The “Henry Alty Way” was opened by Anne Price, the Great Grand Daughter of Henry Alty and the Chairman of the Company.

When local Hesketh Bank employer “Henry Alty Ltd” agreed to a sale of its lands in Hesketh Bank and Tarleton to Persimmon Homes Ltd, the opportunity arose for Hesketh Bank Parish Council to acquire river bank lands ultimately resulting in ‘Alty’ making a very generous unencumbered gift of large tracts of the Westerly Bank to the Council.

The development by Persimmon Homes released significant sums of money in the form of the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL). Hesketh Bank Parish Council resolved to apply all the money it received from this development to the scheme and in recognition of the Alty gift named the newly formed footpath “The Henry Alty Way” (HAW) which opened to the public in the Summer of 2021.

The pathway and adjacent land stretches from the centre of the Persimmon Housing development in Hesketh Bank to the Canal Sea Lock at Tarleton; the whole project was delivered by a group of dedicated Hesketh Bank Councillors (Norma Goodier, Steve Kirby, David Maughan, Joan Witter & Richard Plant) led by Council Officer Ian Cropper.

The Parkland is accessed from Fylde Crescent off Thornton Drive (where a carpark is available) or via a pedestrian gate in ‘Booths’ Car Park which leads directly onto Fylde Crescent.

From here the path rises going east, with a branch to the right up to Brick Kiln Lane, and ultimately leaving the residential site curving to the South following the route of the former Tarleton Branch of the West Lancashire Railway.

This Branch Line was constructed privately by Sir Thomas Hesketh in 1880 as a goods line to connect to the canal just over a mile away at the sea lock; the line was sold to the West Lancashire Railway the following year. A passenger service was later introduced with a RailMotor providing a service between Tarleton Lock and Crossens where it connected with the Electric Services to Southport and Liverpool; this was short lived ceasing in 1913 although goods traffic continued until 1930.

As the path approaches the river bank, a branch to the left leads down to the river, past the former railway bridge (the old brick abutments can still be seen)

through the Hesketh Bank Boatyard and onto the Hesketh Outmarsh (A RAMSAR Site) ultimately leading to Southport.

Returning to the HAW and the track-bed of the Tarleton Branch Railway, the path passes from Hesketh Bank into Tarleton where a stepped and ramped access point from Brick Kiln Way has been provided. Following the river the path now incorporates the “King Charles III England Coastal Path”. The Parkland soon opens out forming an area designated as “The Promontory” offering a grassed rest area, seating and several Information Lecterns with interesting facts detailing former uses of the area.

The Path continues South with a ramped pedestrian access from the Green Space to the rear of River View and a level metalled path suitable for mobility aids directly into River View, Spencers Drive and Hesketh Lane.

Barges, having entered the river at the Sea Lock continue North eventually to cross the River Ribble and join the Lancaster Canal via the Ribble Link.

A further access point is at the end of Sutton Avenue and to the South of here the path continues right up to the Canal Sea Lock where public Access ends.

The whole of the land adjacent to the HAW which is designated as the Douglas Linear Park is inhabited with a variety of flora and fauna and users of the facility are reminded not to trespass from the metalled pathway in order to protect the wildlife. For the same reason, as well as for the safety and convenience of other users and farm animals on adjacent land, dogs must be kept on leads at all times

For the purposes of detecting crime and for the protection of users of the Henry Alty Way, video cameras constantly record all activity; these recordings are regularly reviewed and will be made available to the police if required.

The Council has the aspiration to extend public access in the future through to Plox Brow, Rufford, Burscough and beyond.