River Wyre

The River Wyre rises in the Forest of Bowland and runs west across Lancashire for around 28 miles, reaching the Irish Sea between Fleetwood and Knott End. Its two headwaters, the Tarnbrook Wyre and the Marshaw Wyre, meet at Abbeystead before the river flows on through Dolphinholme, Garstang and St Michael's on Wyre to its broad tidal estuary.

Along its course the Wyre offers a string of attractive walks and viewpoints. The riverside paths at Garstang link the market town to the Lancaster Canal aqueduct, while at St Michael's the church and old bridge make a classic Lancashire river scene. Further downstream the estuary opens out into mudflats and saltmarsh that are nationally important for wading birds, protected as part of the Wyre Estuary Country Park near Stanah and Skippool.

The lower river is bordered by yacht moorings, fishing boats and the working port of Fleetwood, where the Wyre finally meets the sea. From upland streams in the Bowland fells to the ferry crossing at Knott End, the Wyre passes through some of Lancashire's most varied scenery and is easily reached by bus services running between Lancaster, Garstang, Poulton-le-Fylde and Fleetwood.