It’s the week before the Garstang Walking Festival opens on the 6th May and I’m full of nervous excitement about it all. As a volunteer ranger leading and backing up some of the walks and activities you just want to help all those who will come to take part to enjoy what the Wyre area has to offer. May is the queen of months and anyone wanting to experience flora and fauna, fells and fields, rivers and coast at its best, couldn’t do better than take part in the festival. It’s very special to be in the woods – the trees which have been home to herons for hundreds of years. As this heronry is on a private estate, the festival offers this one-off chance.
I and others have had a few busy weeks checking the routes. My favourite is the four day Wyre Way walk. The 40-mile journey starts at the estuary near Fleetwood, a few minutes on the Knott-End Ferry and we walk our way into the Trough of Bowland. People come from far and near. I wonder who might be on the 15 mile Wyre Boundary Explorer – 2 are coming from Middlesborough, or how many will enjoy the Tewit Teas – no – we don’t eat them – just walk, watch, and photograph and enjoy refreshments in the village hall afterwards.
With only a week to go – I check my first aid kit – hoping it won’t be used – get the maps and routes in order for each day, refresh my memory on the names of flowers, birds and trees, for my own benefit as well as others. I’ll go into Visit Garstang Centre and look at the names on the booking forms- only names as yet- but come the day, we meet up and together experience what Garstang, Rural Wyre, the Lancaster Canal and the Forest of Bowland has to offer.
Bring it on I say.
Pat Ascroft
Volunteer Ranger full of nervous excitement
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