Bowland Fell Park

HERE IS A REVIEW FROM ISSUE 58 OF THE DOGFRIENDLY MAGAZINE BY EVIKA KIENE You can subscribe to the magazine here "Allowing yourself time to recharge is absolutely essential for your wellbeing and we were extremely lucky to find a place like Bowland Fell Park situated in an area of great natural beauty - The Yorkshire Dales. It has been a few years since the last time we visited this stunning location but we knew that we won`t be leaving disappointed. Needless to say, there are lots of dog-friendly things to do in the Yorkshire Dales and the Bowland Fell Park is an excellent choice as a base for exploring some spectacular and unusual natural features, such as Malham Cove Gordale Scar near Malham or dramatic waterfalls hidden in deep wooded ravines at Ingleton. On the day of arrival, we decided to explore one of the most popular scenic locations in the national park - Malham cove. It is a huge curving amphitheatre shaped cliff formation of limestone rock which was carved by a waterfall carrying meltwater from glaciers at the end of the last Ice Age. What an amazing place - it's easy to forget we've got such awesome natural wonders right here in the UK! We parked in a Malham and just a short walk half a mile to the north of the village on a good foot path led us to the foot of the Cove with massive cliffs soaring above us. We had the whole place to ourselves so our dogs could have a good off-lead sniff around the area. After 400 steps we got to the top of the cove to see the fascinating geological phenomenon - impressive limestone pavement with fantastic views to the Dales beyond, but don`t get too distracted as the limestone pavement gets really slippery when wet and the circular route has few stiles which are a bit harder to walk with your pooch. Malham Cove was also featured in several TV episodes with "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" being the most popular. Although Harry and Hermione was seen setting up a camp it is forbidden to camp on top of the Cove, but there are plenty of campsites around Malham and it is only half an hour`s drive from Bowland Fell. The Malham Cove elicits a magical feeling so it is a great day trip not only for Harry Potter fans. After a good few hours walking and admiring the majestic natural beauty it was time to finally beat the mud of the boots and relax in our luxury apartment. We found the park easily and after picking up the keys and a welcome pack with all the necessary information about the surrounding area - we were ready to enjoy the rest of the evening. One of the four splendid apartments "Rahmell" (as we later found out is named after one of the nearby villages), was situated on the second floor and as soon as we opened the doors we were blown away by the impressive size of it. High ceilings gave us immediate sense of air, space and light but it was surprisingly warm all the way till our check out. Secluded hallway with glass walls was an excellent design example as we could clean up the dogs and leave our dirty boots before we enter the apartment. Fully equipped kitchen with every utensil I could imagine helped us make some tasty meals to enjoy at the dinner table in the open space living/dining room. Even the dogs were provided with water bowls and their own bed, but what surprised me the most was how much effort was put in to help us enjoy our stay. We have stayed in hundreds of other hotels and holiday parks, but the Bowland Fell Park had left a printed walk descriptions with maps and all the surrounding dog-friendly places and activities so we wouldn`t need to worry about anything. The next morning started with good breakfast that came with tea, coffee, fresh milk in a glass bottle, several brand cereals, bread, butter, most delicious jam and biscuits for our dearest four-legged travel companions. Not that they didn`t fancy a piece of those appetizing toasts their humans were having. The best thing about self-catering holidays is that you don`t need to worry about setting on an alarm or missing your breakfast when you just can`t leave that warm and comfortable bed in the morning, `cause you can make it yourself or pre-book it from the hotel as we did - for hassle free start of the day. After a short stroll around the park`s grounds admiring prey bird display on the site and stretching all of our 12 legs, we were ready to seize the day and as our first point of interest we chose the nearby stunning piece of architecture and engineering - The Ribblehead Viaduct. You an easily access it by parking in the many lay-bys on the side of the road free of charge. There is a walking trail which goes past the viaduct and leads to many lovely views including a bridge, aqueduct and waterfall. You can also walk up to it to admire the structure and if you are fortunate enough you can also spot a steam train! Although the sights were spectacular, the weather did not want to co-operate so we opted not to go for a long walks in a drenching rain - instead we decided to explore the historic market town Settle. The town is full of quality independent shops, dog friendly cafes, inns and restaurants which means some shelter from the rain while waiting for clearer skies. Once we realised the fact that we probably won`t stay dry for much longer we headed to Ingleton for a 4 and a half mile Ingleton Waterfall trail with the recommended route starting out up the River Twiss and returning via the River Doe via a series of spectacular waterfalls, through ancient woodland and beautiful Yorkshire Dales scenery. Only £7 per person it makes it an affordable option for a lovely day out. I have to say it is a moderate challenge, with plenty of steps to get up and down adjacent to the waterfalls, but it’s constantly well maintained and as you would expect - a lot busier in good weather. In the warmer months they have two refreshment stations on the circuit, with toilets at the second one, along with a nice cafe at the start before the car park. Whoever told you not to go chasing waterfalls didn’t know how stunning the waterfalls around the Yorkshire Dales are! The Ingleton Waterfalls Trail is also home to a big felled tree trunk covered in coins, some even centuries old, knocked in with stones by passers-by who hope it will bring them good fortune. If there would be any spaces left we would try it ourselves for sure! Money or Wishing Trees as they are also know as can be found from the Peak District to the Scottish Highlands, but the one in Ingleton is so dazzling that even our beagle Boo jumped on it waiting for his picture to be taken! Few hours of hiking and we were all craving a decent size hot meal so The Boar`s Head in Long Preston warmly welcomed us despite the muddy boots and paws with a complementary biscuit for the hounds. After a long and a bit tiring day we were really looking forward to coming back to the Bowland Fell park to finally sink into the sofa, have a warm cup of tea and get lost in a movie. Couldn`t have wished for a cosier place than this! Usually we need to `take a holiday after our holiday` but this time we felt so relaxed and at ease that we could just carry on with the work and our daily tasks. We`ll certainly return when we will be ready to conquer the 3 highest peaks of Yorkshire in a 12h challenge as the Bowland Fell Park offers a great accommodation close to all of the starting points and what`s most important - you can truly feel like at home!"