The marina on the Lancaster canal at Garstang
STAGE 68 (W9) – GARSTANG TO ST MICHAEL’s on WYRE
5.5 miles – 2 hours walk
114 feet climbed – highest point 70 feet – Garstang
We exit Garstang via the Lancaster Canal with its impressive aqueduct and visit the charming village of Churchtown en route to St Michael’s on Wyre.
A map of Stage 68 can be found below courtesy of Ordnance Survey maps. You can subscribe yourself using this link, https://osmaps.ordnancesurvey.co.uk, which will enable you to import the GPX file which can be downloaded below.
Download file for GPS
To download the GPX file for this stage click on the link above.
From the Market Square continue straight on down the main street keeping the Royal Oak Hotel on your right. At the mini roundabout continue straight on and over the road bridge over the River Wyre. After crossing the bridge, cross over the road and enter the drive to the Cornmill Nursing Home. When you reach the front of the home bear left and head under the arch in the building which takes you to a car park at the back of the building. It is a public footpath so don’t worry! Continue straight on with the river to your right and exit the car park to a path along the riverbank. Go under the bridge and then immediately take the steps on your left to the top of the bridge, which is in fact an aqueduct taking the Lancaster Canal over the River Wyre. The Wyre Aqueduct is another built by John Rennie in 1797. It has a single span of 110ft and carries the canal 34ft above the river below. It is a magnificent structure and quite ornate compared with many other bridges along the canal.
The Wyre Aqueduct
Turn left and cross over the river. Continue for about 150m and find the footpath on your left clearly marked by a Wyre Way finger post sign. We will be taking this path but first you may want to go a little further on to see the pretty marina on the other side of the canal together with Th’Owd Tithe Barn pub. Whilst the canal was originally built to carry coal and limestone by the 1820s the canal company was operating a “fly” passenger service. It travelled at around 8mph taking 14 hours to travel from Preston to Kendal at a cost of three shillings! In its heyday it carried 30,000 passengers a year.
Return to the Wyre Way and follow the path past the school and then some houses. Just after the latter, the path heads up a steep slope to the main road. Turn left and follow the road briefly before crossing to the front of a farm (Cross House Fram). Turn right at the end of the farm buildings and follow the road away from the main road. Pass more farm buildings and then a wood and then turn left along a track. To your left you will be able to see a large wind turbine which provides power to the Dewlay Cheese factory next door. Continue straight on along the track and then enter a field straight ahead when the track turns left. Carry straight on and then into another field and look out for the gate to exit the field on to another track around the back of Kirkland Hall. On joining the track turn right and follow this as it then turns left and passes Kirkland Hall Farm. At the end of the buildings turn left again and follow the drive to the main road – A586.
Turn left and follow the main road to the Horns Inn on your right. Turn right and follow The Green into the centre of Churchtown. It is a lovely village with some pretty old cottages.
Churchtown cottages and Cross
At the cross turn left into Church Street and follow to the church – St Helens.
St Helen’s Church in Churchtown
It is a beautiful church and Grade I listed building with the oldest parts dating back to the 13th Century and is known as the Cathedral of the Fylde. You may want to enter the very enchanting graveyard and have a wander around.
The Cathedral of the Fylde
From the gated entrance to the church yard continue along the path around the boundary of the church and skirting the car park. Exit into the adjacent field besides the River Wyre. Follow the path along the flood embankment to the suspension footbridge over the river.
Suspension bridge over the River Wyre
However, do not cross but continue along the riverbank and then along the side of the Water Works. Continue along the footpath, which is still the Wyre Way. The path then returns to the riverbank. It is not well used and often overgrown and difficult under foot. The long grass can be annoying when wet! The path along the riverbank is interrupted by a small stream at Tyrer Bridge. The path then heads away from the river towards the road, where you can then cross the stream. Use the stile to pick up the path that heads back down the stream to the river and then continues down river along the top of an embankment. After about 400m, the route along the embankment is blocked although the OS Map shows the Wyre Way continuing on. At this point turn right, descend the embankment, cross the stile into the adjacent field and then head towards the road. Use the stile by the gate to cross over on to the road. Turn left and follow the road into the village of St Michael’s on Wyre. There is a pavement on the left-hand side for most of the way.
Continue along the main road through the village. Just after a turn-off on your left called The Oaks, you will come to Allotment Lane. Turn left here off the main road and the follow the lane to the river. When the road bends to the left towards the caravan park continue straight on through the gates up on to a path along the river. There is an option here to follow the path back upriver to see the confluence of the Wyre and Brock rivers. If you remember we followed the Brock from Bilsborrow inland towards Beacon Fell. However, you will return to this spot, so it is only optional but it does give good views back to Beacon Fell and the Bowland Fells.
The confluence of the Brock and Wyre at St Michael’s with the Bowland Fell’s in the distance
Then follow the path downstream, which brings you back to the main road by the side of a road bridge and impressive metal footbridge over the Wyre.
The Stage ends here.
END OF STAGE
Unfortunately, there are no shops in St Michaels so no opportunity to buy provisions. However, if you turn right and follow the main road for less than 100m you will come across the Grapes pub for refreshments and snacks.
If you turn left and go over the bridge, you will find St Michael’s on Wyre Parish Church. It is another Grade I listed building dating back to at least the 13th Century and was probably one of three churches in the old Hundred of Amounderness mentioned in the Domesday Book. The Chapel to the north of the church dates back to 1480 and the tower 1549. It houses three bells including one donated by a Lady Neufchatel in 1458! There is also an impressive granite war memorial outside the churchyard.
The Parish church at St Michael’s on Wyre
St Michael’s has a bus service – No 42 which links Blackpool with Lancaster. It passes through Garstang, which has links with Preston.
