ANGELA SWANN is hooked by the deep, dark history lurking beneath the very beautiful landscape of the Ribble Valley.

CLITHEROE, Pendleton, the Ribble Valley – up until a few weeks ago these were just names on signs that flashed past as I drove up or down the M6.

They certainly gave no clue to the enthralling mix of breathtaking scenery and turbulent history that awaited us when we were invited to spend a couple of nights off the beaten track at The Gibbon Bridge Hotel in Chipping.

Just minutes off the motorway near Garstang and my husband and I were heaving a sigh of relief as we left the stresses of urban life behind and found ourselves in the Forest of Bowland, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, complete with rolling hills, open moorland, dry stone walls and picturesque villages.

The hotel itself is privately owned by Janet Simpson who began the venture 30 years ago at the family farm with her mother. With an individuality you won’t find in many luxury hotels, our suite was magnificent and included a wood burner, French doors into a private garden, a whirlpool bath and an amazing Renaissance-style bed. With just a short time to sample the area’s attractions we set out, map and hotel trail guide in hand, to find out more about this relatively unknown and unspoilt slice of England.

After stopping at the top of nearby Longridge Fell to admire the view that on a clear day stretches as far as Blackpool Tower, winding lanes and Roman roads took us on a whistlestop tour of the Ribble Valley.

Charmed by villages such as Whalley, Pendleton and Ribchester, which nestles on the banks of the Ribble river and dates back to the days of the Roman Empire, the trail led us on to the friendly little market town of Clitheroe, where we stopped for a bite to eat, watched over by the Norman keep perched on a knoll above the High Street.

But what about that turbulent history, I hear you ask? And yes, so far, it’s all been a bit Last of the Summer Wine, but leave Clitheroe and head for great mass of Pendle Hill and things start to get interesting.

Hands up everyone who’s heard of the Pendle Witches Trial? Okay, that’s quite a few of you. Hands up everyone who knows what, where and when it happened? Uh-huh, neither did I.

Britain’s most notable witchcraft trial involved a group of people, mainly women, who lived in the shadow of Pendle Hill. The year was 1612, an era of religious persecution and superstition. James I was King, and feared rebellion having survived the Gunpowder Plot of 1605. His fear and anger brought with it harsh penalties for anyone keeping the Catholic faith and his suspicious nature led to an obsession with witchcraft.

Facing allegations of witchcraft and murder, the Pendle Witches, as they were known, were put on trial in Lancaster and found guilty.

On August, 20, 1612, the condemned prisoners were taken to the moors above the town and hanged.

With mystery still surrounding the allegations to this day, the Pendle Witches are a great of source of speculation and have fascinated generations of historians. We followed the lonely roads up Pendle Hill to Newchurch, where a famous shop sells witches on broomsticks and books of spells (I tried one, but sadly Simon Cowell still exists).

If you haven’t worked it out already this year is the 400th anniversary of the trial. Add to that the discovery in December in the village of Barley of a 17th century cottage complete with a cat skeleton bricked into the wall, which historians believe may have belonged to one of the Pendle Witches, and there’s never going to be a better time to visit the area.

You can follow the Pendle Witches Trail all the way to Lancaster, through places that feature in their history, but as we were running out of time and it was beginning to get dark and, frankly, a little bit spooky, we turned tail and headed back to the hotel.

After a day of roving across the countryside, Janet and her friendly team served up a delicious meal of locally-sourced food and we relaxed in front of the log burner feeling full and very pleased with ourselves.

Sadly, next day was too cold and wet for more than a cursory glance at the hotel’s beautiful gardens, where groups can dine with their own dedicated chef cooking at their table, and the recently added Victorian-style Orangery – so there’s nothing else for it, we’re going to have to hop on our broomsticks and head back when summer returns.

* The Gibbon Bridge Hotel, Green Lane, Chipping, Forest of Bowland, Preston, PR3 2TQ.

Call 01995 61456 or visit gibbon-bridge.co.uk Special New Year Offer – Stay a minimum of two nights from £75 per person, per night inclusive of dinner, bed and breakfast, based on two people sharing. Offer valid until April 9, 2012, and includes Easter Weekend.