It is essential that everybody enjoys the ride which will be at an average pace of 10-12 mph but the average speed will be determined by the overall pace of the group. Well done. The Romans is a stunning venue located on Otterspool promenade. Enjoy reading them and don't forget to and comment. Further south along Carr Lane (towards Hale areas. Bush looks on at right, as Pickering's wife Alice holds the Bible. are two main areas to view the pools. years flooding has also created a new set of pools (known by the local birders WIRRAL Parkgate 3 Short-eared Owl. go birding,other than the well-known sites which were all a reasonable Change), You are commenting using your Facebook account. 207076, Scotland no. August 23, 2022 Halton is an artificial coupling, created in 1974, of two English County Boroughs - Widnes and Runcorn. Unfortunately building work was interrupted by the Second World War and, though more homes were built in the postwar years, the gardens, stadium and pleasure beach never materialised. Thought Id bring it to your attention so you may perhaps follow our progress. All riders will be required to wear a helmet and carry spare inner tubes and the means to be able to repair a puncture (assistance will be provided if needed). majority of activity on the Mersey. The footpath heads south and skirts the woodland for 300 yards until it meets the footpath along the northern bank of the river. Liverpool Airport have submitted plans to close historic Dungeon Lane and Ashtons Lane (a Rght of Way) which runs parallel to Dungeon. provides good views of the pools especially in the afternoon and evening when 31/12/2016). But this place does have some significance in Liverpools economic history, because it was here, after the discovery of rock salt in Cheshire in the 17th century, that a salt refinery was established, the remains of which are still visible in the crumbling stone work and overgrown sandstone jetty. Lovely walks but too many inconsiderate dog owners who allow their dogs to foul footpaths and grass verges. Surfaced paths lead along the waterfront making it suitable for pushchairs and wheelchairs. The friends group organise occasional public visits places are limited and need to be booked in advance. (LogOut/ There is a mix of larger mature trees and smaller fruiting bushes, open grassland, meadows and scrubby areas. Backpacking, hiking and town walks with my human dad. There is a hide overlooking the scrape, birds possible on the scrape common sandpiper, lapwing, teal, oystercatcher, gadwall, mallard, ringed plover, redshank, grey wagtail and kingfisher. It's our local wildlife reserve and it has a lovely river mersey walk and loads of open space to enjoy for the whole family. Feeding ducks included a few Wigeon and the usual skulking Teal. This part of the village was lined with thatched houses. crops throughout the year, but there is also often set-aside on a rotational The airport are again threatening the closure of Dungeon Lane and demolishing of Oglet Farm and surrounding buildings. In the last couple of is relatively quiet around the main section of Pickerings Pasture, with the Pickerings Pasture: Pleasant walk on banks of the Mersey - See 105 traveler reviews, 23 candid photos, and great deals for Widnes, UK, at Tripadvisor. Pickerings Joe the Cocker here again. The path was quite slippery and muddy all along the shoreline. Where relevant,comply with recommended social distan Apr 30th Garden Warbler-Hilbre Island Garden Warbler (C)S.Williams Black Redstart-O ne on Town Fields at viewable from footpath between Chu COVID-19: Please adhere to current government advice and do not travel to see a bird. There is a hide at the far western end of Pickerings Pasture Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window), Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window), Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window). These giant bubble suits give you, Liverpool City Region Local Enterprise Partnership. Salem Harbor, the second deepest harbor in Massachusetts, reached . The shore regularly holds, Spring Hale Road Woods . is hit and miss, with the breeders keeping rather quiet, and the water levels Hale (the name is Anglo-Saxon again, deriving from healh meaning promontary of land- a reference to the villages location on a bulge of land protruding into the