Explore Bickershaw Country Park - Part of the Flashes National Nature Reserve
Bickershaw Country Park is one of the clusters of sites that is part of the Flashes of Wigan and Leigh National Nature Reserve, located between Bickershaw village and Westleigh on the former Bickershaw Colliery. It is a 247-hectare haven for wildlife, comprising of extensive grasslands, woodlands, and scrubland.
Boasting 8 km of surfaced footpaths, with an additional 7km of unsurfaced paths, it has a number of large water bodies including “slow the flow” meandering wetland areas devoted to natural flood alleviation to local properties.
Wildlife highlights include willow tits, kingfisher, heron and jack snipe. Roe deer can be seen hiding in the woodlands and buzzard, kestrel and sparrow hawk can often be observed hunting over the grasslands for small mammals like field voles.
Learn about the Fenscape [hyperlink to success stories Fenscape] and national innovation in reedbed and wetland improvements.
Activities on site include walking, cycling and horse riding. Dogs are welcome so long as they are kept under control. The large waterbodies are fished by the Leigh District Anglers. The country park is owned by Wigan Council and managed by Lancashire Wildlife Trust with an active facebook community [hyperlink (5) Bickershaw Project | Facebook]
Bickershaw Country Park (north) Smiths Lane (B5237), Bickershaw, Leigh, WN2 4XR.
Bickershaw Country Park (south) Fir Tree Flash – track at junction of Edna Road and Ena Crescent, Westleigh, Leigh WN7 5ET.
Useful info
There is a car park at Edna Road, and road parking near the Smiths Road and Plank Lane entrances. Activities on site include walking, cycling and horse riding. Dogs are welcome so long as they are kept under control. The large waterbodies are fished by the Leigh District Anglers and information can be found on their website.
Address
Fir Tree Flash, Edna Road, Wigan Road, Westleigh, WN7 5ES
