Hesketh Bank Walks

9 miles (14.5 km)

This Lancashire based village is located between Southport and Preston on the lovely Ribble Estuary.
This circular walk from the village takes you along the River Douglas to visit RSPB Hesketh Out Marshes�Nature Reserve. The reserve lies just to the north of the village and is a great place to look out for a wide variety of birds.
The walk starts from The�West Lancashire Light Railway station at Becconsall. The narrow gauge railway includes seven steam locomotives.
Head north and then east and you can link up with a footpath along the River Douglas. After just over a mile you turn west to follow a footpath along Hesketh Out Marshes. The reserve sits on the Ribble Estuary, one of the best birdwatching sites in the country. Species include pink-footed geese and wigeons in winter, with big flocks of wading birds like redshanks and lapwings.

Hesketh Bank Ordnance Survey Map - view and print off detailed OS map

Hesketh Bank Open Street Map - view and print off detailed map

Hesketh Bank OS Map - Mobile GPS OS Map with Location tracking

Hesketh Bank Open Street Map - Mobile GPS Map with Location tracking

Walks near Hesketh Bank

Ribble Estuary - Explore the most important river estuary in the UK�on this coastal walk in Lytham St Annes
Lytham Hall - Enjoy a lovely stroll around the 78 acre grounds of Lytham Hall on this short walk in Lancashire
Southport - The seaside town of Southport has some lovely coastal trails to try
Preston Canal Walk - This walk takes you along the Lancaster Canal from Preston city centre to Haslam Park.
The begins at the start of the canal at Maudlands in Preston, just to the north west of the city centre and train station
Preston - The Lancashire city of Preston is in a great location for walkers
Sefton Coastal Footpath - This wonderful walk takes you from Crosby to Southport along the beautiful Sefton coastline.
The walk starts at Waterloo station in Crosby and heads to the coast via Crosby Marine Lake
Trans Pennine Trail - This terrific walking and cycling trail runs from coast to coast across northern England entirely on surfaced paths
Formby Beach - Explore the beaches, sand dunes and woodland in this beautiful nature reserve in Formby
Marton Mere - Enjoy a short walk around this pretty nature reserve near Blackpool
Mere Sands Wood - Follow the footpaths around this delightful nature reserve on this circular walk in Rufford, Lancashire
Ainsdale - This circular walk visits the Ainsdale National Nature Reserve on the Sefton coast
Martin Mere - This wonderful nature reserve near Southport has lots of nice footpaths to follow around the wetland habitat
Croston - This rural Lancashire village sits in a lovely spot on the River Yarrow
Ribble Way - Follow the River Ribble through the beautiful Ribble Valley from its mouth at Longton, near Preston, to the source at Gayle Moor in Yorkshire.
You start at Longton just to the west of Preston and follow the river through Ribchester and Clitheroe, before reaching Gisburn
Longton - This walk visits the Longton Brickcroft Nature Reserve in the Lancashire village of Longton.

Further Information and Other Local Ideas

To continue your walking in the area head south to Southport where you can pick up the popular Sefton Coastal Footpath and follow it to the Ainsdale Nature Reserve.
Just the east, on the opposite side of the River Douglas you'll find Longton and the Ribble Way. The riverside route starts at the river mouth here and runs through the valley to the source at Gayle Moor in Yorkshire. In Longton you can also pay a visit to the Longton Brickcroft Nature Reserve which includes picturesque ponds, pleasant footpaths and a visitor centre with displays about the reserve's habitats and wildlife.