Discovering the River Wyre

My desire to discover and photograph more of this river is bordering on obsession. The first blog (of 5 Feb 2013) focused on its creeks and shipping history. Gradually I'm taking you along the river to discover more of its charm.

The experience of facing more mud and marshland is inevitable, as the Wyre meanders gracefully through rural areas. Last year I discovered a toll bridge and went back to photograph it in February. Surprisingly, in the middle of winter, surrounding landscape colours were virtually autumnal.

 

Having learned of other bridges along the river, I found two very different ones within about a mile of the toll bridge: one was a metallic structure, carrying a large service pipe, and the other a footbridge. This is a picture of the two bridges and their terrain.

 

All of these images are in the River Wyre section at DMC Photogallery. The images of the toll bridge are followed by some creative images, of both the two aforementioned bridges and the rural landscape en-route.

 

The next excursion along the river Wyre (probably in Spring) will take you towards Garstang and the Trough of Bowland

 

The River Wyre

Shard Bridge from Skippool Creek, River Wyre

In creating a new photographic website, I decided to feature the River Wyre. After spending many hours on its muddy banks, I became fascinated by its landscape. Marshland and mud make walking interesting, especially if you stray from the pathways to get the best shots. The river is full of character, with a charm and beauty of its own.

The River Wyre is about 28 miles long; its estuary is at Fleetwood, where it meets the Irish Sea. In the mid 1700s, the volume of shipping at two of its creeks – Skippool and Wardleys – is believed to have exceeded that of Liverpool. Skippool handled ships of up to 200 tonnes, loaded with cotton and flax for the mills of Lancashire. Such shipping made Skippool a busy port and Poulton-le-Fylde a thriving town. Its demise came around 1840, with the arrival of the railway to Fleetwood, which ultimately became the main port of the Fylde coast. You will see some of the wrecked ships in these portfolios.

There is a history of smuggling, and the names Skippool and Poulton are believed to be of Saxon origin. Skippool – written as Skippon in ancient times – is thought to derive from the skills of ancient Saxons (and the Saxon word 'skiffs') who used the creek.

 

Visit DMC photogallery for pictures of the River Wyre