Time to take advantage of Heswall Dales?

It's easy to forget that Heswall boasts a 72 acre Site of Special Scientific Interest, or SSSI, which is an increasingly rare example of Lowland Heath habitat.

Despite being so close to the heart of Heswall and its shops, cafes, superstores and traffic, Heswall Dales remains a special place to visit, an intriguing and important slice of the natural world right on our doorsteps.

The Dales can offer solitude if you feel in need of a little, family walks, fascinating flora and fauna, panoramic vistas of the Dee Estuary, fresh air and access to the wild countryside.

And all the time you are treading across land that is rare, interesting and ancient.

Technically speaking, the Dales owes its nature to the underlying Triassic sandstone exposed in the last Ice Age twelve thousand years ago.

Originally the area was put to use as common heathland for grazing, but now the vegetation of heather, gorse, mosses and particular types of grasses – and all the creatures that live there – add up to a habitat that is increasingly uncommon across the UK, which is why it is protected by its SSSI and Local Nature Reserve status.

The Dales is managed by Wirral Borough Council, supported by the Dales Volunteers and Dales Friends Group.

All do tremendous work - in October the site was awarded its prestigious Green Flag status at the first attempt, an award which recognised the care given to the Dales, along with the work done to promote it and encourage its use.

There are seven official access points to the Dales, but first time visitors are advised to use either the main entrance on Oldfield Road or, in Lower Heswall, via Bushway, which is off Piper's Lane.

Please note there is no parking within the Reserve, so visitors are requested to park sensibly in nearby roads, taking account of the needs of residents.

As the Friends of Heswall Dales put it: "A winter walk on Heswall Dales can be cold and breezy, but you can seek a little shelter in the woodland valleys. The view across to North Wales can be spectacular, especially if there is snow on the Clwyd Mountains, while on a clear day the snow-capped mountains of Snowdonia can be a wonderful sight.

"As the tide comes up the Dee Estuary, flocks of waders retreat up the marsh as their feeding sites on the mud and sand get covered. Many of these visitors have arrived from the Arctic from as far afield as Norway, Greenland, Canada and Russia's Siberia.

"Overhead, you may see and hear very large flocks of Pink Footed Geese. Regular visitors from Northern and Eastern Europe include Fieldfare and Redwing. They take advantage of our berries when food stocks in their home lands are depleted.

"Residents such as the UK's smallest bird, the Goldcrest, become more visible, and if you stop and listen very hard you may just make out their very high-pitched but faint calls."

Heswall Dales is always well worth a visit, either for a casual walk, good exercise, or a small voyage of discovery. The Friends request that everyone follows the Countryside Code, that dogs are kept under close control, while cycling is not permitted in order to prevent damage.

And of course right now we have to remember social distancing and respect the space of others.

To find out more about The Friends of Heswall Dales, their work and opportunities to volunteer, please click or tap here.