Stage 62 Alternative (W3A)

ALTERNATIVE STAGE 62 (W3) – LYTHAM TO KIRKHAM via Freckleton

11 miles – 4 hours walk

200 feet climbed – highest point 79 feet in Kirkham

This alternative Stage begins in Lytham as well as the actual stage but then continues along the Lancashire Coastal Way to Freckleton rather than cutting inland directly to Kirkham. It can be muddy but has decent views of the Ribble Estuary and gives glimpses of the Warton airbase. Freckleton is pleasant too with one very poignant story from its past.

 

A map of Alternative Stage 62 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.

 

Begin the Stage by following the actual Stage W3 as far as Lytham Dock. The actual stage continues east along Lytham Road and then turns left up Lodge Lane. This alternative stage takes the footpath on the right just after crossing the bridge over the water on which the “docks” are sited.

Climb up to the top of the flood embankment and follow this for about a mile as it winds its way between farmland on your left and the mud flats to your right. The latter are part of the Ribble Estuary National Nature Reserve and is one of the largest saltmarsh habitats in England. It supports over 250,000 ducks, geese, swans and wading birds with 16 species of wintering birds. In the summer there are numerous birds that nest here including common terns, redshanks, skylarks, meadow pipit and linnet. NB Access is restricted.

When you come to a property with a modern galvanised metal roof do not continue through the gate on the embankment but bear left towards the road. Pass over a stile, down some concrete steps and then along to another set of concrete steps which take you over on to the road. Turn right and then immediately right along a track on the other side of the stream. When you approach the property take the path on the left down the side of its boundary. Pass through the stile and back up onto the flood embankment. Follow this for about 0.6 of a kilometre and then pass through a gate on to a road by Sea View Farm.

There are very detailed instructions to follow below but it’s probably very difficult to get lost. Basically, keep the foreshore below you to the right and the security fence to your left. The path is generally visible.

Throughout this part of the route, you will be able to see the Warton Airbase. Its history dates back to the Second World War. The Airfield at Blackpool, Squires Gate, was the main RAF Coastal Command Station in the region and handled detachment of fighters and bombers. In 1939, Lord Beaverbrook, the Minister of Aircraft Production, recognised the need for maintenance and repair facilities for aircraft and the concept of a Base Air Depots (BADs) was created.  Warton was built as a satellite to Blackpool with three concrete runways added in 1940, possibly in anticipation of the Americans joining the War.

In 1941 representatives of the USAAF came to Britain to discuss the logistics of operating out of Britain and in October of that year, Frank Thomas, a site Engineer, was sent with RAF and USAAF representatives to select suitable sites where the US could receive new aircraft from the States and prepare them for action but to also service, repair or modify active aircraft. Warton was one of four sites selected. In December 1941, the US entered the war and in January 1942 the recommendation to create these four BADs were actioned, to be completed by the end of the year.

Work on BAD2 (Station 582 of the 8^th Air Force) began in March with plans for hangars, workshops, armouries and stores etc to be built. The runways were to be strengthened, and the main runway extended to 5,631 feet to accommodate larger bombers. This is just over half the length of the current runways at Manchester. Ten accommodation sites were also built to house 15,902 personnel plus a chapel, hospital and cinema!

The site was a huge success with staff operating around the clock. In a record month of November 1943, 1,216 aircraft were processed. Bombers, including B.17 Flying Fortress and B.24 Liberators, would be flown over the Atlantic whilst fighters (including P.51 Mustangs) were shipped to Liverpool or Glasgow and then flown from Speke or Renfrew. At one point just after D-Day there were 800 aircraft on the airfield! The base had good links with the local population including Christmas parties from 1943 for upto 700 local children, where they were entertained, fed and given sweets, gum and presents.

By the end of June 1945, the airbase was beginning to be run down with just aircraft maintenance taking place. In September, BAD 2 was deactivated and a Technical School created but this was then transferred to Germany and the airfield handed back to the RAF in February 1946.

