Enjoy great outdoors in West Lancashire this year

Jan 8 2013

THE great outdoors is waiting for you so make sure you enjoy the fabulous countryside and parks on your doorstep.

West Lancashire Borough Council has a wonderful array of sites across the borough for everyone to enjoy – with two of our parks, Coronation Park, Ormskirk, and Beacon Country Park, Up Holland, having the nationally recognised prestigious Green Flag Award.

Other great places to visit include Tawd Valley Park, Skelmersdale, Ruff Wood, Ormskirk and Richmond Park, Burscough.

The Council has set up some fabulous events planned for 2013 which everyone is invited to come along to and enjoy.

Councillor David Sudworth, portfolio holder for Health and Leisure, said: “West Lancashire is blessed with some fabulous countryside and local parks and we are organising some great events again this year. I would encourage everyone to enjoy some time in the great outdoors.”

The Green Fayre is due return to Beacon Country Park on Saturday 20 July and Sunday 21 July after being cancelled last year due to unseasonal wet weather. The popular Ormskirk MotorFest and Halloween events will also be taking place again this year, with the MotorFest on 25 August.

Coronation Park hosts two very special events early in the summer. On Sunday 19 May between 11am and 5pm the park will go back to medieval times when Historia Normannis will be setting up camp and doing battle and craft displays. Then on Sunday 2 June the Mad Hatters Tea Party between midday and 4pm will see Edge of Your Seat Productions act out scenes from Alice in Wonderland.

New for 2013 are the health walks in Richmond Park, Burscough, every Tuesday at 10am, and Coronation Park, Ormskirk, every Wednesday at 1pm.

The Council’s GP referral scheme has teamed up with the park rangers to organise the walks which are ideal for beginners but they are open to anyone. The first Richmond Park walk takes place on Tuesday 15 January, while the Coronation Park walks start on Wednesday, 16 January.

Regular events such as summer music sessions in Coronation Park in Ormskirk, the walking festival, craft days, conservation tasks, volunteer and junior ranger days will also take place.

A series of taster events has been organised for people interested in becoming volunteer rangers, starting with hedgelaying at 10am on 19 January at Coronation Park, Ormskirk.

For more information on our Parks and Countryside and to find out ‘What’s On’ during our events programme, please go to www.westlancs.gov.uk/events.

Alternatively, contact our Ranger Service on 01695 622794 or 01695 570258.

Events booklets are available to collect from local libraries, community centres, information centres, leisure centres and the visitor centre at Beacon Country Park.