Historic Landscapes of Bowland and The Lune Valley

Trough of Bowland

Approaching the Trough from the south east

Many people mistakenly call the Forest of Bowland, the Trough of Bowland. Not appreciating that the Trough, which is one of the most visited sites in north-east Lancashire, is in fact the dramatic narrow, steep sided valley that was formed as a glacial melt water channel at the end of the last period of glaciation.

This is an area of upland moor, dominated by sheep pasture. In the medieval period Sykes, which stands in the bottom of the Trough, was the site of a vaccary or cattle ranch. Here cattle were looked after on behalf of the lord by vaccary workers, who grazed them on the upland moor and even grew crops on the fell top where there was sufficient sunlight to ripen them unlike the shadows of the steep sided Trough.