Drive and Stroll, with Ron Freethy

WORTHINGTON Lakes are situated between Chorley and Wigan, near Standish and just off the A49, which was one of the earliest turnpike roads in Lancashire.

Keep a sharp lookout and you will find some of the original iron mile markers still in position. These were made at the Haigh iron foundry at Wigan in 1837.

Those approaching from Chorley will pass the White Crow Inn on the left.

The approach from the opposite direction is via the Boars Head, another hostelry, which dates from the 16th century and was once a vitally important coaching inn.

At Worthington there is an extensive car park, lots of picnic tables, an information centre, cafe and a classroom which schools can hire for the day.

From the information centre a well-marked route follows the shoreline of three reservoirs and around the edge of a conservation area before swinging around and following the opposite bank.

After crossing several fields, head to the right and pass under the water tower and return to the car park. The three reservoirs here are fed by two substantial streams but an even larger river actually flows beneath the lakes.

During the construction of Worthington, Arley and Adlington reservoirs in the late 19th century, the River Douglas was culverted and now flows beneath them. The Douglas is Lancashire's hidden river.

Adlington provides water for a bleach works while Worthington and Arley provide drinking water for the Wigan area. There is a water treatment works at the lower end and this can filter and chlorinate up to a million gallons per day, after which it is pumped to a covered storage reservoir which is only one and a half miles away.

Since 1977, Worthington has functioned as a small country park and fishing is allowed. Anglers catch trout, barbel, rudd, roach and perch.

At Arley there are barbel, carp, tench, bream and roach, while Adlington has carp, bream, tench, roach, perch and gudgeon.

Those who believe that an area sandwiched between Wigan and Chorley cannot be either pretty or of interest to naturalists should not be misled, for here is a nature reserve to rival any set much deeper in open countryside.

Roe deer wander around the wooded areas fringing the reservoirs and other common mammals include rabbits, grey squirrels, long-tailed field mice, bank voles, stoats and weasels.

Worthington Lakes would provide a delightful and gentle walk for the scenery alone but the fact that such important ornithological research is going on is a bonus, as is the fact that beneath it is a hidden river.

Later on this month I have been invited to Worthington Lakes to open a new chapter in the improvement of this area.

Just beginning is an RVI (River Valley Initiative) scheme organised by the Mersey Basin Campaign, the Environment Agency and North West Water.

The idea is for everyone to work together to improve the quality and appearance of the river water.

This follows the introduction of RVIs which are now running in East Lancashire (called REEL) and along the River Darwen.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.