Wigan: Nature, Trails and Industrial Heritage

Wigan offers plenty of reasons for a stay that combines nature and cultural history: wetlands, woodlands and trails sit alongside museums, historic buildings and waterside activities. When choosing where to stay, it helps to first consider whether you’d rather spend your time outdoors, exploring history, or a bit of both.

Green spaces, wetlands and trails

In the Borough of Wigan, 70 percent of the area is designated as green space. Greenheart includes parks, woodlands, wetlands and canals. Among its natural areas is Amberswood: this 160-hectare nature reserve includes lakes, ponds, woodlands, wetlands, wildflower meadows and grassland. Birds, insects and mammals can be found there. More than six kilometres of trails and a section of the Greenheart Jubilee Way run through the area. It also hosts trail races and has a permanent orienteering course.

Pennington Flash also offers a range of ways to enjoy the area. It is part of the Flashes of Wigan and Leigh National Nature Reserve, designated by Natural England in October 2022. Bird hides, walking and cycling trails, a visitor centre, café and adventure playground complement the natural surroundings. Visitor facilities and opening hours may change; check the latest arrangements before your visit. Three Sisters is a wetland nature reserve and provides access to the larger Wigan Flashes Nature Reserve. Birds found on the lake include goosanders, mute swans, grey herons and kingfishers.

The two nature reserves offer different highlights: more than six kilometres of trails and a section of the Greenheart Jubilee Way run through Amberswood; it also hosts trail races and has a permanent orienteering course. Three Sisters has trails for walking, cycling and horse riding, as well as picnic and play areas, toilets and free parking. Facilities may change, so it’s worth checking the latest local arrangements before setting out. Orrell Water Park centres on two disused reservoirs within a nature reserve and coarse fishery. More than 100 bird species, along with numerous butterfly, dragonfly and damselfly species, have been recorded there.

Outdoor and waterside activities

Haigh Woodland Park offers everything from walking trails to active pursuits, including adventure playgrounds, high ropes, adventure golf, crazy golf, FootGolf and a railway attraction. There’s also a golf course. As individual facilities may have their own operating hours, check the latest visitor information before travelling.

Watersports take centre stage at Scotman’s Flash. Activities include stand-up paddleboarding, canoeing, kayaking and sailing for adults and children of all abilities. If you’d like to make time for these, check current booking availability in advance. That way, you can plan your nature walks, play and sports activities around the focus of your trip, rather than trying to fit everything into the same outing.

Museums, architecture and local history

Wigan Museum is housed in Wigan’s first public library and its first public building with electric lighting. The building was designed by Alfred Waterhouse and opened in 1878. George Orwell researched his book *The Road to Wigan Pier* in the reference library in 1936. The reference library is now home to the family history and local studies section. The museum’s collections comprise 30,000 objects relating to life in the Borough of Wigan.

The Wigan and Leigh Exhibition at Leigh Town Hall also explores the borough’s local history. Its themes include diaries, historical figures and interactive exhibits. Admission is free, and you can visit without booking during the published opening hours, Tuesday to Saturday. Check the hours before you go. In Wigan, history also leads to Trencherfield Mill: its restored steam engine is one of the largest and finest working examples of its kind, and generated 2,500 horsepower for the mill. Access is subject to current maintenance and event arrangements.

Mesnes Park was brought closer to its Victorian character through a £6.1 million restoration funded by Heritage Lottery funding. Alongside collections and industrial history, Wigan therefore offers a historic park as a destination in its own right.

Events and getting around

Haigh Woodland Park also hosts markets and food events. For 2026, Foodie Friday is scheduled for the last Friday of each month from March to October, featuring street food vendors and musical entertainment. Craft markets with cakes, handmade products and other goods are planned for the third Sunday of each month from April to October. Check dates by season before planning your visit around them.

Two railway stations offer different connections. Wigan North Western is on the West Coast Main Line, with services towards London Euston, Birmingham, the Lake District and Glasgow. Wigan Wallgate offers local rail services to Preston, Kirby, Southport, Manchester, Liverpool, Blackpool and Leeds. Check routes and timetables before travelling. The places you want to visit can help guide your choice of where to stay in Wigan, alongside your interests in nature and culture.

Discover more destinations: Atherton, Leigh, Lancashire, Liverpool, Greater Manchester, Stockport, Blackburn With Darwen, Cheshire.

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