Mersey. Theres a rough surface car park about half a mile down Dungeon Lane, much frequented by plane spotters who take up positions along the lane with folding chairs, flasks and binoculars, waiting for the planes coming in to land on the last minute or so of their descent to the runway. Puddington Cattle Egret-S till in field on Puddington Lane Leasowe Lighthouse Wheatear (male)-Ke Feb 25th Merlin,2 Peregrine,2 Hen Harrier (male and ringtail) and 2 Great Egret- Old Baths, Parkgate . The salt works closed in the late 1840s, and the quay was then used by a firm of ship breakers. There is no access on to the marsh itself, which can be viewed from Withins Way from Hale Village and from the road between Hale and Halebank, and from the hide at Pickerings Pasture LNR Halebank. Pickerings Pasture, Widnes: , , Pickerings Pasture, Widnes, Tripadvisor Pickerings Pasture is a parkland area along the banks of the River Mersey. Feel free to have a look feedback is always welcome. Skip to content Skip to results Cornell Lab sapsucker logo Cornell Lab of Ornithology logo eBird Menu Menu Home Submit Explore My eBird Science . It ceased operation in 1958, since there was no longer any shipping on this side of the river. of wintering ducks which normally include good numbers of. my family moved to speke in 1936, I left speke for Australia in 1965 , I often recall the happy times of my childhood spent walking and paddling at oglet, It was amazing seeing where you played as a lad, thank you for sharing it dad xx. WIRRAL Puddington Western Cattle egret-T hree in field opposite Castel House. At the end of the Nature Reserve the path veered off into a patch of woodland before reaching a lane. Winter (December-February) Starting from Sherdley Park this ride takes us out past The Dream to Widnes where we pick up the River Mersey coastal paths and head to the picturesque village of Hale; a visit to The Childe of Hale (John Myddleton's) statue and resting place, the lighthouse and Pickerings' Pasture with magnificent views over the River Mersey. Hale Marsh is largely (Please note the cafe stop is approximately 12 miles into our 30 mile route). Resorting to Google maps I found an area that Hale is a beautiful village with many thatched roofed houses. Ambassador to the United Nations. Always remember, we will never leave anyone behind! Following a recce across the new Mersey Gateway Bridge to find Pickerings Pastures, Hale/Widnes area (which was very quiet bird-wise), we travelled on to Neston Marshes (Denhall Quay area) on the Wirral; on the whole it was a beautiful sunny day although thick cloud often obscured the sun and the wind picked up mid afternoon before settling down From this junction we followed the muddy Mersey Way along the shore towards Liverpool John Lennon Airport. (December-February) is a productive time for searching the saltmarsh and From Dungeon I turned to follow the broad sweep of the bay southeast towards Hale Point. Hale Decoy is My distant cousin Graham Houghton are researching our family tree which seems to indicate that we can relate to Thomas of Hale (1690 to 1730) although there is an earlier Isabel Houghton who used to live in the Manor House. Bridge 47. The pasture is part of the trans Pennine trail which takes you right along the Mersey from Warrington through spike island ( part of the trail is closed due to bridge work ) and it passes through the pasture and on towards hale. Hilbre 2 Scaup and a Snip Burton mere wetlands receives visit England welcome accolade! * " S A> .,. From the bottom of Withins Way an outcrop of rocks at the edge of the salt marsh attracts various waders and ducks and is always worth checking out. (December-February) around Burnt Mill Farm can be productive for winter Bunting My dad said that he was a month too late or maybe eleven months early. Hale Marsh and Decoy can area views are often quite distant of birds, however it can be quite rewarding. When However the paddocks can still often produce small numbers of. numbers can be variable throughout, and passage wader numbers will tail off by The little village of Hale was less than two miles away, with thatched roofs, home of the giant Childe of Hale who, legend has it, was nine foot tall. On the way back we called in at Hale park to try and relocate the over wintering Firecrest but no joy after a good hour searching. The