Wirral Country Park
| Wirral Country Park | |
|---|---|
Cheshire West & Chester | |
| Open | All year |
| Status | Open |
The Wirral Country Park is a
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, located near to the site of Thurstaston railway station, at Thurstaston, and at the preserved Hadlow Road railway station, in Willaston.
History
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
Sports and recreation
Wirral Country Park is very popular with
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.
Wirral Country Park is popular not only for its wildlife and country walking, but also
Gallery
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The pond at Thurstaston Visitor Centre. -
Inside Thurstaston Visitor Centre. -
The former Thurstaston railway station. -
Wirral Country Park at Station Road in Parkgate.
See also
References
- ^ "Wirral Country Park". Metropolitan Borough of Wirral. Retrieved 29 November 2018.
- ^ "About the park". Wirral Country Park Friends Group. Archived from the original on 3 December 2008. Retrieved 29 March 2008.
- ^ 53°22′24″N 3°06′32″W / 53.3732°N 3.109°W
- ^ 53°17′51″N 2°58′39″W / 53.2976°N 2.9774°W
- ^ The Wirral Way: Wirral, Visiting Thurstaston, retrieved 9 February 2009
- ^ "Heswall Fields and Dales Walk: Wirral". AllertonOak Mersey Walks. Archived from the original on 23 January 2010. Retrieved 13 July 2009.
- ^ "Wirral Coastal Walk: Wirral". The Rotary Club of North Wirral. Archived from the original on 9 May 2009. Retrieved 13 July 2009.
- ^ Ride Schedule Details: Wirral, Endurance GB, retrieved 9 February 2009
Further reading
- Merseyside Railway History Group (1982). The Hooton to West Kirby Branch Line. Metropolitan Borough of Wirral. OCLC 60074290.
External links
