VISIT ● Views over the River Douglas that passes near to the Canal. VISIT Sefton and West Lancs are continuing ROUTE DESCRIPTION ● Dean Wood Lock House – a lovely cottage positioned to develop the cycling offer within and beside a large lock system, once a toll collection point. around the area by building on the existing 1 Starting by the Carousel on Southport Promenade carefully ● Just outside Gathurst on the far side of the Canal is potential. cross the road and head off to your right. Continue along The Otters Croft Wood, a fine oak woodland, formerly part of the Co-ordinated packages of activities, Promenade until you reach Coronation Walk, just past the Standish Hall Estate. Not open to the public but a wonderful promoting and marketing the wider area, Royal Clifton Hotel, where you turn left. variety of birds, plants and wildlife can still be seen from are continually being developed. the towpath. 2 At the end of Coronation Walk you come to the famous Lord ● Crooke Marina, just before you reach the quaint For information on any upcoming events Street, the home of elegant shopping in classic Victorian surround- and other cycle routes see our website Crooke Village. Maybe an ideal place to stop for a while. ings, cross the road here and enter Portland Street. Continue straight www.visitseftonandwestlancs.co.uk ● Scott Lane Ponds, a wide expanse of reed beds and small ahead for approximately 1 mile, carefully crossing the railway at the pools, next to the JJB Stadium. CYCLE ROUTES level crossing and then Cemetery Road at the traffic signals. This route is a collaboration between 33 At the end of Portland Street you enter the playing fields and SOUTHPORT Visit and Wigan Council, together with follow the cycle path out towards Town Lane Kew. Southport combines beautiful beaches, family attractions and the the Canal and River Trust. It is part of 44 On reaching Town Lane Kew turn left and continue ahead, UK’s oldest iron pier with fantastic shopping and great cycle hire to the National Cycle Network, route passing the front entrance of Southport Hospital and then turn left explore the area. Southport has over 20 miles of unspoilt coastline number 562. If you enjoy this route and the largest area of undeveloped sand dunes in the UK. along the cycle path through the Hospital grounds. On exiting With extensive Pine woods, miles of coastal walks and several why not try one of the series of the Hospital grounds follow the cycle track to the right and cross themed cycle routes in Sefton and impressive parks and gardens it’s the perfect place to unwind West Lancashire. Scarisbrick New Road at the crossing point. and recharge your batteries. They are suitable for families and the 55 Continue ahead on the cycle path across Meols Park, cross There are now 10 themed routes for you to enjoy, most start in less experienced cyclists. Meols Cop Road at the controlled crossing and then continue ahead Southport, however, there are routes in Formby, Maghull and Crosby alongside Fine Janes Book until you reach Foul Lane. Turn right here and these are easily accessible by train. You can also take your bike CYCLE HIRE and continue on Foul Lane until you reach Scarisbrick New Road free of charge and without booking on the Merseyrail network. If you are visiting Sefton and West Lancs (A570). Bear left at the roundabout to join Scarisbrick New Road and BURSCOUGH and you don’t have your bike, you can after a short distance join the cycletrack. Burscough Wharf re-opened its doors to the paying public in still enjoy our range of themed routes February 2011 and is fast becoming the new focal point for both 66 Continue along the cycle track until you reach Pool Hey Lane by hiring a bike at one of our cycle hire the local community and the residents of the surrounding villages. centres or docking stations throughout where you turn left. Continue ahead, cross at the level crossing, and Centered around food and drink, arts and crafts, the creative the area. A wide range of bikes are turn right into Wyke Cop Road at the T junction. You should by now industries, fashion and the community thousands of people visited available for all the family. be seeing some of the beautiful views across the ‘Moss’s’ and the to see West Lancashire’s newest retail and leisure development. For further information or to pre-book, ever changing scenery of the farmland of West Lancashire. WIGAN please contact the cycle hire staff 77 Turn left into Woodmoss Lane and then Drummersdale Lane Wigan is blessed with so much green space and cycling is a great or see the website. until you turn left into Merscar Lane at Smithy Lane ends. way to get round and see it all. It is home to a number of other 01704 500996. Continuing along here bear right into Martin Lane. On