Two-day celebration of inclusivity in countryside to be held at Gisburn Forest

THE Forest of Bowland National Landscape and Access the Dales will host a two-day celebration of inclusivity in the countryside.

Access for All: A Celebration of What's Possible, will be held on June 25 and 26 at Gisburn Forest, a Forestry England site in the Forest of Bowland.

This free event is aimed at organisations, businesses and individuals delivering Access for All opportunities who would like to share best practice and engage in inclusive activities in an outdoor setting.

Access For All sessions will be held at Gisburn Forest in June. (Image: UGC)

The first day will include a series of workshop sessions led by subject specialists, delivered in the beautiful woodland setting at Gisburn Forest.

Topics and discussion with focus on tourism and accessibility, autism, mental health and inclusivity in the outdoors as well as an introductory session to British Sign Language.

Evening festivities will include casual conversations, music and a campfire and a guided evening bat walk will be available for those interested in exploring the forest after dark.

On the second day, opportunities will be extended to the public (via invitation) to partake in a range of outdoor activities.

These will include forest bathing, bushcraft, yoga, a navigation workshop, an alpaca experience and a foraging and wellbeing wander.

A variety of all-terrain wheelchair providers will be attending and will be bringing a wide range of vehicles for delegates to try. These include: TGA, TerrainHopper, Tramper, Mountain Trike and Paratreker.

To find out more about the sessions and secure a free place at forestofbowland.com/access-all-event

Sarah Dornan, countryside access officer for the Forest of Bowland National Landscape, said: “It’s about providing opportunities for as many people as possible in the outdoors, and events like this provide a wonderful opportunity for organisations and businesses to come together and share experiences and best practice.

“We are delighted to showcase what is on offer in Bowland and that we can offer this event to people for free, which is being made possible via DEFRA Accessibility Funding.”

In the last six months, the Forest of Bowland National Landscape has partnered with Access the Dales to explore making the inaccessible accessible and to break down the barriers that prevent people living with disabilities from enjoying the great outdoors, either independently or with their friends and family.

There are several hub locations in the National Landscape where all-terrain wheelchairs are free to hire and can be used along designated trails – including Dunsop Bridge, Whitewell, Gisburn Forest Hub and Sabden.

For further information visit forestofbowland.com/access-bowland