The church of St Michaels on the Wyre was built around 640 AD

Venturing off into the Wyre countryside on a sunny Sunday we decided to stop at St Michaels on the Wyre. It’s a small village on the A586 between Garstang and Blackpool, easily within reach of the A6 and Preston.

We stopped off at The Grapes pub for our dinner. It was £9.95 for a three-course roast dinner, and it was smashing. A starter of chicken liver pate, followed by beef, yorkshire puds, potatoes and veg and finished off by strawberry cheesecake with cream. A great way to spend a sunny afternoon, and a pint of Black Sheep to wash it all down with.

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After the meal we went for a stroll along the River Wyre, taking in the view of St Michaels church from across the riverbank. The rain overnight meant the river was flowing fast and it was tranquil as the sun came through the trees to light up the Wyre countryside. All villages have their quirks though, and our tranquility was interrupted by a man, clearly disturbed by alcohol or drugs, who came running out of the bushes to play on a nearby rope swing. He recounted a tale of the dog he’d recently lost and then went on his merry way.

We followed the path a bit further and came out onto flat countryside with Beacon Fell brooding in the distance. Dinner was sitting heavy in our bellies so we decided to turn back and headed across the river to the church. It was built just before 640 AD and we wandered the graveyard, marvelling at how old some of the graves were.

We jumped into the car and left St Michaels on the Wyre, but judging by the number of Jags and MGs in the pub car park it’s a place often visited and lived in by affluence. There’s no doubt a waiting list for a house, and some of them on the roads nearby were impressive. If you fancy a bit of Wyre countryside, a lovely little church and good pub. St Michaels on the Wyre is 15-20 minutes drive from Preston and well worth a visit.