20 Attractions to Explore Near West Lancashire Light Railway

Mere Sands Wood is a true wildlife haven. We're thrilled to finally have the opportunity to offer new visitor facilities; just what such a wonderful and well-loved nature reserve deserves. Mere Sands Wood is also a wildflower and fungi haven. Spring and summer bring orchids, yellow-wort and yellow bartsia, while autumn and winter usher in fly agaric, earthballs and common stinkhorn. It covers 105 acres, and includes a visitors centre, two nature trails, six wildlife hides, and one viewing platf

The National Trust's Rufford Old Hall, Lancashire, is a beautiful Tudor building surrounded by Victorian and Edwardian gardens. The amazing-looking House is also open with a fine collection of 16th and 17th century of oak furniture. It also has collections of armory and tapestry. The Great Hall's hammer-beam roof with Angels must be seen. It was designated by English Heritage as a Grade I listed building.

Windmill Animal Farm was a beautiful farm park, opened to the public in 1992, and offers visitors the chance to experience the every day running of an actual working farm while still having the chance to watch, feed, touch and play with the animals. It is home to an amazing range of rare breed and exotic farm animals and some of the best indoor and outdoor play areas in Lancashire.

The Ribble Steam Railway is a standard gauge preserved railway in Lancashire, in the United Kingdom. It was opened to the public on 17 September 2005, running along Preston Docks. The railway began by housing much of the collection from the previously closed Southport Railway Museum, which was based in the old Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway engine shed at Southport.

Lytham Windmill is situated on Lytham Green in the coastal town of Lytham St Annes, Lancashire, England. It is of the type known as a tower mill and was designed for grinding wheat and oats to make flour or bran. Lytham's best known landmarks, the Windmill and the Old Lifeboat House contain a seasonal museum with a series of exhibits focussed on the "History of Mills and Milling", the "Great Lifeboat Disaster" and the "Heritage of Lytham St Annes and the Fylde Area".

There’s a fantastic day ahead of you at Martin Mere Wetland Centre. Enjoy splashing, dipping, playing, feeding, paddling and getting up-close-and-personal to some of nature’s most wonderful wildlife. We've 800 acres of adventure to flutter hearts, home to thousands of rare birds; a cheeky family of otters; an all-star cast of pretty pink flamingos and a group of white storks to mention a few.

Martin Mere is a mere near Burscough, in Lancashire, England, on the West Lancashire Coastal Plain. The mere is a vast marsh, around grid reference SD 41 15 that was, until it was drained, the largest body of fresh water in England. We've 800 acres of adventure to flutter hearts, home to thousands of rare birds; a cheeky family of otters; an all-star cast of pretty pink flamingos and a group of white storks to mention a few.

Worden Park is a hidden gem, situated on the edge of Leyland it could be described as a Country Park in the town. It offers more than 60 hectares of meadows, woodlands and playing fields, Worden Park also includes a range of attractions in its historic grounds. There is woodland in the park, most of which runs along Shaw Brook, a tributary of the River Lostock.

The British Commercial Vehicle Museum has a compelling story to tell .It represents one of the largest manufacturing industries in the United kingdom.This Museum charts British commercial vehicle history since the 1800’s. The museum is housed in the original inspection building of Leyland Motors and has a traditional Northern Light Roof.

Lytham Hall is a Grade I country house and parkland managed by Heritage Trust for the North West. It is recorded in the National Heritage List for England as a designated Grade I listed building, the only one in the Borough of Fylde. It is constructed in the Palladian style of red brick in Flemish bond with stone dressings and stuccoed features. It has three storeys on a rectangular, symmetrical plan and sits on a stone plinth.

Haslam Park is a particularly good example of a fine Victorian influenced town park, with many of the original features still in place. With more than 100 years of history, the Edwardian park in Preston still retains some of its stunning original features including its beautiful wrought iron entrance gates. There are plenty of modern features at the Grade II listed park that all ages can enjoy including a playground, picnic area and sports areas.

Avenham and Miller Park is a public park under the management of Preston City Council. It was designed and built in the 1860s and has matured over the last 140 years into one of the most attractive parks in the region. As an English Heritage Grade II* listed park, it features a number of historical structures including a sundial, a grotto and a fountain.

A beautiful park which was created in the 1860s, during the Cotton Famine. The parks are connected by paths, alongside the River Ribble and underneath an ornate railway bridge. It was created in a natural wooded amphitheater on the north bank of the River Ribble. There is a Japanese Rock Garden. It is less formal than the nearby Miller park.

Hesketh Park is one of the largest parks in Southport. Features of the park include The American Garden, The Clock Garden, The Specimen Garden, The Herbaceous Garden and the Mixed Flower Garden and also It offers a short mile walk away and with plenty of on street parking, this picturesque park is a perfect place to lose track of time.

The Preston Cenotaph stands in Market Square, Preston, Lancashire, England, and is a monument to soldiers from Preston who perished in World War I and II. It was designed by famous English architect, Sir Giles Gilbert Scott, who also designed Britain's iconic red telephone box. The memorial is now one of the most impressive free-standing war memorials in the country. With its scale and sophistication, the Cenotaph is a true architectural gem.

A majestic art gallery and museum located in Preston, Lancashire. It has a remarkable collections of fine art, costume and textiles, ceramics and glass, and history are all housed in a stunning Grade I listed building. It also has the largest collection of scent bottles in the UK, along with glass, ceramics, textiles and exhibits relating to Preston's history.

A busy traditional coastal market offering a great shopping experience. This Market has over 150 indoor and outdoor stalls. It was built in 1875.

Fairhaven Lake is a lovely area on the seafront, where you can enjoy walks, fresh air and watching the wildlife. Surrounded by beautiful gardens and open green spaces, it’s where the Irish Sea meets the estuary of the River Ribble. In Autumn the lake is a very busy stopping off area for migrating birds and there’s a popular RSPB Centre which is free to visit where you can find out about the latest sightings.

Cuerden Valley Park gives access to a large area of natural countryside lying alongside the River Lostock where car parks and picnic areas have been provided along with a 10-mile network of footpaths, cycle path and bridleways, and a fishing lake/reservoir. One of the iconic locations and is famous among tourists.

The Atkinson is Southport’s home for music, theatre, art, literature and history. It offer an exciting and varied destination for families, cultural tourists and arts enthusiasts alike, with a full day and night time offer. The art gallery and library has been integrated with the Southport Arts Centre and is now known as The Atkinson.