Wirral Country Park

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Wirral Country Park
Kirby Park disused station.jpg
The site of Kirby Park railway station, now given over to the Wirral Way.
Merseyside UK location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Wirral Country Park
Shown in Merseyside
Wirral Country Park
TypePublic park
LocationStation Road
Thurstaston
Merseyside
CH61 0HN
Coordinates 53°20′33″N3°8′44″W / 53.34250°N 3.14556°W / 53.34250; -3.14556 Coordinates: 53°20′33″N3°8′44″W / 53.34250°N 3.14556°W / 53.34250; -3.14556
Created1973
Operated by Metropolitan Borough of Wirral, Cheshire West & Chester
OpenAll year
StatusOpen

The Wirral Country Park is a country park on the Wirral Peninsula, England, lying both in the Metropolitan Borough of Wirral in the county of Merseyside and in the borough of Cheshire West & Chester in the county of Cheshire. It was the first designated country park in Britain, opening in 1973. [1] [2]

Contents

The park is located along the Wirral Way, which follows the track bed of part of the former Birkenhead Railway route from West Kirby [3] to Hooton. [4] The old line, which closed in 1962, follows the estuary of the River Dee for 7 miles (11 km) between West Kirby and Parkgate. The route then heads inland, across the Wirral peninsula, to Hooton.

There are two visitor centres along the Wirral Way. The visitor centres are located near to the site of Thurstaston railway station, at Thurstaston, and at the preserved Hadlow Road railway station, in Willaston.

History

The preserved Hadlow Road railway station, on the Wirral Way at Willaston. Hadlow Road Railway Station.JPG
The preserved Hadlow Road railway station, on the Wirral Way at Willaston.

Work began on the park in 1969, and the park was formally opened in 1973 by Lord Leverhulme. The park's creation followed a successful campaign by Captain Lawrence Beswick DSM, which prompted the necessary investment from the Countryside Commission.

Construction of the park required the removal of 30 miles (48 km) of railway track and accompanying sleepers, the digging and forming of drainage channels, levelling and consolidation of thousands of tons of gravel or ballast, and the removal of some brick built road bridges. The old station platform at Thurstaston, the preserved 1950s-era railway station at Hadlow Road, Willaston, a number of bridges and the occasional railway incline signs, which indicate a degree of climb or descent, are some of the few remains of the original railway line.

Wildlife

The park is home to badgers and foxes and to ten species of butterfly identified among the local wildlife. The estuary along which the park is located is home to populations of ragworm, lugworm, and cockles which support various species of bird wildlife in the area, including common redshanks, common shelducks, northern lapwings, skylarks, meadow pipits and terns. During high spring tides visitors may also catch a glimpse of certain birds of prey such as peregrines, hen harriers and the daytime hunting short-eared owls.

Sports

Wirral Country Park is very popular with ramblers and offers numerous walks, three being of particular note. Firstly is the stretch of shoreline running a couple of miles from Thurstaston Beach to Heswall Beach, a popular route for horse riders as well. Secondly is The Wirral Way, a walk 13 miles (21 km) in length that starts in West Kirby at the top end and runs down to Hooton at the other end. The country park itself lies along the Wirral Way towards the middle of this route. [5] Thirdly is the 3.5-mile (5.6 km) circular Heswall Dales and fields walk, [6] via a small valley known as 'The Dungeon'.

A well known route within Merseyside, with part of it running through Wirral Country Park and encompassing some of the aforementioned walks, is the Wirral Coastal Walk. [7] It is organised as an annual event by the Rotary Club, with over 5,000 taking part in 2008. The Walk follows the Wirral coastline from Seacombe Ferry on the River Mersey to Thurstaston Country Park on the River Dee, a distance of 15 miles (24 km). The annual event has become a popular way for local charities and organisations to raise money for their cause.

