Preston Docks to Savick Brook Riverside Walk

Muddy in places. Hazards include some walking next to unfenced motorbike / quadbike scramble tracks. Lots of rubbish and some fly tipping.

You know when your curiosity gets the better of you and you try a walk that you expect will be pretty miserable? Well, yesterday I did just that but was actually surprised at just how horrible it was.

We parked on Preston Docks and walked up to the Bullnose, fine so far, before crossing over the lock gates and following the footpath marked "Riverside Walk to Engine House". This paved path led us beside the River Ribble and tar waggons on the railway sidings before turning into a muddy riverside footpath beside the Trax motorsport centre.

I had not realised just how vast this Trax site was. If you're in to motorsport you'll love it - tarmacked tracks, dirt tracks, it seems to have them all. Unfortunately for the dog walker there are parts of the site where all that separates you and your dog from the track is a bit of rope. There were only a few little kids, supervised by parents, on the track yesterday. I would not like to be here when it's busy! Having said that, it looks like a great facility for enthusiasts and I'd much rather they raced trials/quad bikes here than on public footpaths.

Unfortunately, the route was also heavily lettered with rubbish from the river (why do people think rubbish thrown into the river will just vanish) as well as a spot of fly tipping. The graffiti near to Preston Docks was also pretty unsightly.

We walked as far as Savick Brook before retracing our steps. The only plus point about this walk was the fact that we found a perfect World Cup 2002 football washed up near Savick Brook which kept us both distracted until we got back to the car.

I'd not bother with this walk in winter but maybe it takes on a different feel in Spring / Summer when the undergrowth thickens and covers the unsightly mess.

Click here for a Google map / image

Doggy rating 3/10 (because of the football find)