Mersey Way closely follows the north bank of the river, heading to Hale Point before veering inland through Hale village in order to avoid Decoy Marsh, then rejoining the river at Pickerings Pasture for the stretch up to Runcorn and Warrington. When I eventually got to Ditton brook bridge I met up with some birders who had been on site for a few hours but hadn't seen the bird.I continued to look around but the area was vast and dense.There were plenty of common woodland birds around though and I counted 12 Bullfinches which have eluded me till last week at Moore. Pathways through - all very neat and tidy. Scarcer species can often include. such as, Spring Winter scarce birds recorded over the last few years have included, Winter An unusual bird to see this far up the river. The major redevelopment of the 1980s saw the move to the new site near to the river at Oglet, and a transfer of ownership from Liverpool City Council to Peel Holdings, the company that now owns assets on both sides of the Mersey, from Liverpool to Manchester. However persistence in checking the Pools can produce results There Barn and short eared owl. Pickerings Pasture: See how it is - See 104 traveler reviews, 23 candid photos, and great deals for Widnes, UK, at Tripadvisor. Thanks Lynne. Till next time! Birds possible/likely to be seen, mistle and song thrushes, chiffchaff, various tits, blackcaps, goldfinch, linnet, whitethroats, blackbird, starling, swift, swallow, house martins, redwing, fieldfare, reed bunting, siskin and brambling. On leaving the car park located off The Score, Sherdley Park, St Helens WA9 5XT (what3words app: fattest.demotion.automatic), the first part of the ride is mostly on main roads till we reach the gravel cycle paths of the Sutton Manor Woodland Park around The Dream and then head out towards Widnes on the St Helens Mineral Line where we join the St Helens Canal cycle path (which runs parallel to the River Mersey) near The Ferry Inn. It is essential that everybody enjoys the ride so it will be at a gentle pace (average 8-10mph) but the average speed will be determined by the overall pace of the group. Moore Flowers Home Weather 38. Benches & picnic tables on site.No Tiolet facilities. interesting that Hale has attracted not only Paul McCartney but also Sir J Betjemen : the Manor House looks lovely but I bet its expensive to upkeep. Plenty of photo opportunities on this ride! Hale Road Woods. However the Within Way, can be very productive for returning passage waders. Hale Lighthouse was built in 1906 to replace a much shorter structure protecting shipping on this dangerous headland. (September-November) often fails to produce the expected migrants around Burnt However if considering a walk extension, there is a Series of a zig-zagging shallow steps which ascend to cross the bridge over Ditton Brook, cycle path leads onto Runcorn Bridge. " Scenic " Since then its been a private residence. Cheshire. WIRRAL Puddington Western Cattle egret-T hree in field opposite Castel House. Sadly in May 2017 the local landowner decided to drain the area, resulting in the loss of some highly promising habitat, not to mention the destruction of breeding areas for scarce breeders. The Friends of Pickerings Pasture and Hale Duck Decoy are a volunteer group who work with Halton Borough Council to support, protect, develop and promote these nature reserves. You cant forget that the airport is nearby on this stretch you walk parallel to the approach which aircraft make on their descent to the runway. (June-August) can be quiet, but from early August return wader passage starts We have the biggest indoor inflatable in, The ruins of Halton Castle stand on a prominent rocky hill overlooking the River Mersey., Solve the puzzle of the Speke Hall maze. Marshes, although a telescope is a must! Hale Marsh is Carr Lane, with a mixture of reedbed and scrub, which stretches as far as During the winter the estuary is of major importance for ducks and waders, and in the spring and autumn migration periods its a crucial stopover for wader populations moving along the west coast of Britain. Can be awkward for bikes & wheel chair users. Further along a Great White Egret was busy feeding, and above it a small flock of Pink Footed Geese were winking as they flew. Welcome to my birding blog.It will be updated daily with bird news from Cheshire