Delamere Forest
Encyclopedia
Delamere Forest or Delamere Forest Park is a wood
in the Cheshire West and Chester
area of Cheshire
, England, near the town of Frodsham
. It includes 972 hectares (2,401.9 acre) of mixed deciduous
and evergreen
woodland, centred at around , making it the largest area of woodland in Cheshire. The name means "forest of the lakes".
Delamere Forest is the remnant of the Forests of Mara and Mondrem
, which covered over 60 square miles (155.4 km²) in the north-west of the county in the 11th century. A hunting forest of the Norman
Earls of Chester
, it was subject to the harsh forest law, which greatly limited agricultural use for centuries. Ownership passed to the Crown in 1812 and then to the Forestry Commission
, which now manages the forest, shortly after its establishment in 1919.
The area also includes Old Pale hill, the high point of the northern mass of the Mid Cheshire Ridge
, and Blakemere Moss, a lake around 1 km in length. Black Lake, a rare example of quaking bog or schwingmoor, has been designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest
(SSSI) and forms part of an international Ramsar
site; Linmer Moss has also been designated an SSSI for its fen
land habitat. The white-faced darter
, a species of dragonfly
that is rare in the UK, has been recorded at Delamere Forest, and marsh fern
and white sedge, wetland plants that are rare in Cheshire, are found here.
A popular recreational area, Delamere Forest is used by walkers
, cyclists
, mountain bikers
and horse riders. The forest is also a venue for outdoor concerts.
in the north to a few miles north of Nantwich
in the south, and from the Gowy
in the west to the Weaver
in the east. At a date somewhere between 1277 and 1536, the forest encompassed over sixty townships or villages. One of the hunting forests of the Norman
Earls of Chester
, it might have earlier been an Anglo-Saxon
hunting forest. In this context, "forest" means an area outside the common law and subject to forest law; it does not imply that the area was entirely wooded, and the land remained largely in private ownership. Game was hunted with dogs and included wild boar, and red
, fallow
and roe deer
. During the early Norman period, the penalties for killing game were blinding, mutilation or execution; these savage punishments were gradually replaced by huge fines.
The original woodland was mixed, predominantly oak
, but also including elm
, lime
, yew
, chestnut
, fir
, larch
, beech
, ash, silver birch, hazel
, willow
and alder
. The forest area also encompassed heath
and wetland
, as well as pasture, arable land and even small settlements. Agriculture was, however, allowed within the forest boundaries only under severe restrictions; assarting
, or enclosing and clearing new land for agriculture, was prohibited until 1215.
The northerly Forest of Mara remained wooded in the 14th century, and still retained a population of wild boar and wolves
. By that date, however, large areas of the southerly Forest of Mondrem had been cleared.
, established in 1919, took over the management of Delamere Forest in 1924; the land was managed for timber production. Since 1968, the Forestry Commission has worked with the county council to promote recreational usage of the area.
. During the 19th century, it was unsuccessfully planted with oak, and later with Scots pine
. The Forestry Commission planted the moss with pine and western hemlock
during the 1940s, which proved uneconomic. It was decided in 1992 to restore Blakemere Moss as a wetland environment, which was achieved in 1998 by clear-felling the area and then flooding it. The restored lake now provides a habitat for wildlife, particularly birds. Following the success of this project, it was announced in January 2010 that a further 33 hectares (81.5 acre) of drained fenland at four sites in the Delamere Forest area would be rewetted as part of Natural England
's "Wetland Vision" scheme.
, an initiative to increase woodland coverage in areas close to urban communities. Nearly all the Forestry Commission land is open access land under the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000
. A few small additional areas contiguous with the Forestry Commission land are also wooded.
The Mid-Cheshire Railway Line
runs east–west through Delamere Forest; Delamere railway station
is located at , around ½ mile (800 m) from the Linmere Visitor Centre. The B5152 road runs north–south through the forest, and Ashton Road runs east–west. The National Cycle Network
Cheshire Cycleway (Regional Route 70) follows Ashton Road. The nearest town is Frodsham
, to the north-west; nearby settlements (anti-clockwise from the south) include Delamere
, Cuddington
, Norley
, Kingsley
, Mouldsworth
and Kelsall
.
which runs north–south through the centre of Cheshire. This region originated at the end of the last ice age, when glacial meltwaters formed a vast lake in the West Cheshire basin
which burst through the sandstone ridge, and deposited large amounts of sand and gravel across an extensive outwash fan on the eastern side of the ridge. The soils are very varied, including brown earth
s, podsol
s, peat
s and gley
s. One valley adjacent to the railway line has eight different soil types within a small area, and hosts a soil trail.
