Clitheroe Things to Do

On our way to Clitheroe, we stopped off to have a wander around the scant ruins of Sawley Abbey.Parking is easy enough on the roadside outside the Abbey.

This cistercian abbey, in the lovely Ribble Valley, was founded in 1148 and stands on land given by the 3rd Lord Percy of the famous Northumbrian Percy family. The family were patrons of the abbey for much of it's existence.It was dissolved in 1536 by Henry VIII.

Today, there are few remains, the gatehouse still stands as do parts of the 12th century church. There are info boards with plans of the abbey showing how it looked in it's glory days.Like all properties owned by English Heritage,the lawned grounds are immaculately kept and visiting in April, it was nice to see wild flowers everywhere.

Open daily,except Christmas,admission is free.

On a beautiful April day, we headed off to visit Clitheroe and it's castle.

The 12thc. castle stands on a hill looking down onto the town and is a prominent part of the town.What you see is mainly the Norman keep, one of the smallest in England and is surrounded by 16 acres of attractive parkland, including a labrynth.

The castle and grounds are free to wander round, the most impressive part is the rampart walk which offers splendid, panoramic views of Clitheroe and surrounds.The keep is three storeys high but is roofless. We did notice a baby pigeon in a nest inside the keep!

There is a museum, recently modernised and updated, which there is a small charge for, £3.85, i think. This houses collections and info from over 350 million years, as well as interactive boards..

The castle is very family orientated, with an outdoor play area with equipment that requires an imagination, on the whole! There is also a cafe and gift shop.

Although there is not much castle to view, it is a nice place to visit, especially for the stunning views.

Created in 1993, the Ribble Valley Sculpture Trail was created for locals and visitors alike,to enjoy artworks in a natural environment. It takes in Brungerley Park and Crosshill Quarry, with entrances from Waddington Road and West Bradford Road. Limited parking.

You'll come across at least twenty sculptures, some as basic as a waymarker, others much more intriguing, like the sika deer and the two faces.

It is a great place to take children, loads of space to run around in, as well as searching out the sculptures.

On our visit, the woods were covered in wood anemone with the wild garlic everywhere but not yet flowering. Sadly, we were just too early for bluebells.

I have to admit, parts of this walk are fairly boring, in particular, along the back of the huge cement works and then the bit on the main road to access the second entrance. The part we thought would be most interesting by the river side was closed off, a tree fall blocking the path. Grrrrrhh...

Having said all this, we enjoyed the bird song and the wild flowers, as well as the excercise!!

At the small bridge on the road to the village of West Bradford from Clitheroe is a small off road car park and gate leading to a pathway that runs along side the river Ribble.The walk is an excellent way to view the river and surrounding countryside with its breathtaking beautiful scenery.You can walk for several miles along the river bank before a the pathway turns inland towards Sawley village,a perfect way to spend a sunny morning.

Surrounding Clitheroe Castle are beautiful grounds and a park containing some nice pathways and gardens.Perfect for a good stroll on a nice day or even not such a nice day,there are playing fields for the kids,a band stand used in the summer months and benches to sit and relax and enjoy the views of the castle.

The Norman Castle Keep of Clitheroe has dominated the skyline more than 800 years since being built around 1186 by 'Robert de Lacy' to protect the administrative centre of his vast estates.
It is said to be the second smallest keep in England,since the rooms are only 20ft square.The present entrance passes through what was originally a window into what was the cellar.The original entrance was on the right on the next floor.
The keep was deliberatly damaged after its capture by parliamentary forces during the civil war,but was repaired in 1848 with smoothe-faced limestone blocks which can be clearly seen.The views from the castle walls are breathtaking,as is the walk up the hill,fortunately,you can break the journey on the way up by visting the museum which brings to life the history and geology of the 'Ribble Valley'.

Entry is free and the castle is open 7 days a week till dusk.

Located two miles east of the village of Chipping,the Wild Boar park is a mini zoo and nature park with a variety of animals,wild flowers and trees.
The wild boar paddocks are the main attraction but there are also a number of other animals including Llamas,Deer,Wallabies,Birds and other small Mammals.There are several nature trails in the park with many wild flowers and trees and also local wildlife to look out for.
Facilities include a cafe,education centre,souvenier shop and washrooms,there is a large car park and a good childrens play area with slides and swings etc and plenty of benches and picnic tables as well.
The park will take a couple of hours to walk round and see everything so wear sensible footwear.A great day out for both adults and children.
The park covers some 65 acres,mainly woodland and caters for group visits and school partys.

Opening times:Easter till end of October-10.30am till 5.00pm
November till Easter-11.00am till 4.00pm

Prices:£4.50 for adults and £4.00 for children and OAPS

Sawley Abbey was an abbey of 'Cistercian' monks in the village of Sawley in the Forest of Bowland near the town of Clitheroe,Lancashire.It existed from 1147 until its dissolution in 1536,during the reign of 'King Henry VIII of all England,Ireland and France'.Its ruins are controlled by English Heritage and are open to the public,although not an extensive ruin there are boards on the site that give information regarding the history of the abbey and its former inhabitants.
Additionally parts of the church and refectory can still be seen.In March 2009 the abbey was featured in the T.V show'The Tudors'.It is a grade listed building and Scheduled Ancient Monument.Set on the banks of the Ribble River with a backdrop of dramatic hills it is a beautiful spot indeed.
The site is free entry and is open-Apr-Sep all week-10am till 6pm
Oct-Mar all week-10am till 4pm
closed over christmas and new year