← Back⚽ Playing field

William Foster Playing Field

Plan your visit

BirdsWildlifePitches

Dogs welcome

Getting here

53.54049, -2.61431

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Visiting this summer

Seasonal nature notes and what to look for now

🐦82+ species recorded in this area — summer evenings are best for activity; watch for Woodpigeon and Magpie
⚽Playing fields is at its best in summer here
🛝Playground on site — built-in entertainment for younger visitors alongside the wider site

🌤️ Visiting this summer

🐦82+ species recorded in this area — summer evenings are best for activity; watch for Woodpigeon and Magpie
⚽Playing fields is at its best in summer here
🛝Playground on site — built-in entertainment for younger visitors alongside the wider site

Good to know

🐕Dogs welcome

ParkingPlayground

Best for

6 activities

Bird watching

Very strong match

Birds — Woodpigeon, Magpie, Black-headed Gull +79 more · last seen 2026; Birds — Woodpigeon, Magpie, Black-headed Gull +79 more · last seen 2026

Free

Wildlife

Very strong match

Multi-group wildlife — Birds, Mammals; Multi-group wildlife — Birds, Mammals

Free

Playing fields

Very strong match

Playing field

Free

Seasonal nature

Strong match

Plants — Hemp-agrimony, Petty Spurge, Oxford Ragwort +43 more · last seen 2026; Plants — Hemp-agrimony, Petty Spurge, Oxford Ragwort +43 more · last seen 2026

Free

Foraging

Good match

Deciduous woodland — fungi, berries and wild garlic; Plants — Common Nettle, Red Dead-nettle, Raspberry +3 more foraging species

Varies

Insect spotting

Good match

Insects — Migrant Hawker, Common Darter, Harlequin Ladybird +13 more · last seen 2026; Insects — Migrant Hawker, Common Darter, Harlequin Ladybird +13 more · last seen 2026

Free

Trails nearby

Within roughly 5 km

🚶

Walking

3 signed routes nearby

Signed route nearby

GM Ringway Stage 15Walking route16.2 km

GM Ringway Stage 15 - Blackrod to Wigan

Named routeLength 16.2 kmRegional walking route

Wigan WayWalking route

Named route

GM Ringway Stage 16Walking route16.3 km

GM Ringway Stage 16 - Wigan to Leigh

Named routeLength 16.3 kmRegional walking route

🚴

Cycling

17 signed routes nearby

Signed route nearby

Pier to Pier cycle routeCycling route

Named routeRef 562National Cycle Network

Route 55Cycling route

Named routeRef 55National Cycle Network

Main RouteCycling route28 m

Named routeRef 55Length 28 mNational Cycle NetworkTraffic-freeSurface blocks

Main RouteCycling route45 m

Named routeRef 55Length 45 mNational Cycle NetworkTraffic-freeSurface cobbles

Main RouteCycling route165 m

Named routeRef 55Length 165 mNational Cycle NetworkTraffic-freeSurface asphalt

Main RouteCycling route1 km

Named routeRef 55Length 1 kmNational Cycle NetworkTraffic-freeSurface unsealedfirm

Wildlife to spot

30,222 records · National Biodiversity Network

Wildlife to spot

30,222 records · National Biodiversity Network

🐦

Birds53 species

winter

2026

Woodpigeon · Carrion Crow · Magpie · Black-headed Gull · Robin +48

WoodpigeonColumba palumbus
Carrion CrowCorvus corone2025
MagpiePica pica2025
Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus
RobinErithacus rubecula
JayGarrulus glandarius
Long-tailed TitAegithalos caudatus
Tufted DuckAythya fuligula
House SparrowPasser domesticus2025
CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo2025
Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus2025
Mute SwanCygnus olor2025
MallardAnas platyrhynchos2025
GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis2025
CootFulica atra
Great TitParus major2025
GoldeneyeBucephala clangula2025
Coal TitPeriparus ater2025
DunnockPrunella modularis2025
MoorhenGallinula chloropus2025
BlackbirdTurdus merula2025
Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus2025
StarlingSturnus vulgaris2025
TealAnas crecca2025
Collared DoveStreptopelia decaocto2025
GadwallMareca strepera2025
Willow TitPoecile montanus2025
WrenTroglodytes troglodytes2025
Reed BuntingEmberiza schoeniclus2025
KestrelFalco tinnunculus
TreecreeperCerthia familiaris
NuthatchSitta europaea2025
ChaffinchFringilla coelebs2025
Great Crested GrebePodiceps cristatus2025
JackdawColoeus monedula2025
Herring GullLarus argentatus2025
Cetti's WarblerCettia cetti2025
BullfinchPyrrhula pyrrhula2025
GreenfinchChloris chloris2025
Common GullLarus canus2025
Rock DoveColumba livia2025
RedwingTurdus iliacus2025
GoldcrestRegulus regulus2025
Great Black-backed GullLarus marinus2025
Pink-footed GooseAnser brachyrhynchus2025
Song ThrushTurdus philomelos2025
Great Spotted WoodpeckerDendrocopos major2025
Grey WagtailMotacilla cinerea2025
Canada GooseBranta canadensis2025
RavenCorvus corax2025
Water RailRallus aquaticus2025
Little GrebeTachybaptus ruficollis2025
Grey HeronArdea cinerea2025

