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Saunterings: Walking in North-West England
Saunterings is a set of reflections based upon walks around the counties of Cumbria, Lancashire and
North Yorkshire in North-West England
(as defined in the Preamble).
Here is a list of all Saunterings so far.
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257. Himalayan Balsam on the Wyre Way
I had a free morning in Garstang so I thought I’d walk along an untrodden-by-me part
of the Wyre Way, from Garstang to Scorton, having previously walked parts of the
Way near Abbeystead [53], Dolphinholme [218],
St Michael’s [103] and Knott End [157].
I was immediately flummoxed at the Wyre Bridge, where my map shows the Wyre Way along
the west bank of the River Wyre, where there appears to be no path. There is, however,
a well-used path on the east bank.
Right: Garstang Flood Barrier.
This led me north, with no possible deviation, with a fence to my right and
luxuriant vegetation hiding the Wyre to my left. After a while I reached the
Garstang Flood Barrier. This gate has been out of action since 2022 but is due to
be fully operational again by this October. The barrier is intended to reduce
flooding in Garstang, St Michael’s and elsewhere, by having the surrounding fields
serve as the floodplain that the Wyre doesn’t naturally have. I can’t think of a
similar such barrier elsewhere in north-west England.
Among the fields to be flooded in such an emergency is the Garstang
Millennium Green, which an information board describes as “the jewel in Garstang’s
crown”. Some might say that it can’t be much of a crown with such a jewel but that
would be unkind because the Green is maintained by local volunteers who clearly take
pride in it. It seemed a peaceful, pleasant place where mainly elderly folk come
to sit on a bench or walk their dog. I felt quite at home there even without a dog.
The Green is only four hectares (about the size of four football pitches)
and has surfaced paths so that walking through the Green is a doddle. I left it
at a footbridge to cross the Wyre. Here there was another smart information board
where I noticed that the board highlighted the presence of Himalayan balsam along
these banks. Yes, I thought, it is rampant here – but what are you doing about it? The
board seemed almost proud of the balsam, alongside all the other species it mentioned,
few, if any, of which I saw.
Here, in late August, the balsam stands head high all
the way along one or both sides of the path. Some people may welcome the plant as it
does add a touch of colour just when other plants are beginning to die down. But the
balsam is a problem.
Left: Himalayan balsam by the Millennium Green path.
Himalayan balsam is an annual plant that was brought to the UK as a decorative
flower in the 19th century. It grows with a soft red-tinged stem and flowers of
pinky-purple, with a sweet-smelling nectar, naturally attractive to bees. The aroma
has been compared (by those who dislike the plant) to lavatory cleaner and (by those
who like it) to ‘a girl’s breath through lipstick’. I can’t vouch for the latter.
After the balsam has flowered, seed pods are formed which explode when disturbed,
distributing the seeds far and wide, especially if the seeds should fall into flowing
water, which is likely as the plant prefers to grow in moist soil such as river banks.
Each plant can produce 800 seeds, which are viable for up to two years.
Unfortunately, Himalayan balsam is so successful at colonising river banks
that it causes nearby native plants to struggle for space, light, nutrients and
pollinators. Fairly soon, there are no native plants nearby. Then, when the balsam
withers away at the first frosts, there is no vegetation left on the banks, which
exposes them to increased risk of erosion.
Right: The River Wyre and Lingart Bridge.
Those unhappy at the sight of a non-native mono-culture consider this a
problem to be tackled urgently. Since there are no natural enemies here to
constrain it, little can be done apart from uprooting each plant and destroying
it so that it cannot disperse its seeds (an activity called ‘balsam bashing’).
This is easy to do, as the roots are remarkably puny for such a large plant,
but it is boring, tiring work pulling up balsam for hour after hour. So, in
principle if not in practice, the balsam may be eradicated in a couple of years
if there is no further infestation. However, if the Garstang balsam is to be
eradicated then we can’t start here (and indeed I saw no sign that anyone had
started here). We have to start up-river, removing balsam step-by-step down
the river and its tributaries.
Of course, Himalayan balsam is a problem not just for the Wyre Way. According to the
Lancashire Wildlife Trust,
“Lancashire is almost certainly the most affected county in the UK”. The balsam is
widespread also along the Lune and Ribble. Himalayan balsam was declared planta non
grata, an invasive alien to be removed, by the government in 2009.
Nothing much seems to have changed since: it still spreads remorselessly.
I crossed the footbridge, near to which stood a large white fenced-off bridge
(Lingart Bridge, shown above right) built, it says on the side, in 1927 but for
what purpose I don’t know. The Wyre, still only fleetingly visible, then swung to
the west while the Wyre Way continued straight ahead towards the M6 beside a small
tributary also smothered by Himalayan balsam. To cut a short walk shorter, I didn’t
need to see the M6 and I had had enough of Himalayan balsam. I preferred the
aroma of a cappuccino in the fine Booths café in Garstang.
Date: August 24th 2026
Start: SD494454, Garstang High Street car-park (Map: OL41)
Route: S – Wyre Bridge – N on east bank – Flood Barrier – N, NE,
SW, S – Flood Barrier – W – Garstang
Distance: 4 miles; Ascent: 10 metres
957 +465 /2400
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© John Self, 2018-
Contact: johnselfdrakkar@gmail.com
Top photo: Rainbow over Kisdon in Swaledale;
Bottom photo: Ullswater