Woodland paths to see £13K facelift

Footpaths at Whittle Spinney Wood have become very wet, muddy and difficult to use.

Around 800m of the pathways are being improved after The Woodland Trust was awarded £10,000 by the Lancashire Environmental Fund.

The work means that seven entrances are being upgraded to new kissing gates.

Fencing is also being improved and some steps and handrails replaced.

The work is costing just over £13,000.

Site manager for the Woodland Trust Colin Riley said: “Whittle Spinney is a very popular and well-used wood, which has meant that the paths and gates have become damaged over time.

“I hope the funding from LEF will mean that this woodland will be made accessible and welcoming to even more local people.”

Parish councillor Eric Bell, who has produced a book detailing many of the best walks in Whittle, said: “Its a vast improvement.

“Its a lovely walk past the lime kilns and a lot of people use it walking their dogs.

“The material they are using is excellent and will make a great new footpath that will last a long time.

“They’ve done about three quarters of it, I’d give the work a 10 out of 10.

“They’ve also done some woodland management and I hope this encourages more people to use it now.”

Whittle Spinney runs along the M61 motorway and is also surrounded by housing.

The line of the Lancaster Canal can be traced through the woods, and there is also a Catholic shrine to St Helen’s Well – which is now the motorway.

The Woodland Trust currently owns and manages over 1,000 woods across the UK, covering more than 22,500 hectares.

For more information about the Woodland Trust see www.woodlandtrust.org.uk