If You Go Down To The Woods Today

Don’t suffer the winter blues; a woodland walk can be the perfect pick-me-up, writes KATIE PIERCY from Cheshire Wildlife Trust

- Katie Piercy

IT’S the end of a long day as I park on the edge of a country lane and head down the farm track to begin my walk. Hedgerows with their red hawthorn berries and orange rose hips line my route.

I’m heading to Warburton’s and Hunter’s Woods, near Frodsham. They sit side-by-side and tell two very different stories. Warburton’s is an ancient woodland filled with species which were once common throughout Britain but have become frighteningly rare. Hunter’s on the other hand is a woodland still in its youth, planted only in 1999.

To reach the woods, I walk along the winding farm track, with fields of docile cattle grazing beside me. This takes me to the edge of the River Weaver and to the Weaver Way which offers walkers a 40 mile path taking in almost the whole of its course. With time and a bit of good luck otters, kingfishers and herons can all be spotted along the river’s banks.

On entering the edge of the woodland I can already see why it’s such a special place. Small-leaved limes jostle for space on the steep slopes, their smooth grey bark and pale heart-shaped leaves making them easy to spot. Often taken as an indicator of ancient woodland, these wonderful trees have been lost in much of our countryside through land clearance. Today, many planted woodlands are non-native species, meaning there are fewer places for the small-leaved lime to thrive.