Stride out in 2018 by joining West Lancashire Borough Council’s health walks.

Put on some comfortable walking shoes and join our walk leaders for short, sociable walks across different locations in West Lancashire.

Walks are open to all, are approximately one hour long and a well-earned ‘cuppa’ awaits you at the end of the walks. You don’t have to book in advance, so come along and get some fresh air into your lungs.

Councillor Yvonne Gagen, portfolio holder for Leisure, said: “A key priority in the Council Plan is to be ambitious for the health and wellbeing of our communities. If you want to be more active in 2018 our health walks can really help. So let your feet hit the street and come and join the walkers. A warm welcome awaits you. No need to book, just turn up!”

The following weekly health walks start again for 2018 from the week beginning 8 January:

· Tuesdays, 10am-11am, starting from the bowling pavilion at Richmond Park, Burscough, L40 2XY

· Tuesdays, 10.30am–11.30am, starting from the Visitor Centre, Beacon Country Park, Beacon Lane, Up Holland, WN8 7RU

· Wednesdays, 1pm-2pm, starting from the bowling pavilion at Coronation Park, Ormskirk, L39 3BY

· Thursdays, 10am-11am, starting from Banks Leisure Centre, Banks, PR9 8BL

In addition to these walks, we will have a ‘gentle park walk’ around Coronation Park, Ormskirk, on the last Wednesday of every month from 2.30pm–3pm, starting on Wednesday 31 January.



Walks will take in a mixture of on-street footways and off-street paths. Please wear suitable clothing and footwear for the weather and ground conditions. For more information about the health walks, please contact Leisure Services on 01695 555804 or 01695 585145.



If you fancy longer walks the Council’s Parks and Countryside Ranger Service organises regular countryside walks, including the popular Walking Festival, which runs throughout August. There will be intermediate walks of about 5/6 miles on the first Monday of each month and a longer walk of between 8-12 miles on the 3rd Sunday of each month. People taking part can explore beautiful countryside and discover the wonderful wildlife in West Lancashire.



Walks coming up are the 12-mile Burscough Wetlands Walk on Sunday 21 January (meet at Platts Lane in time to start at 10am); and the five-mile Rufford Ramble on Monday 5 February (meet at St Mary's Marina in time to start at 10am). For more information contact the rangers on 01695 622794.

Due to the advanced nature of these walks it is advised that you wear suitable sturdy footwear with ankle support and suitable clothing for the weather.



For more information on West Lancashire Borough Council events please visit www.westlancs.gov.uk/events.