Dogging in Lancashire: area guide

The lie of the land in Lancashire

Lancashire is a mix of seaside, mill towns and farmland. Preston is the administrative centre, and Lancaster is the historic county town in the north. Blackpool and Fleetwood face the Irish Sea, Blackburn, Burnley and Accrington sit in the east, and Chorley and Leyland lie to the south.

Two contrasting landscapes frame the county. The Forest of Bowland is a protected National Landscape with bare fell, deep valleys and narrow lanes, with Pendle Hill rising to the east. Along the coast, the flat Fylde plain, the Ribble estuary and Morecambe Bay form wide salt marshes and sands. The West Pennine Moors and the Rossendale hills mark the edge of Greater Manchester.

Lancashire's towns are close together, so many drivers cover a lot of ground in an evening. In the countryside around them, a quiet country road can fill up on a dry night for reasons nobody outside the area can guess.

Getting about safely

The M6 runs north to south past Preston and Lancaster. The M55 links Preston with Blackpool, and the M65 runs east through Blackburn and Burnley to Colne. The M61 feeds in from the south. Beyond the motorways, the A59, the A6 and the A56 are the main routes, and the A683 and A65 head up to the Lune Valley and the Dales.

On the rail network, Preston and Lancaster sit on the West Coast Main Line, and a branch runs from Preston to Blackpool North. Trains also serve Blackburn, Burnley and Clitheroe. Blackpool has its own tramway along the seafront. Last services leave earlier than many people expect, so check your last train home or book a taxi before you set out.

Tides are a real risk here. The sands of Morecambe Bay and the Ribble estuary can flood fast and hold soft, dangerous ground, so keep away from the water's edge after dark. Bowland and the moors have narrow, unlit lanes, loose sheep and sudden fog, and snow closes the high roads quickly. Phone signal is weak in the Bowland valleys, so share your location and keep your phone charged.