🦌

Mammals1 species

winter

2025

Grey Squirrel

Grey SquirrelSciurus carolinensis

🐝

Insects1 species

winter

2026

Harlequin Ladybird

Harlequin LadybirdHarmonia axyridis

🌿

Plants12 species

winterspring

2026

Herb-Robert · Petty Spurge · Butterfly-bush · Oxford Ragwort · Common Nettle +7

Herb-RobertGeranium robertianum
Petty SpurgeEuphorbia peplus
Butterfly-bushBuddleja davidii
Oxford RagwortSenecio squalidus
Common NettleUrtica dioica2025
IvyHedera helix

Species observations from the last 10 years via NBN Atlas

Wildlife to spot

30,222 records · National Biodiversity Network

🐦

Birds53 species

winter

2026

Woodpigeon · Carrion Crow · Magpie · Black-headed Gull · Robin +48

WoodpigeonColumba palumbus
Carrion CrowCorvus corone2025
MagpiePica pica2025
Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus
RobinErithacus rubecula
JayGarrulus glandarius
Long-tailed TitAegithalos caudatus
Tufted DuckAythya fuligula
House SparrowPasser domesticus2025
CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo2025
Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus2025
Mute SwanCygnus olor2025
MallardAnas platyrhynchos2025
GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis2025
CootFulica atra
Great TitParus major2025
GoldeneyeBucephala clangula2025
Coal TitPeriparus ater2025
DunnockPrunella modularis2025
MoorhenGallinula chloropus2025
BlackbirdTurdus merula2025
Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus2025
StarlingSturnus vulgaris2025
TealAnas crecca2025
Collared DoveStreptopelia decaocto2025
GadwallMareca strepera2025
Willow TitPoecile montanus2025
WrenTroglodytes troglodytes2025
Reed BuntingEmberiza schoeniclus2025
KestrelFalco tinnunculus
TreecreeperCerthia familiaris
NuthatchSitta europaea2025
ChaffinchFringilla coelebs2025
Great Crested GrebePodiceps cristatus2025
JackdawColoeus monedula2025
Herring GullLarus argentatus2025
Cetti's WarblerCettia cetti2025
BullfinchPyrrhula pyrrhula2025
GreenfinchChloris chloris2025
Common GullLarus canus2025
Rock DoveColumba livia2025
RedwingTurdus iliacus2025
GoldcrestRegulus regulus2025
Great Black-backed GullLarus marinus2025
Pink-footed GooseAnser brachyrhynchus2025
Song ThrushTurdus philomelos2025
Great Spotted WoodpeckerDendrocopos major2025
Grey WagtailMotacilla cinerea2025
Canada GooseBranta canadensis2025
RavenCorvus corax2025
Water RailRallus aquaticus2025
Little GrebeTachybaptus ruficollis2025
Grey HeronArdea cinerea2025

🦌

Mammals1 species

winter

2025

Grey Squirrel

Grey SquirrelSciurus carolinensis

🐝

Insects1 species

winter

2026

Harlequin Ladybird

Harlequin LadybirdHarmonia axyridis

🌿

Plants12 species

winterspring

2026

Herb-Robert · Petty Spurge · Butterfly-bush · Oxford Ragwort · Common Nettle +7

Herb-RobertGeranium robertianum
Petty SpurgeEuphorbia peplus
Butterfly-bushBuddleja davidii
Oxford RagwortSenecio squalidus
Common NettleUrtica dioica2025
IvyHedera helix

Species observations from the last 10 years via NBN Atlas

Wildlife to spot

Photos

📷 El Pollock · Geograph · CC BY-SA 2.0

The line to Wigan, Ince railway station

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Nearby places

Useful places within 5 km

🦉THREE SISTERS (WIGAN)Nature reserve4 km→🌱Mesnes ParkUrban park2 km→🌱Alexandra ParkUrban park3 km→🌱Laithwaite ParkUrban park3 km→🌱Haigh Woodland ParkUrban park3.4 km→🌱Gerrard Winstanley GardensUrban park1.3 km→

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