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Wigan Flashes National Nature Reserve

0.75 miles (1.2 km)

Ordnance Survey Map Open Streetmap This walk explores the Wigan Flashes National Nature Reserve in the town of Wigan, Greater Manchester.
The reserve includes a series of large lakes and some easy trails along the Leeds and Liverpool Canal. Habitats at the site include reedbed, fen, rough grassland, wet woodland and scrub.
It's great for wildlife with great crested grebe, bittern, heron, reed buntings, willow tits, reed warblers, sedge warblers, common terns and water rails to look out for. Flora includes lilac, marsh helleborine, orchids and evening primrose.
To continue your walking in the area follow the canal south to visit Pennington Flash Country Park.

Postcode

WN3 5UF - Please note: Postcode may be approximate for some rural locations

Please click here for more information

Wigan Flashes OS Map Ordnance survey map - Mobile GPS OS Map with Location tracking

Wigan Flashes Open Street Map Open Streetmap - Mobile GPS Map with Location tracking

Dog Walking

The reserve is a lovely place for a dog walk. Please keep them under control because of the wildlife.

Further Information and Other Local Ideas

To extend the walk follow the canal south east for a few miles and you could visit Pennington Flash Country Park in Leigh. The expansive park has more fine lakeside trails, paths along the Bridgwater Canal, an information centre, mobile cafe and nine hole golf course.

Photos

Footpath at Wigan Flashes - geograph.org.uk - 927697

Footpath at Wigan Flashes. Scotman's Flash in the distance. In 2022 the site was formally declared a National Nature Reserve (NNR) by Natural England bringing Wigan Council, Lancashire Wildlife Trust and Forestry England together to protect 738.21 hectares of wetlands.

Pearson's Flash - geograph.org.uk - 927688

Pearson's Flash

Heron at Wigan Flashes - geograph.org.uk - 2642209

Heron at Wigan Flashes

Leeds and Liverpool Canal at Wigan Flashes - geograph.org.uk - 933511

Leeds and Liverpool Canal at Wigan Flashes

Video

GPS Files

GPX File

Wigan Flashes.gpx (On Desktop:Right Click>Save As. On Ipad/Iphone:Click and hold>Download Linked File)