If you’ve ever wanted to see a million bluebells, Cowclose Wood, near Bowland Bridge is the place to go in late April/early May time.  It is stunningly beautiful, and the bluebells are so expansive, covering a massive area in both Cowclose and Colehowe Woods.

We started our walk at the Hare and Hounds pub in Bowland Bridge.  Grid reference 418896 on OS map OL7.  There’s a map of the route in the photos below.  Follow the road southwards, taking a footpath on the right.  This area can be very marshy and boggy when wet.  Luckily for us it’s been super dry recently, so was easily passable today.

After a few fields, you will reach another road, turn right and walk up towards the farm.  Turn left and walk through the farm, still on the quiet road.  From here you get some great views of Cunswick Scar and Scout Scar (the mushroom), both we have explored on previous walks.

Take the footpath on your left, cross the river on a wooden bridge and you’ll see Colehowe Wood, which is where the bluebells really begin.

Follow the path through Colehowe Wood and up through the stunningly beautiful Cowclose Wood, where there are more bluebells than you could ever imagine!  The photos don’t do it justice!  The following video is just the beginning of the wood!

Turn left onto the road and then left again onto a footpath into open fields.  Cross a small river and keep going until you reach a road.  Left and right onto another footpath across a field and then finally left onto the road which leads you back up to Bowland Bridge and the Hare and Hounds pub.

This walk is just over 3.5 miles in total, with only a few gradual ups and downs.  It was managed in whole by our 5 year old, and even our 3 year old managed well over half of it before being asked for a carry!  Navigation can be a bit tricky, so we advise taking a map with you.

We ate at the Hare and Hounds, which has a nice little outdoor beer garden if the weather is good.

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