and Wirral and will cover all my birding adventures chasing rare birds around the British Isles. Our return, via the cycle route which passes under the Runcorn/Widnes Bridge and the 'quirky', but bike friendly, steps and footbridge over Ditton Brook, takes us on to Pickering's Pasture where we will take in the magnificent views of the River Mersey (and hopefully the Welsh Hills in the distance) and the old Widnes to Runcorn bridge. Surrounding the decoy is a salt marsh: the salt marsh provides feeding and roosting sites for waders such as Redshank, Lapwing and Black tailed Godwit, and migratory birds like Golden Plover, Teal and Widgeon. Wader Lots of work has obviously gone on here. SC037654, Image credits: River View Pickerings Pasture L BIMSON, Hale Marsh, Pickerings Pasture & the Duck decoy. The walk officially starts from a point on the A57 at Swithen Hill Wood. Retired college teacher living in Liverpool, UK. There isn't anywhere close to the trail starting point to park a car, surely a necessity in this day and age. With guelder rose, alder buckthorn, hawthorn, blackthorn, hazel and dog rose providing lookouts and hiding place for smaller birds. Could see it from my bedroom window! Hale Lighthouse and Shore Pickerings Pasture (Local Nature Reserve) Spike Island / Widnes Warth The South Shore New Brighton New Ferry Eastham Country Park The Weaver Bend and Estuary Wigg Island (Local Nature Reserve) Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates. Oak, elm, alder, wild cherry and sycamore are common species. Pickerings Pasture: Lovely stroll through old Mersey heritage - See 105 traveler reviews, 23 candid photos, and great deals for Widnes, UK, at Tripadvisor. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. It was a pleasant, genteel interlude, a touch of quality before they walked back to their very different life among the new grey houses and hard concrete roads of the housing estate. Pickerings Pasture LNR, Merseyside County, ENG, GB - eBird Hotspot Explore a complete list of bird species observations in this area. I like to hike and backpack with my human dad. Hoylake Shore 800 Bar-tailed Godwit and 15,000 Knot in WIRRAL West Kirby Marine Lake 5 Scaup, 9 Red-breasted Merganser and 175 Brent Geese along shore to Red Rocks. We were planning to walk on to Speke Hall but, due to this unintentional diversion we ran out of time. CHESHIRE AND WIRRAL BIRD NEWS AND UK MEGAS POSTED DAILY,TWITCHES AND MORE! Incredibly we never met up. Register to join the conversation about this ride, Subscribe me to the mailing list for advance info & the best from the blog. On a clear day you could see beyond the Wirral all the way to Wales. (March-May)is by far the most productive season around Burnt Mill Farm. Pickerings Pasture: Chillaxing Place - See 104 traveler reviews, 23 candid photos, and great deals for Widnes, UK, at Tripadvisor. Others have tried and failed but I have to stop the rot before i can shine it up. Moving on from here we pulled in at Carr Lane in Hale and found a single Grey partridge in a field along with a male and female Stonechat.A female Merlin put in a brief appearance flying low behind the pools and a Snipe was flushed from the side of the road. of larger mature trees and smaller fruiting bushes, open grassland, meadows and Where relevant,comply with recommended social distan Apr 30th Garden Warbler-Hilbre Island Garden Warbler (C)S.Williams Black Redstart-O ne on Town Fields at viewable from footpath between Chu COVID-19: Please adhere to current government advice and do not travel to see a bird. Speke was originally planned in 1936 as a complete town for 22,000 people, with an industrial estate, schools, a civic centre, a cinema, an open-air music garden and a stadium and pleasure beach on the banks of the River Mersey. Wild Poppies Sandstone Quarry 41. Remnants of the fort, rebuilt in the Civil War era, still stand near the lighthouse. Unfortunately, my freedom came to an abrupt ending as we neared the lighthouse when my dad spotted the dreaded Dogs must be on lead sign. basis. Sewage Works, which have 16 active filter beds (although viewing of the area is Puddington Cattle Egret-S till in field on Puddington Lane Leasowe Lighthouse Wheatear (male)-Ke Feb 25th Merlin,2 Peregrine,2 Hen Harrier (male and ringtail) and 2 Great Egret- Old Baths, Parkgate . moving south.