Inn at Whitewell

Today's the day ..................... to sit outside

Another glorious day today as we meandered our way home through the Forest of Bowland.

The name forest is used in its traditional sense of meaning 'a royal hunting ground' - and rather than being covered by trees, much of the land is heather moorland and blanket bog.  It survives as the north-western remainder of the ancient wilderness that once stretched over a huge part of England, encompassing the Forest of Bowland, Sherwood Forest, the New Forest and Savernake Forest.  In the past wild boar, deer, wolves, wild cats and game roamed the forest. Nowadays it is an important area for grouse shooting - and if you want to read about Will's views on that subject, look here!

Today though, it was all very civilised - and warm enough to sit out on the terrace of the Inn at Whitewell, one of our favourite places.  And down below us, on the gently meandering River Hodder, there were a couple of other visitors.  A pair of oystercatchers had obviously decided that spring was here - and it was time to leave their winter place on the coast, move inland and do a bit of family planning .........................