Clitheroe
Clitheroe is a historic market town at the centre of the Ribble Valley, well placed for exploring the surrounding countryside, including the Forest of Bowland National Landscape. With a wide range of places to stay—from traditional B&Bs to camping and caravan sites—it works well as a base for spending more time in this part of Lancashire. The town itself has deep roots, dating back to Saxon times, with layers of history still visible today.
Overlooking it all is Clitheroe Castle, a 12th-century Norman landmark often described as the smallest of its kind in England. Set within landscaped grounds, it’s home to a museum as well as gardens, walking routes and family-friendly features including a playground and labyrinth. From the castle, routes lead out into the surrounding area, while back in the town centre you’ll find a strong mix of specialist and independent shops, making it a popular place to browse as well as explore.
Find out more Visit Ribble Valley
Be Inspired
This is the year of the staycation and lucky for you there's plenty of options here in the red rose county! Take a look at some of the options
Calling all food lovers! We've put together a list of great places to eat across Lancashire that are either completely plant-based or have a fantastic vegan or vegetarian range of meals on their menu
Clitheroe Businesses
TASTE | Wet Weather
Boiler House Bowling
Never been duck pin bowling? It’s exactly like ten pin bowling, except the lanes and balls are smaller, making a strike even harder to achieve.
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Business Directory
Holmes Mill
The beautifully renovated former textiles mill is pretty hard to miss and is home to the fabulous new showcase and tasting parlour for Bowland Brewery the Beer Hall.
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Business Directory
Bowland Social at Holmes Mill
Opening soon. Bowland Social is a vibrant social playground, bringing together classic games, great food and drinks, and a lively atmosphere.
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Business Directory
Eight at Gazegill
Bask in the shadow of the iconic Pendle Hill with a range of menus, from brunch, to four-course fine dining set dinner menu.
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Family Friendly | History & Heritage
Holmes Mill
Based in the heart of Clitheroe, Holmes Mill is a unique celebration of Lancashire food, drink and entertainment.
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Business Directory
The Spread Eagle
With glorious views of the Ribble Valley countryside framed by picture windows that let the light flood in, chandeliers above the dance floor and feature fire places our Abbey Room is the perfect balance of grandeur and modern country charm.
Read MoreClitheroe Events
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Free
The Great Roman Amphora Hunt - Clitheroe Castle Museum
Date: 20th Jul 2026
Join our July archaeology challenge. Explore the museum galleries and help find the lost miniature Roman Amphoras. How many can you find? Enter our competition for a chance to be the lucky winner of a goody bag of great souvenirs from our shop.
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Events
Archaeology Crafts - Medieval Tiles and Roman Ships - Clitheroe Castle Museum
Date: 20th Jul 2026
Join us at Clitheroe Castle Museum every day in July for family fun and make something beautiful.Design and decorate your very own Medieval-style terracotta tile (£2.50) or wooden Roman ship (£4.00) Simply purchase from the main desk.
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History & Heritage
Neolithic Pottery Workshop and Talk at Clitheroe Castle
Date: 21st Jul 2026
Find out how this new material would have had a radical effect on how people lived their lives.
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Arts & Culture | History & Heritage
Junior Archaeologists Dig Pits at Clitheroe Castle
Date: 23rd Jul 2026
Celebrate the Festival of Archaeology 2026 and book your young archaeologists (age 7 years +) onto one of the kid's workshops,
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Free
Junior Archaeologists: Dig Pits - Clitheroe Castle Museum
Date: 23rd Jul 2026
Celebrate the Festival of Archaeology 2026 and book your young archaeologists (age 7+) onto one of our kid's workshops: Unearth and rebuild artefacts in our Dig Pit activity.Each young archaeologist will receive their very own certific...
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TASTE
Afternoon Cream Teas at St Paul`s
Date: 25th Jul 2026
Enjoy homemade scones with jam, cream, delicious refreshments, and a warm welcome.
Read MoreClitheroe Itineraries
Arts & Culture | History & Heritage | TASTE
Explore Lancashire Like King Charles III - A Royal-Inspired Day Out
Follow in the footsteps of the most recent visit to Lancashire by King Charles III on this royal itinerary
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Clitheroe Routes & Trails
Free | History & Heritage | Outdoors
The Tolkien Trail - in the Footsteps of J.R.R. Tolkien
Duration2 hours 30 mins
Distance5.5 miles
Many areas in the UK claim to have inspired J.R.R Tolkien creation of middle earth but the author certainly spent a lot of his time at Stonyhurst College working on The Lord of the Rings during the Second World War.
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