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
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
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
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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Business Directory
Stirk House Hotel
One of the most special days of your lives requires a venue to suit and there's nowhere quite like Stirk House
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History & Heritage | Family Friendly | Arts & Culture
Browsholme Hall
The ancestral home of the Parker Family, Bowbearers of the Forest of Bowland who have lived there since 1507.
Read MoreClitheroe Events
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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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Events
Castle Crafts - Medieval Shields - Clitheroe Castle Museum
Date: 13th Aug 2026
Unleash your creativity and learn about the knights of yore with this guided craft activity where you can paint your own medieval shield!Using a template, you'll be provided with colours to design your own shield to take home, while le...
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Events
Castle Crafts - Anglo-Saxon Brooches - Clitheroe Castle Museum
Date: 6th Aug 2026
Delve back in time and make your very own Anglo-Saxon Brooch in this guided craft activity. Learn more about the Saxons and their flair for fashion.Using a template and craft material provided, you will be able to decorate a Saxon broo...
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Events
Castle Crafts - Illuminated Keepsake Book Boxes - Clitheroe Castle Museum
Date: 27th Aug 2026
Decorate your own keepsake box to look like a medieval book and finish it with an Illuminated Letter. See examples of medieval illuminated lettering and the beautiful designs used in manuscripts, and learn fun facts about medieval writing as you c...
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Events
Junior Archaeologists: Medieval Tile Pottery Workshop - Clitheroe Castle Museum
Date: 30th Jul 2026
Celebrate the Festival of Archaeology 2026 and book your young experimental archaeologists (age 7+) onto one of our kid's activities.Have a play with some clay and roll-out and then decorate a tile in the medieval style in this pottery...
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Events
Junior Archaeologists: Neolithic Pottery Workshop - Clitheroe Castle Museum
Date: 30th Jul 2026
Celebrate the Festival of Archaeology 2026 and book your young archaeologists (age 7+) onto one of our pottery workshops.Discover the prehistoric past through pottery. Get messy with some clay and learn about the invention of pottery f...
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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