Lancashire River Wyre carries the distinction that its estuary is visible from its source. Carrying water from the western edge of the Bowland fells down through Dolphinholme, Forton, Garstang, Churchtown and St Michaels through the Wyre Estuary to Fleetwood where the River Wyre meets the Irish Sea at Morecambe Bay.
The River Wyre rising in two small tributaries in the Bowland Fells of the Forest Of Bowland flows for twenty eight miles (45 Km) to the Irish sea, meeting Morecambe Bay at the former fishing town of Fleetwood and Knott End.
The eleven miles of the River Wyre below Cartford Bridge at Little Eccleston form the Wyre Estuary, an important area for wildlife and migrating birds.
The River Wyre springs into life at two sources, Tarnbrook and Marshaw these two combing at Abbystead in the Bowland hills and flowing through Dolphinholme, where the former mill has been converted into a terrace of houses on to Wyre Fisheries, a series of lakes alongside the River Wyre made from former gravel workings. Guys farm a guiding activities centre is next to the lakes but not part of the fishing complex.
At Scorton there is a picnic area on the banks of the River Wyre the millennium way walking path runs alongside the River Wyre from Scorton to Garstang where the Millennium Green is a popular river side picnic area, and wildlife haven, onwards past the rugby club pitch and the flood defences.
Being a relatively short distance from the Bowland Fells to Garstang on the edge of the Fylde Plain the River Wyre is extremely quick to respond to rainfall in the fells and flooding was a regular event. The barrier at this point can be raised to hold water back and flood the upstream area holding the water for later release.
The embankment and bridge here carried the Garstang – Knott End railway prior to Dr Beeching in the nineteen sixties. The River Wyre now curves around Garstang Cricket Club ground and football pitch before turning to the left past the High Street picnic area along the back of the high street, around Garstang, under the Wyre Aqueduct carrying the Lancaster Canal forty feet over the River Wyre, past St Thomas’s school.
Fishing and canoeing are popular sports along the Garstang stretch of the River Wyre. The fourteenth hole of Garstang Golf Club is alongside the River Wyre at the Lancaster Canal aqueduct.
The River Wyre is joined by the river Calder at Catterall before flowing to St Michaels where the River Brock joins the flow. The River Wyre then meanders through farmland to Cartford where the Wyre Estuary starts with the tidal reaches of the River Wyre.
The current flow rate of the River Wyre has been measured as low as 1.76 cubic ft per second in January 1986 and as high as 6,356 cubic feet per second in October 1980.