Explore Lune Valley by bus for just £1 from Lancaster

Buses are the most accessible form of public transport, connecting millions of us every day to work, education, healthcare, shops, friends and family.

They ensure everyone has access to life’s opportunities, including people who are older, younger, disabled or experiencing physical or mental health issues.

They are also great for the environment, the economy, the countryside and our health and wellbeing.

To celebrate Catch the Bus Month, the partnership is highlighting the bus links into and around the Forest of Bowland National Landscape, including the newly-reintroduced Bowland Bus service 11 linking Clitheroe, Dunsop Bridge, Slaidburn, Tosside, Settle and Horton-in-Ribblesdale on Monday to Saturday.

Other useful buses include service 5 running between Clitheroe, Whalley, Ribchester, Longridge and Chipping, with buses hourly or two-hourly on Monday to Saturday and every two hours on Sundays.

Buses 66, 66S and 67 together provide a daily service skirting Pendle Hill, running between Clitheroe, Waddington, Grindleton, Chatburn, Barley, Barrowford and Nelson.

In the Lune Valley, service 81 runs daily between Lancaster, Caton, Hornby, Wray, Wennington, Melling and Kirkby Lonsdale.

As part of a national initiative by the Department for Transport, all local bus fares are still no more than £2 per journey, with all bus fares in Lancashire just £1 on Sundays.

Lydia Horbury, bus users director for England said: “We are delighted that our National Landscapes are supporting this year’s Catch the Bus Month. Buses are accessible, sustainable and affordable, and getting more people on board reduces congestion leading to faster, more reliable bus services. Win-win!”

For walkers looking to explore Bowland by bus this autumn, the Festival Bowland events programme will be offering two opportunities next month, with a guided walk from Dunsop Bridge on Wednesday October 9 and another from Slaidburn on Thursday October 17.

Each of these challenging circular routes will be accessible via bus service 11. Bookings and further details are available from Mark Sutcliffe, by emailing [email protected].

A summary of the bus services in the Forest of Bowland area is online at https://www.forestofbowland.com/travel-information with timetable leaflets available from many local outlets.