Soon after flowing under Mitton Bridge, the River Ribble grows considerably where it is joined by the Rivers Hodder and Calder. The ‘Big Ribble’ continues through fertile pastoral land with a large amount of dairy farming and becomes tidal in Preston, Lancashire’s administrative centre. The Ribble Estuary flows past the fertile Fylde plain on its way to the Irish Sea, where the coastline becomes increasingly urbanised from Lytham St. Annes northwards towards the popular holiday destination of Blackpool.
