Nearest Town: Wigan
Grid Reference: SD585 030

The Flashes (or lakes) are a legacy of the town's industrial past and were formed as a result of mining subsidence. Some of the flashes were partially filled with colliery waste and ash from the nearby Westwood Power Station. Ince Moss Colliery closed in 1962 and Westwood Power Station was demolished as recently as 1989. Natural colonisation and large-scale reclamation works have helped heal the industrial scars, turning the area into the amenity it is today.

The Reserve is part of a larger network of important wetland habitats, running for approximately 9km along the Leigh branch of the Leeds Liverpool Canal. These include Hey Brook, Abram Flashes SSSI, Pennington Flash Country Park and Hope Carr Nature Reserve.

Wigan Flashe's habitats include large areas of open water, reedbed, fen, rough grassland, wet woodland and scrub. Over 200 species of bird, 15 species of dragonfly and 6 species of orchid have been recorded. The elusive Bittern is regularly recorded in the winter months and work to improve and manage the reedbeds is aimed at attracting this nationally rare bird to stay and breed.

The Flashes are known for their resident and overwintering waterfowl such as Grey Heron, Tufted Duck, Coot, Pochard, Goldeneye, Gadwall and Great Crested Grebe. Breeding birds include Reed Bunting, Willow Tit, Reed Warbler, Sedge Warbler, Common Tern and Water Rail.

The Flashes provide very important feeding areas for bats and support large numbers of Noctule and Dubenton's Bat.

The remaining colliery spoil and ash provide suitable conditions for a wide variety of wild flowers such as Common Spotted Orchid, Marsh orchids, Evening Primrose, Pale Toadflax and Vipers Bugloss. Less common species include Round-leaved Wintergreen, Marsh Helleborine and Yellow Birds Nest.

Management
The Wigan Flashes LNR is managed by Wigan Council and the Wildlife Trust for Lancashire, Manchester and North Merseyside. The partnership has enabled the Wildlife Trust to employ Project Officers to undertake improvement works, improve facilities and access, provide events and information, offer opportunities for volunteering, and developing links with local schools.

For further information contact:

Mark Champion
Wigan Flashes LNR Officer

The Wildlife Trust for Lancashire, Manchester and N. Merseyside
Wigan Office,
Clifton Street Community Centre,
Clifton Street, Wigan,
WN3 5HN

tel: (01942) 233 976
email: wiganflashes@lancswt.org.uk

Location
Leave the M6 at junction 25 head north on the A49, turn right on to Poolstock Lane (B5238). There are several entrances to the site; at the end of Carr Lane near Hawkley Hall School, one off Poolstock Lane its self into, two on Warington Road (A573) and is accessible from the banks of the Leeds and Liverpool Canal.

Cycle Route

Access
Free 24/7 public access with five hide screens across the site. The 610 bus Hawkley Hall Circular runs from Wigan Town Centre and stops near Hawkley Hall School near the entrance to the reserve..

Status
The Wigan Flashes cover 260 hectares of land with the northern boundary just a short walk from the centre of Wigan. Much of the area is now designated as a Local Nature Reserve (LNR) and contains Two Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and 7 sites of biological importance grade A. The site is owned by Wigan Council