seen of the four species of woodpecker native to the British isles. It is rapidly becoming the most common too as it’s range has spread to areas it was previously rare, including Scotland and Ireland, where they became absentContinue reading “The Great Spotted Woodpecker”
The Abbeystead Disaster
The Abbeystead Disaster The Abbeystead Disaster happened this day 40 years ago on Wednesday the 23rd of May 1984, in the Upper Wyre valley near the village of Abbeystead. It was caused by an explosion of Methane gas in a valve house which was being visited by a party of local members of the public,Continue reading “The Abbeystead Disaster”
Some notes on Placenames of the Northwest and the Ancient Wildwoods
The long and complex history of the British isles, composed of centuries of conquest and colonisation, has bequeathed to us a linguistic heritage unlike that of any other country, this is reflected most clearly in the history behind our place names. Inspired by the article I recently published about ‘Bothvar’s farm’ here we have aContinue reading “Some notes on Placenames of the Northwest and the Ancient Wildwoods”
The Common Adder
The Common Adder, Vipera berus, is locally common in the Northwest of England and can often be found in the summer sunbathing on paths in the woods or on the fells, it is one of only four species of snake in the British isles and the only species of snake that can be found withinContinue reading “The Common Adder”
The Early Purple Orchid
The Early Purple Orchid, Orchis mascula, is, as its name implies, one of the earliest orchids to appear in the British countryside, flowering in April, all the way through to June. Its scientific name; mascula, derives from the shape of its tubers and roots which are, not to put too fine a point on it,Continue reading “The Early Purple Orchid”
Bothvar’s Cattle Farm
Bothvar was a Norse cattle farmer who settled in the Bowland area between 900 to 1100 AD, not much more is known about him or his fate, what is known is that he established a cattle farm near Dunsop bridge which is now called Beatrix Farm. The Norse that settled in the north of EnglandContinue reading “Bothvar’s Cattle Farm”
Northwest Nature and History 