reaching wonderful routes for you to enjoy, including from Wigan Pier you [email protected] the left hand bend in the road you continue ahead into Gorst Lane can connect with the Greenheart of the borough – a superb www.southportcyclehire.info to access the towpath of the Leeds Liverpool Canal. network of paths, wetlands, grasslands, nationally improved habitats, recreational facilities, restored canals and public rights 88 Now you can enjoy the towpath for the remainder of the of way that covers an area of 57sq.km. journey into Wigan. Wigan Flashes is within easy reach of Wigan Town Centre and offers many recreational facilities for visitors of all ages and the There are a number of lovely places to visit along the way, site is nationally important for birds making it very popular with easily accessible from the Canal, take the opportunity to get off nature enthusiasts and bird watchers. your bike, relax and have some refreshment. HRH the Duke of Gloucester visited Wigan as part of the Diamond Here are a few of the wonderful things you can see: Jubilee celebrations in 2012 and dedicated over 35 kilometres of ● Southport – a wonderful classic resort with something off-road recreational routes as the Jubilee Way from Red Rock at for all the family to enjoy. Haigh in the North West to Leigh and Astley in the east. ● Town Lane Community Woodlands – Haigh Hall Country Park is a great day out for all the family, part of the Forestry Commission’s Newlands project. featuring nature trails, a craft gallery, miniature railway, a café, ● Burscough Wharf – the mid point of the ride golf complex and play zone, all located within 2.5 miles from the • Easy/moderate centre of Wigan. and a wonderful complex of cafes and bars • Mostly off road ● A number of wonderful visitor attractions are within NOTE: the canal towpath changes sides along the way, this map may not Visit – easy reach of Burscough, as shown on the map overleaf. definitively show the correct side of the canal it is on. • Distance 21 miles Visitors in Sustainable Inte- ● The Ship at Lathom – A short detour up Wheat Lane grated Transport For further information please visit the following websites: • Time approx 3 hours Funded by the Department takes you to a lovely pub that welcomes walkers and cyclists www.visitseftonandwestlancs.co.uk for Transport through the alike. Dogs are also welcome. Local Sustainable Transport Fund www.wigan.gov.uk www.tfgm.com/cycling Southport CChurchtownhurchtown Golf Links 7 INTERESTING STOPS ALONG THE ROUTE MarineMarine LakeLake HeskethHesketh ParkPark 1 Martin Mere 1 Southport Pier 2 Windmill Animal Farm PrincesPrinces PParkark Southport WykeW Ln Old Links y 3 Leisure Lakes k e 3 L MMeolseols CopCop n 4 Mere Sands Wood Nature Reserve NCN 2 MeolsM Cop Rd Low Wood e Spring 62 SouthportSouthport o 5 Rufford Old Hall l Wood A570 Scarisbrick New Rd s NCN B5208B C HolmswoodHo Rd 5 o lmsw 2 p ood 5 6 Burscough Wharf 0 Rd 8 R 91 WeW d d Carousel at Southporteldl Rd R 5 d y RRuffordufford Rd er 4 7 Botanic Gardens eteryet Rd em CemC Mere Sands 8 Scarisbrick Marina BirkdaleBirkdale Ln 2 Wood 5 3 w Ke ey 6 ne H d 5 l WykeW Cop Rd 9 Fettlers Wharf & St Marys Marinas a A570A o R L o A565A n 5 PoolP Hey Ln w y 7 h TownTo Lane Kew 7 s k 0 i e FishF Rd 10 Haigh Hall and Country Park NCN C WoodmossW Ln 4 oo o dm p o 91 ss BescarBescar LaneLane n 11 Wigan Flashes 6 R L L n d y RuffordR Rd Mawdesley BirkdaleB Cop TarlscoughT Ln a u AinsdaleAinsdale i a ff rk A570A rls w d 5 DrummersdaleDr c e o NCN a 7 u ou s r l 0 m g u d n e m 1 h L C e L a R y r n o s n CausewayC Ln e 91 d L d l p a t le s n JacksmereJac Ln LLn s eentley ksm n o B e MossM L re RedR Cat Ln Ln h s e r d NCN a HallH Rd MarshM C a a 562 t n ll L BanB R L s ScarisbrickScarisbrick NNewew LLaneane n s a NewN Ln n d o nistern Ln NewNe e MossM Ln is w w te Dam Wood r WrightingtonWrightington M6 CCut u rscar Ln L 8 BBurscoughurscough BBridgeridge Ln t LLn MerscarMe Ln st Ln n n GorstGor Ln R obino Ln d b R in Paddock eess Rd 6 d L Wood la n BBlad es Such Hey an HighHigh MMoor Ln 8 HHoscaroscar WanesW oor Ln Wood HeatonsH Bridge Higgin’sH Ln SouthportS Rd e iggi o a n’s t Ln 7 u o 4 t n BurscoughBurscough JJunctionunction NCN h s 1 p 5 B o ri A5147A r d n 55 t g re L R e ua RRd SquareSq Ln ParboldParbold HHillill d d PParboldarbold BurscoughBurscough 562 209 HallHall LnLn A5209A A5209A5 52 N M 09 Ln M rse oount Ln ou Ln u CourseC Ln AlderAlder Ln Standish Court n t n Golf Club HalsallHalsall L 9 e L n 5 th Ln A59A BlytheBly Ln ck BackBa Ln Cobb’sC Brow Ln A570A Delf Wood o 5 b 10 Hall Ln H Hall 7 Ln Hall NCN 0 b a ’s l AppleyAppley BBridgeridge l B 91 L Five Acre r o n Wood w Rams Close n L L y M6 Ln Ormskirk n Wood Wigan Pier e ark Golf Course l DarkD Ln p p AppleyA Ln OOrmskirkrmskirk