What we do
West Lancashire Footpath Group (WLFG) was founded in 1977 with three main objectives:
- to enjoy local walks
- defend the public footpaths in West Lancashire
- to extend the local footpath network
To help ensure all footpaths in West Lancashire are walked regularly, walks are arranged twice monthly in the winter, and more frequently in the summer. Our daytime walks are usually ly 5 - 6 miles in length and are classed as easy/moderate. We also do some evening walks in the summer and a series of shorter and slower walks for those who prefer a gentler pace.
If you would like to discover in the countryside of West Lancashire and surrounding areas, meet new people and enjoy the beautiful scenery, take a look at our Walk Programme. Use our Join us page if you would like to become a member of our group. If you would like to try one or two walks with us before committing yourself, just turn up on the day!
We are always seeking new walk leaders to help promote the group's objectives. If you are interested in leading a walk, please feel free to contact us for more details.
A bit of history
The group's founders, the late Peter and Margaret Smith worked tirelessly for many years, with other members of WLFG, to collect statements and evidence of footpaths walked. This evidence was used to add new routes to the definitive map of public paths. In addition to this, Peter and Margaret were instrumental in claiming new paths such as the Cheshire Lines, the walking and cycling path running from Woodvale to Maghull along the route of the old railway of the same name, and many more. The Smith Way in Ormskirk was named after them as a tribute to their hard work.
Keeping the paths clear
Footpath inspectors from the group still campaign long and hard to keep paths clear of obstructions, well-signposted and in a suitable condition to be enjoyed by the public. They do this by liaising with the authorities responsible for the upkeep of the footpaths, reporting problems and monitoring actions taken.
If you have any concerns about footpaths in West Lancashire, you can report them directly to PROW@lancashire.gov.uk. Alternatively, let us know about them using the email address below.