If I was blindfolded and told to throw a dart on a map to decide a travel destination, seeing it land two miles from Nelson town centre wouldn’t fill me with hopes of a tranquil trip - but I’d be mistaken. Recently, on my travels, I think I may have found the true definition of every tourist board’s favourite term: a hidden gem. Roughlee – the hidden gem in question - benefits from being close enough to the Ribble Valley to provide classically pretty scenery, but also offers an off-the-beaten-track and rugged industrial past with it being the home of a former mill.
Approaching the small village of around 300 people from the west is the ultimate scenic drive; a misty vista littered with sprouts of grass and sheep adorning the narrow track. The approach into Roughlee (Image: NQ) Descending further into the Forest of Bowland takes you into Roughlee Booth, the parish in which its eponymous village is based. After parking up, the first thing that strikes you about Roughlee is the soundtrack of its ‘waterfall’ next to the road.
Despite the adjacent houses being named ‘Waterfall Cottages’, the stream cascading downwards is actually the result of a weir, a relic of the area’s bygone Judson’s Mill. Wherever you walk, the crashing water can be heard. It’s like someone is running a giant bath and left the tap on.
(Image: NQ) However, as relaxing as watching the weir is, it’s not the main activity I was there to do. In my opinion, a village isn’t a good one if i.