So, this August bank holiday weekend we fancied doing something a bit different.
Whilst my husband’s leg was broken last year we stayed in one of Park Dean’s sites in Devon for a change of scenery and the static caravan was adequate and good value for money. We normally go camping over the bank holiday but decided to give it a rest this year – glad we did considering the rain we experienced!
We booked a ‘Kingfisher Lodge’ accommodation at Todber Valley Holiday Park near Clitheroe and Pendle. Our journey from Birmingham up to the park took in excess of four and a half hours, due to the traffic and heavy rain! Nevertheless we arrived at the park and were given our welcome pack with keys for the lodge.
Arriving at the lodge we were very pleasantly surprised. It was spotless, well appointed, modern two bedroom holiday home with an en-suite master bedroom, bathroom, open plan lounge / kitchen and verandah overlooking the valley, perfect for us and our friend Gina.
The high ceilings and large windows made the lodge feel much more luxurious than the static caravans many of us will know, and the price difference worked out at only £30 per head more for the stay.
As it was getting late, we unpacked, settled in with a glass of wine and spent the evening having a Raclette dinner – great sociable meal and ideal in inclement weather and playing games. We got ours from Andrew James – it’s the same as this one here.
The weather improved for Saturday, which we were incredibly pleased about as we had purchased a murder mystery treasure hunt game through a company called Treasure Trails. It was loosely based around the Pendle Witch Trials, and got us out and about driving and walking round Pendle and some of the neighbouring villages. The view from one of the roads on the side of Pendle Hill was just stunning and is unspoilt England at it’s best!
One of the villages we visited was Downham, the estate is owned by Lord and Lady Clitheroe and is incredibly pretty. The unspoilt nature of the village means it is often used as a filming location. There are no overhead cables, television aerials, satellite dishes, road markings or even signs to say you have arrived at the village. The BBC drama Born & Bred was filmed here in 2005, and the 1961 film Whistle Down the Wind was also filmed in the village.
Of course, we had to stop off at the historic Downham Arms for a well-earned half a pint to break up our journey! Cheers!
At £6.99 for a booklet you can download and print yourself or have posted this was a great way of getting us out and about, and to see some of the places that we wouldn’t have otherwise discovered.
We’ll definitely keep these activities in mind for future and I’ve bookmarked https://www.treasuretrails.co.uk/ to remind me to do this!
The weather remained kind to us on Saturday evening and we managed to have a BBQ at the lodge, and sit outside on the verandah.
Sunday morning and the rain had set in for the day! A lazy morning was therefore in order, so I visited the on-site shop for the Sunday papers for us to read before everyone’s weekend highlight – the Sunday Roast!
I’d researched local pubs beforehand and had seen the White Bull in nearby Gisburn was highly recommended, so booked us a table for 3:30pm – we had hoped to walk there but the rain put us off.
Arriving at the pub we were greeted by friendly smiles from the bar staff, offered a drink and shown to our table. The pub’s decor was very stylish and comfortable.
The special Sunday menu offered a good range of choice at decent prices at £15.95 for two courses. Starters included a classic prawn cocktail, avocado on toasted bread, garlic mushrooms, tagliatelle with crab and trout. Main courses included the traditional beef, pork or chicken roast as well as more exotic items such as Goan fish curry, and the pub classic fish and chips.
I opted for the tagliatelle starter, and, having spent over 110 nights on Italian cruise ships and countless nights in Italy, I’d like to think I know my pasta. This was cooked excellently, with a great balance of flavours, with plenty of fish. For my main course I had the Beef – a generous portion of tender meat, well presented with an extensive selection of fresh vegetables and a homemade Yorkshire pudding! Suffice to say there was no room for a dessert!
We’d all highly recommend the White Bull to anyone visiting the area.
After returning to the lodge, we spent the rest of the evening relaxing, watching TV, playing games and that good old pastime of drinking!
In all, we had a fantastic weekend, and would visit the area again. I hope this blog is helpful to anyone looking to travel to this beautiful part of the country.
Tim Thorpe Travels 
Looks fab Tim …. remember me next lol x
LikeLike