Wirral Country Park is popular not only for its wildlife and country walking, but also cycling, horse riding, kite flying, quad biking and paragliding. The 12.2-mile (19.6 km) Wirral Way is very popular with cyclists, especially at weekends. Part of the Wirral Endurance Ride, a horse-riding event in the Endurance GB National Championship, is held along the Wirral Way. [8]

See also

Related Research Articles

West Kirby Coastal town on the estuary of the River Dee, Wirral, England

West Kirby is a town on the north-west corner of the Wirral Peninsula in Merseyside, England, at the mouth of the River Dee. Within the boundaries of the historic county of Cheshire, to the north-east lies Hoylake, to the east Grange and Newton, and to the south-east Caldy. At the 2011 Census, the population was 12,733. The town is on the opposite side of the River Dee to Mostyn in North Wales.

Pensby Village in England

Pensby is a large village on the Wirral Peninsula, in Merseyside, England. It is located 1.5 miles (2.4 km) to the north of the town of Heswall and approximately 0.5 miles (0.80 km) to the south west of Thingwall. Historically within Cheshire, the area is part of the Pensby and Thingwall Ward of the Metropolitan Borough of Wirral and is in the parliamentary constituency of Wirral West.

Heswall Human settlement in England

Heswall is a town on the Wirral, Merseyside, England. At the 2001 Census, the population was 16,012, including the nearby villages of Barnston and Gayton.

The Hundred of Wirral is the ancient administrative area for the Wirral Peninsula. Its name is believed to have originated from the Hundred of Wilaveston, the historic name for Willaston, which was an important assembly point in the Wirral Hundred during the Middle Ages. The ton suffix in a place name normally indicates a previous use as a meeting location for officials. During its existence, the hundred was one of the Hundreds of Cheshire.

Irby, Merseyside Town in Wirral, England

Irby is a village on the Wirral Peninsula, in Merseyside, England. The village covers an area of 20 square kilometres. To the north of Irby lies the associated hamlet of Irby Hill. It is part of the Greasby, Frankby and Irby Ward of the Metropolitan Borough of Wirral and is within the parliamentary constituency of Wirral West.

Wirral Peninsula Peninsula in North West England

Wirral, also known as The Wirral, is a peninsula in North West England. The roughly rectangular peninsula is about 15 miles (24 km) long and 7 miles (11 km) wide and is bounded by the River Dee to the west that forms a boundary with Wales, the River Mersey to the east, and the Irish Sea to the north.

West Kirby railway station Railway station on the West Kirby branch of the Merseyrail Wirral line in England

West Kirby railway station is situated in the town of West Kirby, Wirral, England. The station is located at the end of one of the branches of the Wirral Line, part of the Merseyrail network, and is the westernmost terminal on the Wirral Line. There is a central island platform between two terminus tracks, and two parallel sidings for out-of-use electric trains. The beach can be reached easily from the station.

Caldy Village in the Wirral, England

Caldy is a small, affluent village on the Wirral Peninsula, England, south-east of West Kirby. It is part of the West Kirby & Thurstaston Ward of the Metropolitan Borough of Wirral and is in the parliamentary constituency of Wirral West. At the time of the 2001 Census, Caldy had 1,290 inhabitants, of a total ward population of 12,869.

Hooton railway station Railway station on the Chester & Ellesmere Port branches of the Wirral line in England

Hooton railway station is situated in the south of the Wirral Peninsula, Cheshire, England. It lies on the Wirral Line 8 miles (13 km) north of Chester and 9+1⁄2 miles (15.3 km) south west of Liverpool Lime Street on the Merseyrail network, and is the junction of the branch from the Chester line to Ellesmere Port. It serves the villages of Hooton and Willaston.

Thurstaston Village on the Wirral Peninsula, Merseyside, England

Thurstaston is a village on the Wirral Peninsula, Merseyside, England. It is part of the West Kirby and Thurstaston Ward of the Metropolitan Borough of Wirral and the parliamentary constituency of Wirral West. The village lies on the A540 road between Heswall and Caldy, although it extends some distance down Station Road to the Wirral Way and the River Dee estuary.

