River Wyre

Lancashire is home to England’s longest river whose estuary can be seen from its source, the River Wyre.

The River Wyre snakes through Lancashire on a path of drumlins and small hills, in an area shaped by glaciers from the Ice Age. The 45 kilometre-long river eventually empties into the Irish Sea at Fleetwood, a former major fishing port.

The river’s water is a mix of fresh water and salt water, which creates a unique habitat for animals and plants that can withstand changes in the saltiness of the water, due to the river tides ebb and flow. It is this type of special environment that initiated the River Wyre being considered a Lancashire County Biological Heritage Site.

The title of County Biological Heritage Site is given to the most important, non-statutory wildlife sites in Lancashire, many of which provide a refuge for rare and threatened plants and animals, according to Lancashire County Council.

The River Wyre and other sites like this, making up eight percent of the county, are irreplaceable and are part of a strategy to conserve Lancashire’s biological richness.

The River Wyre and its banks are home to a plethora of wildlife and trees including some of the most rare and endangered species of fish.
Along the river’s banks you can find a variety of trees and shrubs including alder, ash, broom, hazel, oak and willow.

Many birds make their home along the river banks as well, including shelducks, mallards, curlews and redshanks.
One of the River Wyre’s most popular species of fish is the salmon, which travels thousands of miles from the Atlantic Ocean to spawn in the river annually.
Other fish species include barbel, bream, chub, dace, eels, perch, roach, sea trout and trout.

The river is also home to rather unusual creatures. Just last year, an otter was photographed having a swim in the Lancashire river.

The River Wyre rises into two distinct tributaries in the Forest of Bowland: the Tarnbook Wyre and Marshaw Wyre.
Other tributaries include the River Calder at Catterall and the River Brock at St Michael’s On Wyre. Just below the weir at St Michael’s On Wyre, the river becomes tidal.

A number of bridges cross the River Wyre including a 40-pence toll bridge at Cartford and Shard Bridge, a former toll bridge, close to Poulton-le-Fylde.

The Lancaster Canal also crosses the River Wyre via a small aqueduct. A pedestrian ferry runs along the river from Fleetwood to Knott End.

Today, the River Wyre has a low level of pollution although it has had many dealings with industry over the years. For instance, an alkali works system removing brine from mines and wells existed in and around Preesall. There was also a stint of industry involving vinyl chloride monomer, but this was later moved to Runcorn. Industrial activities do continue near the river, but on a much smaller scale.

There are at least 20 settlements along the River Wyre including the towns of Garstang, Skippool, Dolphinholme and Tarnbrook. There are dozens more settlements along the river’s tributaries.

The River Wyre presents a variety of activities for visitors including the Wyre Borough Council’s Knott End Circular Walk.

A number of caravan parks and camping sites have also cropped up on the River Wyre’s banks over the years, providing guests the up-close opportunity to revel in some of the river’s wildlife.