The best walks and hikes around Broughton

Worth a look if riding the Guild Wheel

Brockholes is a new kind of nature reserve: an unreserved reserve that brims with wildlife, teaches the next generation about the wonders of nature, and gives back to the local community through Myplace and Forest School projects. This former sand and gravel quarry has been transformed into a natural haven. Fields brimming with orchids and yellow rattle, woods shining bright with bluebells, and tranquil lakes all transport you to a magical wonderland. Spring sees the beginning of the Brockholes baby boom as lapwings, oystercatchers, redshank and more breed on Meadow Lake and Number 1 Pit. And don’t miss a walk through the woodland to admire vast carpets of beautiful bluebells. In May, whimbrel roost in large numbers, while throughout spring and summer swifts, sand martins and hobbies create fantastic aerial displays over the lakes. As the sun shines, the reserve literally buzzes with insects. Clouds of damselflies rest on leaves and paths, and dragonflies dart across the water. Five and six-spot burnet moths weigh down every flower, while small copper, common blue and comma butterflies seem to flit from every corner. Don’t miss the chance to spot the elusive white-letter hairstreak butterfly, which can be seen at Brockholes for just three weeks spanning July and August. Autumn is the time to see ospreys passing over Brockholes on their way back to Africa, while in winter, the reserve is packed with migratory waders. Winter is also a great time to try and see bitterns as they venture out onto the ice.

Cracking views of Ribble with lovely wildlife and plenty of birds and butterfly in the summer months. Definitely worth a stop and a photo.

Just be careful here as the gradient is steep and the cobles are 'slippery when wet' - do as the signage says - dismount!

The photo-map shows the route from this highlight (shown as highlight 4 on photo) at Bluebell Way at the M6 motorway junction. The route shows the northerly, clockwise Guild Wheel route option around the junction on a route to the Brockholes Nature Reserve. An alternative route follows Bluebell Way.

Tip6 How To View In Split-Screen Note: an alternative to split-screen is to view on 2 devices, e.g. laptop and mobile. Instructions: (a) an Android phone (b) a Windows PC View the photo slideshow on one half of the screen and the description on the other - scroll the two halves independently to compare a photo with e.g. the description in Tip1. If using a tablet/mobile, view the description in the Komoot website and the photos in the app - easier to pinch-zoom to see different parts of photo more clearly. (a) Video Instructions - an Android Phone If viewing this in the Komoot website then tap the image below for a video on how to use a split-screen. If you are viewing this tip in the Komoot app then tapping the image to start the video will not work. Instead, click the link that will display here on the app page. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=43NuPS5Juxg On a mobile phone it's better to view the video in landscape. A split-screen should work on most Android devices. (b) Instructions for Windows Easy to do in Windows 10/11. You have a choice - you can open the same webpage in two different web browsers displayed on the two halves of the screen or open the same webpage using a single web browser in two windows on the two halves. The instructions below are minimal. For a more detailed explanation see Comment10 in this link: https://www.komoot.com/tour/610244459 These instructions use a single web browser, e.g. Chrome. 1) First open this webpage on your Windows PC, maximise it and scroll to these instructions. Copy the web address. You will need to paste it - see below. 2) Locate this browser's tab on the taskbar. Opposite click on it and click 'Open new window'. When opened then maximise it if necessary and paste the web address into the new window and scroll to these instructions so that you can continue to follow them. 3) Press and hold the Windows key and press the left arrow key. The active window will move the left side of the split screen. 4) You should now see the right hand half of the first window. Click that window to display it 'on top'. These instructions should still be visible on the right. Check that it is full screen. Press and hold the Windows key again and press the right arrow key. 5) The two windows should now display, left and right. You may need to make a small adjustment (drag) if the windows overlap slightly at the join. Scroll one window to display the photos and the other for the photo descriptions in Tip1.

Tip5 Haslam Park Nature Reserve Description The nature reserve is wooded grassland with mostly narrow, dirt or gravel paths. This route through the western part is rarely visited by cyclists. You may see walkers with dogs. In wet weather the paths can be muddy - manageable on a road bike - fat tyres may help. After a period of wet weather the route is very muddy on about 15 metres alongside Savick Brook before the bridge (photo P10) - you may have to dismount and push. About 15 metres of boardwalk would help. That same stretch is bumpy with tree roots. Take care. If cycling with children, take care beside the brook and when crossing the bridge over the brook on the route described above. You may not immediately see the brook through the trees and so not realise that the sometimes muddy, slippery ground at the side of the track is the bank of a river. Unlike the other bridges across the brook, this bridge has no safety barriers at the sides.

Tip3 Haslam Nature Reserve Detour - with satnav These notes apply if using satnav on a tour and you wish to switch to another tour, a detour supported by satnav, and then maybe rejoin the original tour. To switch tours you need both tours in your Komoot profile. You can start/end a tour at any convenient point on the route. At the switch point a) stop/save the 1st tour, stage1. b) open/start the detour, stage2. If the two tours physically meet and you are not joining an off-grid part of the tour then no problem. In this example the best switch point is not at the point where the two tours meet at canal bridge 15. That's because the detour through the Nature Reserve starts with a short, off-grid section. Ideally you should switch about 300 metres before bridge 15 - then continue cycling. The navigation can then process the route ahead and provide guidance before reaching the off-grid start of the detour. The navigation continues from the stage2 start to the end point, where you stop and save stage2. The Cottam via Lancaster Canal Ribble Link Loop is a good example of stage1. Then switch to the Haslam Park Preston Marina Loop (stage2, link below) for the satnav through the Reserve. https://www.komoot.com/tour/610244459 Summary: a) Stop, finish, save the navigation for stage1. b) Start the Haslam Park tour (the detour) in your Profile, stage2, before its start point at bridge15. Select "Retain off grid" - otherwise the navigation will take a different route. Continue to bridge 15. From there you could walk along the off-grid path (photo P5) to the gap in the hedge (P6) to check that you have switched to and are following the correct blue navigation route on your device's screen. The Nature Reserve route is not typical and so some satnav directions may be difficult to interpret - if so, check the photo-guide. c) Complete the navigation through the reserve. Stop, finish and save the navigation. The result is 2 completed tours. d) You can leave a tour to join a route variation (a detour) and then rejoin (switch back to) the original tour (stage3). To switch back (not necessarily to the detour point), locate the original tour in your Profile and start the navigation to rejoin that tour - not essential in the above example because the detour takes you to near your start in Haslam Park.