West Lancashire

West Lancashire is a local government district in the county of Lancashire, in North West England. The area includes Ormskirk, Skelmersdale, Burscough, Tarleton and a number of villages on the coastal plain. Parts of the district are drained by the River Douglas and crossed by the Leeds and Liverpool Canal; Martin Mere Wetland Centre lies close to Burscough and provides a focal point for wetland habitat and birdlife. Ormskirk retains a market-place and a local baking tradition, gingerbread, that has been associated with the town for centuries.

Agriculture and food production shape much of the plain around Tarleton and Hesketh Bank, where fields and market gardens meet drainage channels and small meres. Rufford Abbey Country Park and its surrounding woodland and ponds form a country-park landscape within the district, with canal arms and towpaths linking settlements. Rail and road connections serve a mix of commuter and local trips, while community halls, parish churches and town centres reflect the district’s pattern of settlement and services.