Pictures of Bowland Knotts

About Bowland Knotts

Stone walls boarder the road that travels through the densely thick 3,000 acre Gisburn Forest, and as you drive along the road, you may be fortunate and catch a glimpse of Stocks Reservoir, sparkling in the distance, through the dark conifers that crowd these woods. All at once the forest ends, high, windswept moorland spreads excitingly all around you. The scene is lush and green and in stark contrast with the deep forest lands.

In the distance, far ahead, you can see the high crags of Bowland Knotts as they face south over the moor. It is all very theatrical with mile upon mile of fells, heather, whispy grass and peat. It is a place of deep silence, disturbed only by the call of birdsong from the beautiful creatures that circle the skies above.

The beautiful reservoir, encircled by rich parkland and ancient forest was the provence of the Hammertons; a medieval family, who dominated this area in the 16th-century. Hammerton Hall is just a short distance from the reservoir's dam. The land owned by this great family was so vast that it is said that they could ride from Slaidburn to York without leaving their own land!

This is a magnificent area to explore, it is an area of deeply dramatic contrasts, and the vast amphitheatre to the south of the Knotts is a delight to behold. From each summit is a breathtaking view that will remain forever in your memory.