Glamping with hot tubs near Blackburn
Lonesome moors dotted by campsites reveal Blackburn’s natural beauty.
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Glamping with hot tubs near Blackburn guide
Overview
At first glance, the big textile town of Blackburn appears to have little to offer outdoor enthusiasts. But captivating countryside erupts immediately outside town, with the Leeds & Liverpool Canal and Witton Weavers Way providing two green links to more rural areas. Exposed moors criss-crossed by walking trails await within the West Pennine Moors and Forest of Bowland, while nearby Ribble Valley connects charming villages and historic sites while being overlooked by more hilly moors. Campers should make for the Ribble Valley village of Langho or the town of Clitheroe for pitches by a latticework of lovely walking routes.
Where to go
Forest of Bowland AONB
The Forest of Bowland is primarily made up of lonely moors and fells soaring above Blackburn to the north. Hurst Green, nine miles from Blackburn, is the closest AONB town, from where campers can explore via Ribble Valley Jubilee Trail. Clitheroe is the handiest place with campsites.
West Pennine Moors
A nationally little-known area of stark moorland, the West Pennine Moors are an upland outlier of the Pennine Range. Lower-lying than the main Pennine Hills, they nevertheless feel wild in many places. This is the closest real countryside to Blackburn, swooping up beyond Darwen, four miles south. The Witton Weavers Way is a handy trail for discovering the reservoir-dotted moors on foot. Campsites are scarce though—the nearest is on the west side of the moors near Chorley.
Ribble Valley
Northeast of town, the Ribble Valley is the name of the hilly land surrounding the sinuous River Ribble and the area around Clitheroe, 10 miles from Blackburn. The Ribble Valley Jubilee Trail, a circular three-day trek also running through the Forest of Bowland AONB, begins at Whalley and delineates the region’s southeast side closest to Blackburn. Clitheroe has a couple of campsites, and you can pitch in the shadow of barren legend-entrenched Pendle Hill too.
Ribble Estuary
Head west from Blackburn for 13 miles and you’ll reach Penwortham, from where footpaths fan out along the Ribble Estuary, one of England’s largest saltmarshes. It’s an outstanding area for wildlife-watching, especially for wildfowl, as half the estuary is protected as an NNR. The estuary south of the river features numerous hiking trails, including the tail-end of the Ribble Way, as well as hides for bird-spotting and camping overlooking the marshes at Hergest Bank.
When to go
Winters last a long time and summers are mild in Blackburn. July and August get the maximum average temperatures (19°C) and coincide with the summer school holidays: the busiest time in the surrounding countryside destinations. April and May get the least rainfall and make the best hiking months. Winter and spring are best for birdwatching on the Ribble Estuary. May brings Darwen Live nearby, the UK’s biggest free music festival.
