Clincton Wood, Pickerings Pasture and Runcorn Hill Park Local Nature Reserves (LNRs) hold the coveted Green Flag Award, which is a quality mark administered by Keep Britain Tidy. This national standard for parks and green spaces is a key component of the Government's commitment to create cleaner, safer and greener communities.
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Clincton Wood Local Nature Reserve (LNR)
Clincton Wood was once part of a far more extensive hunting 'forest'. Since that time the land has been radically altered by industrial and domestic development and major road construction. Today the reserve acts as a vital natural resource for the local community. As a Local Nature Reserve, Clincton Wood has a wide variety of plant and animal life and is designated as a Site of Importance for Nature Conservation (SINC).
The woodland in the reserve consists mainly of English Oak, which support the greatest diversity of invertebrate life of any native tree species. They also provide important food resources for a host of birds and mammals. The woods are particularly important for two colourful resident species, the Jay and the Great Spotted Woodpecker, but these are just two of over fifty bird species regularly encountered. The meadows at Clincton Wood LNR support a tremendous range of invertebrate life and some truly superb wild flowers.
The ponds are leased to the Clincton Wood Angling Association and the careful management allows these waters to retain a significant wildlife value.
Getting there:
There are nearby bus stops on Ditchfield Road. Details for bus services can be found in the Public Transport section of this website.
Clincton Wood LNR
Lakeside Close
Ditton
Widnes
WA8 8RQ
Pickerings Pasture Local Nature Reserve (LNR)
Pickerings Pasture Local Nature Reserve has acres of wildflower meadows with stunning views across the River Mersey. It is a peaceful place where people can enjoy a quiet walk, picnic or watch the vast array of resident wildlife. The reserve was the first open space in Halton to be awarded the the prestigious Green Flag Award in 1998 and is particularly noted for its stunning wildflower meadows.
In summer the colourful meadows with Cowslips, Cornflowers, Ox eye Daisies and Orchids hum with the activity of the bees and butterflies. The woodland support hidden gems such as Nettle Leaved Bellflower, Wild Garlic and Summer Snowflake and various migrant birds such as Blackcap, Whitethroat and Chiffchaff. In winter, huge numbers of ducks and waders gather in the estuary, whilst birds of prey such as the Peregrine Falcon patrol the skies overhead. A bird hide overlooks Hale marsh giving splendid views across the River Mersey and beyond.
Getting there:
There are nearby bus stops on Hale Road. Details for bus services can be found in the Public Transport section of this website.
Pickerings Pasture Ranger Centre
Mersey View Road
Halebank
Widnes
WA8 8LP
Runcorn Hill Park Local Nature Reserve (LNR)
Runcorn Hill has not always been the quiet natural place that it is today. From 1734 it was a busy, noisy sandstone quarry producing the stone for building works as far apart as Liverpool Cathedral and New York Harbour.
At Runcorn Hill you can walk in the quiet woodland or across the heath land, which is home to a variety of rare plants and animals, like, bilberry, common lizards and many insects, all found nowhere else in Halton, or you can find a pleasant spot to sit down with a picnic or enjoy the spectacular views over the North West and North Wales from the viewpoint at the top of Runcorn Hill. The woodlands are home to sparrowhawk and great spotter woodpeckers, while evening visitors may come face to face with a fox.
Getting there:
There are nearby bus stops on Greenway Road. Details for bus services can be found in the Public Transport section of this website.
Runcorn Hill Park
Highlands Road
Runcorn
Cheshire
WA7 4PU
Other Local Nature Reserves (LNRs)
Daresbury Firs
Daresbury Firs is the only commercial forestry plantation in Halton. It is used for timber production and is planted with conifers. Despite the name there are no 'Fir' trees, the species involved are Scots Pine, Corsican Pine and Lodgepole Pine, there is also a scattering of Larch.
Dorchester Park
Dorchester Park LNR is wholly owned and managed by Halton Borough Council following transfer from English Partnerships in 1999. The site comprises:
- 1.78ha of mature Birch woodland.
- 0.32ha more recent woodland edge planting.
- 1.1ha of unimproved grassland.
- The rest is mostly footpaths and ditches.
Hale Road Woodlands
The site is a former landfill site, over 12 hectares in size. It is linear in shape and consists of a raised dome bisected at a point close to its centre by a ditch. Habitats consist of a mix of woodland, grassland and wetland habitat. The northern boundary is the Speke Road; the southern boundary is Ditton Brook.
Murdishaw Valley
Wonderful ancient woodland with superb spring flowers including impressive swathes of bluebells, together with flower rich meadow areas. Murdishaw Valley LNR is jointly owned and managed by Halton Borough Council and the Woodland Trust.
Oxmoor Woods and Ponds
Oxmoor Local Nature Reserve (LNR) is wholly owned and managed by Halton Borough Council after transfer from English Partnerships in 1999. The site comprises:
- 2.74 hectares of swamp
- 1.1ha maturing woodland.
- 1.5ha comprises tall herb and fern.
- 0.3ha of grassland.
- The reminder is mostly footpaths and ditches.