English Electric Aviation Limited, who were developing new planes in nearby Preston and Samlesbury needed more space and started to lease space on the site as they developed first the Gloster Meteor jet and then the Canberra Jet Bomber and P1A Lightening fighter jet. The latter was developed further, and the upgraded P1B English Electric Lightning flew on its first test flight in April 1957 from Warton and was the first British aircraft to exceed twice the speed of sound. Before this could happen, the main runway was extended in 1956/7 to almost 8,000 feet long.

Warton is now owned by BAE Systems Plc. This British, multinational, aerospace, defence and information security company is one of the largest defence companies in the world with a workforce of over 100,000 people and operates in over 40 countries. Warton is the main site for the development and assembly of the Typhoon fighter jet and before that the Tornado and Jaguar fighter planes.

Follow the road past the Farm, ignoring the road to the left. You will come to end of the road where there is an assortment of gates. Find the stile to left of first gate on the right. Enter a field and carry straight on, keeping to right of field. Ignore a stile over fence down to foreshore. Carry straight on along the righthand side of this field to a stile in the corner between two hedges. Go through this overgrown area to another stile, which takes you into the next field. Carry straight on with the Airbase now very visible on your left. Use a stile gate to enter into a grassy area adjacent to a security fence. Note the very broken duckboard- and yes, it is muddy in parts!  Follow the security fence. When fence kinks left ignore the OS map – keep to the fence line and use sleepers to pass over a brook. Then keep an older, smaller fence on you left. There are lots more sleepers and tyres on this section, which generally succeed in avoiding the muddy sections. Careful as they are not always stable!

The route is not always pretty with a variety of rubbish washed up by the tides. The River Ribble, however, is getting closer. Climb up to the new fence and follow this. Pass an engine testing site with huge extraction pipe within the airbase – beware of flying objects! We then come across the older fence again. Pick your way along to find the best route but keeping the fence visible on your left. The foreshore looks tempting but don’t – there are very boggy patches!

Bear left around to a substantial footbridge.

Cross and then head straight ahead towards a group of trees. Then keep the trees immediately on you left. This section can be very muddy indeed!! A little further on there is a stile to a lane on the left. The next stretch is very muddy, so if you have had enough of the mud already, then use this to access Pool Lane and then Naze Lane East! It’s quite clear on the map and you can pick the route up again just outside Freckleton.

If you are persevering, then there is another half a mile or so of mudflat to traverse. Sometime the very edge of the flats is the best but sometime it helps to venture away to navigate across wetter patches. Try to step on “tufts” and hope they support you. If not, then your boot will get submerged in a very black goo! Am I selling this?  Ignore the track up the slope and then a small gate up to a farm. Go straight on over a stile on the foreshore a little further on. After more sleepers look for a path up the cliff on your left. At the top, pass through a stile gate and turn right to a bench with great view across the Ribble and the point at which the River Douglas joins the Ribble! This area is known as Naze Point. In the field behind is a Trig point, which is just 14m above sea level. Unfortunately, it is not the lowest in Lancashire.

Return back to the stile at the top of the cliff and turn right. Follow the path to the drive to the house. Cross over and take the stile ahead but slightly to the right. Follow the enclosed path and then turn left on to grassy path. We will now head largely in same direction (north) for almost a mile into the village of Freckleton. It is relatively straight forward keeping Freckleton Pool to your right and below you. Please note that when you come to a concrete drive, carry straight on and start down the slope but look for a path, almost immediately, off on the left. The path ends at Park Terrace. Follow the track on to the road to The Ship Inn. This public house dates back to 1630 and may well be the oldest on the Fylde. At the T junction we will be turning left but it’s worth a quick detour right down Poolside to the remains of the harbour! Return back to the junction and bear left up main road to centre of Freckleton, which is marked by the Coach and Horses pub on one side and a War Memorial with a distinctive octagonal building – this I believe was the National Bank. There is a large information Board here, which gives a very concise overview of the village and its history on the information board.

