The Pennine Lancashire area has a great reputation and rich history of good food. With Stanley House Hotel in Mellor, Northcote Manor and the fantastic Inn at Whitewell among many more, there are enough hearty culinary offerings to keep you warm in those hills.
And to celebrate this rich heritage, the whole district has got together and is putting on a month long food festival. On from August 17 right through to September 17, the festival promises more then 60 events touring 600 square miles of fantastic food and culture - including its famous gravy wrestling (pictured).
This year is the fourth festival and even has Prince Charles supporting them. Last year saw more than 100,000 people visit the festivities, and hopefully even more people will flock to the area this year.
Last Friday (August 7) saw the official launch of the festival, with speeches from from Councillor Gordon Birtwistle, leader of Burnley Borough Council, Nigel Haworth, owner of Northcote group and Tony Openshaw, marketing director from Lancashire and Blackpool Tourist Board.
The packed programme features a line-up of heritage properties preparing to host events including Medieval Markets at Clitheroe Castle, Roman Feasting in Ribchester, Victorian Teas at Turton Tower, Edwardian Treats and Tiffany Glass at the Howarth Gallery, Tosca (with summer strawberries) at Towneley Hall, Witchesâ Banqueting in Pendle and a Glitzy Gala Dinner at the Grand Theatre Clitheroe.
Other highlights include festival markets, ale trails, brewery tours, mushroom hunts, culinary canal cruises, pony trekking picnics, ghost-walk suppers and âgrow your ownâ food workshops, while the hotly anticipated and hugely popular World Gravy Wrestling Championships will be back with a bang (and a splat!) in Bacup.
Festival programmes will be available at Pennine Lancashireâs Tourist Information Centres and online at www.penninelancashirefestivals.com
Tickets will be on sale at, Blackburn Visitor Centre 01254 688 040, Discover Pendle Centre 01282 856 186, Burnley TIC 01282 664 421, Hyndburn Information Centre 01254 872 595, Ribble Valley TIC 01200 425 566 and Rossendale Information Centre 01706 227 911.
The festival enquiry line is 01706 829 432.