Blackpool

“Escape to the Country” is a popular piece of TV candy floss in which a couple are shown around desirable properties in delectable locations working within budgets of several hundreds of thousands of pounds. This walks page and our website www.lancashirewalks.com are based on the notion that you can escape to the countryside for a tiny fraction of the amount it takes to buy a property and still derive as much pleasure as you would actually living there. It is our contention too that the Lancashire countryside is completely under valued so that few people outside of the county would ever think it worth their while visiting it to explore it on foot. Their loss is what we say. And so to celebrate our 150th contribution in the Blackpool Gazette we offer you this walk that starts not ten minutes from the Gazette’s offices near Squire’s Gate. After crossing the moss it finishes up weaving through the market gardening area of Great Marton historically linked in providing produce to supply the hotels and guest houses of our great resort.

Start: Collins Park, Jepson Way, off B5261, Common Edge Road.

At the end of the M55 continue on the A5230 towards South Shore. At the next roundabout turn left onto Squire Gate Link Road and then after another roundabout continue on Progress Way. Just before the airport at traffic lights turn left onto Common Edge Road. Jepson Way is on the right after 700 metres.

Fact file:  Distance: 10k 6 miles
                 Time: 2 ½  - 3 ½  hours
                 Summary: Easy
                 Map: OS Explorer 286 Blackpool & Preston

Map by kind permission of the Blackpool Gazette

Directions: From the car park return to Common Edge Road and turn right. Soon you'll cross the boundary into St.Anne's.

Cross the road and turn left onto Division Lane.

After 450 metres turn right onto a bridleway

that quickly leads out onto open fields - you have just escaped to the country.

This is Sluice Lane which leads in a straight line across the moss.

You'll stay on it for the next 40 minutes keeping company with the eponymous sluice on your right crossed at intervals by footbridges adding feature to the flat landscape. The track crosses North House Lane

 and continues to a junction just before electricity pylons.

Here turn left onto a track

leading to Coppice Farm.

 When you reach the farm turn right onto West Moss Lane

 which leads down to the tiny settlement of Higher Ballam.

 


When you arrive at Ballam Road turn left and walk down to the next junction.

 This puts you on Peel Road which is a through route to the M55 and consequently very busy. Unfortunately there is no pavement so every caution needs to be taken for the next 700 metres.

 It will be a relief when you reach Peel Hall Business Park and can turn left onto Anna's Road. Passing by the recycling centre keep ahead and soon you'll be on a track leading across fields

to North Houses Lane.

Turn right and then left onto a lane just before a traffic warning sign.


This leads onto Division Lane.  As you enter a residential area keep ahead (do not turn right)  for 500 metres. Opposite Ashton Lodge turn right onto a footpath leading to Crowders Nurseries.

 This last section of the walk becomes rather intricate compared to what has gone before.

Just before the nurseries turn left on a footpath

 that leads past a wooden gate with forbidding notices

and then past an ivy adorned house.

 Beyond a tree lined section

turn right across a field

 to reach a drive.

Turn right and walk towards the gates of White House.

Here the path runs along the right of the property.

At this time it is not a well used path.

At the far end of the property turn left

and then cross a field past greenhouses

 and another house to reach Worthington Road.

 Cross to a footpath leading to a footbridge

and then Kitty Lane. Turn left  onto Kitty Lane

 and then right at Sandy Lane. When you reach School Road turn left.

 Cross the road and immediately beyond the school turn right

onto a path leading past the ground of Squires Gate FC. After a wooden gate

 bear right over a plank bridge

and then continue on a path that leads to Ecclesgate Road.

 Turn left.

This will bring you back to Common Edge Road.

Turn left for the car park.