NB if you catch the stopping train to Barrow-in-Furness for Silverdale don't be alarmed by the on-board train destination display which does not include Silverdale. It will however stop there.
Going to Burscough Bridge for MM you can put a bike on the train and cycle the rest. The walk there by public footpaths can also be very rewarding.
If you put your mind to it it's amazing just how far you can get by public transport. I know I used to do NW twitches by public transport and on foot including going (successfully) for Hoopoe and Firecrest on the Wirral and Snow Buntings at Starr Gate by train and bus.
-- Edited by Tim Wilcox on Monday 5th of October 2009 12:28:24 PM
You could go to Pennington Flash, I think there should be buses running from Manchester to Leigh on a Sunday. May be a bit of a walk from the town centre if the buses aren't running down St Helens Road.
Happy birding!
No need to walk down St.Helens Road. From the bus station, head towards the canal in the centre of Leigh and follow it west for around half a mile and hey presto, your right at the flash!
Have a look at going to Leighton Moss - trains run from Manchester to Silverdale station and that's only a short walk to the reserve. When you arrive by public transport I believe that gives you free admission. I realise that it's not in the Manchester area but it's not that far by car so the train should be faster.
You could go to Pennington Flash, I think there should be buses running from Manchester to Leigh on a Sunday. May be a bit of a walk from the town centre if the buses aren't running down St Helens Road.
If birding at Martin Mere then trains run on a Sunday from Manchester Piccadilly train station to Burscough Bridge train station. It's around 30mins walk to Martin Mere from Burscough Bridge. The New Lane Station (one down from Burscough Bridge) which is closer to the reserve - is closed on Sundays
Of course the train will go to Southport if you wanted to go to Marshside but guess you'd need to take a bus or a taxi to the reserve.
I'll be visiting Manchester for the weekend with 2 chums(one of them is a Makem and we are going to the Man Utd game) and I have Sunday free to go birding. I will have to rely on public transport and will probably not have a scope with me. Any thoughts on best reserves-would Martin Mere or Marshide be about the best for variety and relative ease of access?
