1 week Ago
If I was blindfolded and told to throw a dart on a map to decide a travel destination, seeing it land two miles from Nelson town centre wouldn’t fill me with hopes of a tranquil trip - but I’d be mistaken. Recently, on my travels, I think I may have found the true definition of every tourist board’s favourite term: a hidden gem. Roughlee – the hidden gem in question - benefits from being close enough to the Ribble Valley to provide classically pretty scenery, but also offers an off-the-beaten-track and rugged industrial past with it being the home of a former mill.
Approaching the small village of around 300 people from the west is the ultimate scenic drive; a misty vista littered with sprouts of grass and sheep adorning the narrow track. The approach into Roughlee (Image: NQ) Descending further into the Forest of Bowland takes you into Roughlee Booth, the parish in which its eponymous village is based. After parking up, the first thing that strikes you about Roughlee is the soundtrack of its ‘waterfall’ next to the road.
Despite the adjacent houses being named ‘Waterfall Cottages’, the stream cascading downwards is actually the result of a weir, a relic of the area’s bygone Judson’s Mill. Wherever you walk, the crashing water can be heard. It’s like someone is running a giant bath and left the tap on.
(Image: NQ) However, as relaxing as watching the weir is, it’s not the main activity I was there to do. In my opinion, a village isn’t a good one if it hasn’t got a good boozer. Pendleton has The Swan with Two Necks, Downham boasts the brilliant Assheton Arms, Hurst Green has the historic Shireburn Arms, what can Roughlee bring to the table? The Bay Horse Inn.
(Image: NQ) The houses dubbed 'Waterfall Cottages' Unbeknownst to me, I’d apparently sampled its carvery while a small child – back when only three courses would fill me up. First and foremost, it’s a great pub: a fireplace, good real ale selections, decent beer garden. All essentials ticked off.
The bar even serves the area’s finest beer from Bowland Brewery – our equivalent of sipping Tuscan wine on the Italian Riviera, only a pint in Roughlee is much better. (Image: NQ) While it was only 2pm on a Tuesday, I can imagine on a Friday night the pub is packed out with locals, I’ll be sure to return and try some of the food at a later date. Strolling back on myself, the area’s history was on show again – this time with more of a sinister theme.
(Image: NQ) Alongside the weir, the statue of ‘Alice’ the persecuted ‘witch’ adds a distinct touch of the past to Roughlee. Built to commemorate Alice Nutter, a wealthy woman and member of a noble land-owning family in Pendle, who was hanged in 1612 for witchcraft during the Pendle Witch Hunt. (Image: NQ) In the most unlikely of connections, a member of the band Chumbawamba, from Burnley, famous for ‘Tubthumping’ – or as it’s commonly known, the ‘I get knocked down, but get back up again song’ – changed her name to Alice Nutter in honour of the 17th-century woman.
(Image: NQ) Roughlee really must be one of the best places to live in Lancashire, how many places in the county can you wander past a waterfall on the way back from having a pint? I think people need to start venturing out to Pendle and the more overlooked parts of East Lancashire. Since I visited the Trawden Forest in October, I’ve really begun to see what the more overlooked parts of our county have to offer. And the best part is, you’re not swamped with other tourists or slapped with price hikes like when you visit the more popular haunts.
.