Hadlow Road railway station Former railway station on the Birkenhead Railway in Cheshire, England

Hadlow Road railway station is a Grade II listed heritage railway station and museum in Willaston, on the Wirral Way footpath. It has been restored to have the look and feel of the day the station was permanently closed to passengers in 1956. It has an authentic ticket office, waiting room and telephone box. Formerly the museum was a working railway station on the single track Hooton to West Kirby branch of the Birkenhead Railway, on the Wirral Peninsula, Cheshire. The station is owned by Cheshire West and Chester Council, and Friends of Hadlow Road Station (FHRS) help to maintain and develop the station as a community resource.

Caldy railway station was a station on the single track Hooton to West Kirby branch of the Birkenhead Railway, on the Wirral Peninsula, England.

Kirby Park railway station

Kirby Park railway station was a station on the single track Hooton to West Kirby branch of the Birkenhead Railway, on the Wirral Peninsula, England.

Willaston, Cheshire West Human settlement in England

Willaston is a large village situated on the Wirral Peninsula, Cheshire, England. Centred on a village green, it is located in the unitary authority of Cheshire West and Chester between Neston and Ellesmere Port, less than a mile south of the Metropolitan Borough of Wirral boundary. It is located very closely to Eastham and Bromborough and just a short distance away from Neston. At the 2001 Census, the total population of Willaston and Thornton ward was 4,913.

Thurstaston railway station

Thurstaston railway station was a station on the single track Hooton to West Kirby branch of the Birkenhead Railway, on the Wirral Peninsula, England. The station served the village of Thurstaston situated to the north east.

Parkgate railway station Former railway station on the Birkenhead Railway in Cheshire, England

Parkgate railway station was a station on the single track Hooton to West Kirby branch of the Birkenhead Railway, on the Wirral Peninsula, Cheshire, England. The station served the village of Parkgate.

Neston South railway station

Neston South railway station was a station on the single track Hooton to West Kirby branch of the Birkenhead Railway, on the Wirral Peninsula, Cheshire, England. The station served the town of Neston.

Birkenhead Railway

The Birkenhead Railway was a railway company in England. It was incorporated as the Birkenhead, Lancashire and Cheshire Junction Railway (BL&CJR) in 1846 to build a line connecting Chester and the manufacturing districts of Lancashire by making a junction near Warrington with the Grand Junction Railway. The BL&CJR took over the Chester and Birkenhead Railway in 1847, keeping its own name for the combined company until it shortened its name to The Birkenhead Railway in 1859. It was taken over jointly, on 1 January 1860, by the London and North Western Railway (LNWR) and the Great Western Railway (GWR). It remained a Joint Railway until Nationalisation of the railways in 1948.

Heswall railway station was on the Birkenhead Railway route between Hooton and West Kirby. It served the town of Heswall between 1886 and 1956.

National Cycle Route 56

National Cycle Network (NCN) Route 56 is a Sustrans National Route that runs from Chester to Liverpool. The route utilises country lanes, a former railway trackbed, a coastal path and a seaside promenade.

References

  1. ↑ "Wirral Country Park". Metropolitan Borough of Wirral. Retrieved 29 November 2018.
  2. ↑ "About the park". Wirral Country Park Friends Group. Archived from the original on 3 December 2008. Retrieved 29 March 2008.
  3. ↑ 53°22′24″N3°06′32″W / 53.3732°N 3.109°W
  4. ↑ 53°17′51″N2°58′39″W / 53.2976°N 2.9774°W
  5. ↑ The Wirral Way: Wirral, Visiting Thurstaston, retrieved 9 February 2009
  6. ↑ "Heswall Fields and Dales Walk: Wirral". AllertonOak Mersey Walks. Archived from the original on 23 January 2010. Retrieved 13 July 2009.
  7. ↑ "Wirral Coastal Walk: Wirral". The Rotary Club of North Wirral. Archived from the original on 9 May 2009. Retrieved 13 July 2009.
  8. ↑ Ride Schedule Details: Wirral, Endurance GB, retrieved 9 February 2009

Further reading

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