Freckleton’s history initially revolves around the Pool along Dow Brook. Apparently, it was used by the Roman’s to support Kirkham and from the 17^th century it has been used for trading along the Irish Sea. A wharf was completed in 1742 but trade declined when the main Ribble channel was straightened and deepened in the mid 19^th Century allowing much larger vessels to navigate into Preston and access the rail network. The trading of coal, promoted initially by the Douglas Navigation (see Southern Loop) continued until the 1920’s allowing Wigan coal to be distributed across the Fylde. Ancillary industries such as rope making and ship building accompanied this trade.

Perhaps the most moving event in Freckleton’s history was its Air Disaster. On the morning of 23^rd August 1944, an American Liberator aircraft was hit by lightening during a violent thunderstorm. The aircraft hit a tree and disintegrated falling on the infant section of the Trinity School, killing 38 children, two teachers but also on a local café killing seven British civilians, four RAF personnel and ten USAAF airmen including the three crew. The ignition of aviation fuel was a major cause of death and injuries. It is well worth further investigation to learn more about this tragic event which was deemed to be “misadventure”.

In the year following, some eight hundred American GI’s worked on creating a three acre memorial garden/playground. The cost of £2,600 was met by the Americans.

At the end of pub car park turn left to find the Memorial Park. There is a large piece of granite on the left with an engraving and then on the right accessed between two large urns is a large 7-ton stone with a plaque, which was presented by the Americans when the park was opened on 20^th August 1945.

Head back towards the road but then enter the churchyard on left.  In the far-left hand corner you will see a large monument. The funeral took place on 26^th August 1944. There were two funerals. The first for the children and their teacher Miss Jennie Hall. The second service was for the adult civilians. A permanent memorial was unveiled on 24^th May, 1947. It is made of grey granite in the form of a gothic cross with wings, on which all the children’s names are engraved. Around the ground are small granite stones, one for each child with engravings such as “Our Dear Little Peter – Aged 6”!

Head around to the front of Holy Trinty Parish Church, consecrated in 1838, and exit on to the road. Turn right. At the crossroads, cross over to The Plough pub and Kirkham Road. Head up this road, noting the impressive Methodist Chapel on your left, and then straight across the new road and follow the continuation of Kirkham Road.

The official route turns right after 400 m into Strike Lane, which it follows to the quieter Lower Lane. Its about a third of a mile longer than continuing along Kirkham Road but it avoids the busy road, although it does have a pedestrian path which Lower Lane does not. So, if for whatever reason you feel you would prefer to continue along Kirkham Road then please do so.

Turn into Strike Lane, pass the school entrance on your right and find the continuation of the lane which then becomes a grassy track. Follow to the end. Turn left and follow Lower Lane to the junction with Kirkham Road. Carry straight on along Kirkham Road to the traffic lights on the Blackpool Road. Cross and carry straight on. To the right is the Carr Hill area of Kirkham – see narrative about the town on Stage W3. Continue to the large mini-roundabout at the bottom of the high street. Turn left and this stage ends at the Old Bank on the opposite side of the road. Here we will pick up Stage W4, about 300m after the start.

END OF STAGE

If you carry on down the high street and then turn right at the crossroads and follow Station Road, you will come to the railway station after about 600 metres.

Kirkham is a good place to obtain provisions and refreshments with many small shops, cafes and a large Morrisons on the right just after the end of the Stage.

Kirkham is centred upon a couple of modest hills, which you will notice when walking along the high street. One of these, Carr Hill, was the location of a Roman fort and is now occupied by a Secondary School. Their modest height would have given it a strategic advantage over the surrounding land. The Romans provisioned it from the river at Freckleton which was linked to the Ribble. It was on a main roman road from Ribchester to the mouth of the Wyre. Unfortunately, nothing remains, although in 1792 a brass shield was found by a local school master and can now be found in the British Museum. The hill was later the site for horse racing, taking place from 1852 until the start of World War II.

Kirkham appears in the Domesday book of 1086 and was granted its market charter in 1269 by King Henry III. It remained a small market town until the late 17^th century when it grew into a thriving textile centre. At one point, it had eleven mills with the last being built in 1915. The “last Loom” is on display in the town, but we just miss this.