Living World with Ron Freethy THE holiday period is a good chance to get out into the countryside and get a breath of fresh air.

Apart from the local area, here is a chance to take a few longer trips so here are a few suggestions for days out and I'll also explain why they are my favourites at this time of year.

My first walk begins at Skippool left signed off the road between Garstang and Fleetwood.

There has been a port here since the 17th century when tobacco, spirits, fertiliser and especially timber from Russia made it very busy.

These days only pleasure craft use it, but it is a wonderful place to watch birds alongside the River Wyre.

A well-marked footpath leads from the car park to the Wyreside Ecology Centre at Stannah. In winter you can be sure of seeing wigeon, shelduck, dunlin, knot, redshank, ringed plover, curlew, heron and occasionally ducks such as scaup and red breasted merganser.

My second suggestion is that you make an early start and visit Aysgarth Falls on the River Ure right.

Waterfalls always look at their best in winter, especially after rain. As the water crashes over the rocks it has oxygen bubbled into it.

This increases the populations of aquatic insects and crustaceans which thrive in the quieter areas below the falls. These in turn provide food for birds such as heron, dipper, grey wagtail and kingfisher.

The same thing happens around industrial areas where weirs were constructed to provide water power for the mills.

As mills were converted to steam the redundant weirs have had to be kept clear to prevent flooding. They are, in fact, artificial waterfalls. There are several such weirs in the Ashton-under-Lyne area where the River Tame and the Peak Forest and Ashton canals meets.

Now that the waters have improved in quality, fish are increasing and the area is fast becoming a bird-watching Mecca.

It is not just the birds of the winter which are of interest. Don't forget to look out for the first welcome signs of spring flowers. Snowdrops will soon start to appear, whatever the weather, and in mild winters it will not be long before daffodils start to poke through.

My advice is clear - enjoy all of the Christmas holidays but keep your boots polished, make plenty of butties, fill the flask and get out and about in the Fresh Air.

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