This part of Delamere Forest is undulating in character, with elevations predominantly in the range 60–90 metres. It is composed of numerous hummocks and peatland basins, some of which are glacial in origin while others have been created by sand extraction. The basins form lakes and mosses
(bogs) within the forest, the largest of which is Blakemere Moss, which originated in two glacial kettle holes and is now a lake around 1 km in length. Other sizeable wetlands include Black Lake, Dead Lake and Linmer Moss. This forest area has several named local high points, including Hart Hill, Hunger Hill and Manley Hill.
and three transmitter masts which carry radio, television and telephone signals. There is a view point with views of seven counties: Cheshire, Derbyshire
, Lancashire
, Shropshire
and Staffordshire
in England, and Denbighshire
and Flintshire
in Wales.
Delamere Forest encompasses broadleaved
and mixed woodlands, blocks of coniferous
plantation, as well as grassland
and wetland
. The area provides a habitat for numerous woodland bird species, including nuthatch
es, treecreeper
s, crossbill
s, siskin
s, tawny owl
s and greater spotted
and green woodpeckers. Dragonflies such as the southern hawker
can be seen in the wetland areas; the nationally scarce white-faced darter
has been observed at several sites within the forest, including Black Lake. Butterflies such as the small tortoiseshell
are common in the Old Pale area. Adders
have been observed in the woodland, and mammals seen here include badgers, foxes and bats.
(SSSIs) lie within the area of Delamere Forest owned by the Forestry Commission. Black Lake is an example of the rare quaking bog or schwingmoor habitat, a type of bog in which bog vegetation forms a raft which floats on top of water. The site is particularly notable for including the very earliest stages in quaking bog development, although all stages are present, from open water to largely consolidated schwingmoor in the process of colonisation by Scots pine
. In addition to Sphagnum
species, common sundew
and the locally rare white sedge are present. The site is managed by Cheshire Wildlife Trust
and forms part of the Midland Meres and Mosses Ramsar
site.
Linmer Moss is unusual within Delamere Forest in having a fen
environment which is not dominated by Sphagnum species. The vegetation is predominantly tussock sedge and reedmace
. Marsh fern
and white sedge, which are rare in Cheshire, are found here; other species include cuckooflower
, marsh bedstraw
, marsh cinquefoil and Sphagnum squarrosum. The site has experienced rapid changes in water levels during its history, and contains the trunks of birch trees which died when the area flooded. It is now being colonised by alder and willow
.
Multiple other wetland
SSSIs fall within the historical bounds of Delamere Forest, including Hatch Mere
and Flaxmere Moss, which lie immediately outside the Forestry Commission boundary, as well as Abbots Moss, Oak Mere and Pettypool Brook Valley. Little Budworth Common SSSI and the woodland around Abbots Moss are considered to be among the closest modern representatives of the forest before human settlement in the area.
, Delamere Way
and Baker Way
. Two waymarked circular walking trails of 1.7 and 2.7 mi (2.7 and 4.3 ) and two waymarked cycling trails of 4 and 7 mi (6.4 and 11.3 ) start near the Linmere Visitor Centre; the cycling
trails are also open to walkers. There are two easy-access circular trails which are suitable for wheelchair users and pushchairs; one starts at Barnsbridge car park and leads to Blakemere Moss (0.75 miles (1.2 km) in length), the other explores Old Pale hill from the Linmere Visitor Centre. Numerous non-waymarked footpaths are also available for both cyclists and walkers. There is a large area of dirt cycle jumps on Manley Hill for extreme mountain biking
enthusiasts.
Other activities include horse riding, jogging
, orienteering
, bird watching and nature study. Britain's largest Go Ape
facility opened in Delamere Forest in 2006; it includes numerous zip wires, Tarzan swings, tightropes and nets high in the treetops. Delamere Forest is the venue for the northern Hellrunner cross-country race, and the Sandstone Trail Race finishes in the forest.
Since 2003, the Old Pale area of the forest has served as a music venue, playing host to performers including Ian Brown
, The Charlatans, Jools Holland
, Status Quo, Sugababes
, Paul Weller, The Zutons
, Doves and Elbow
. The forest has also been used for open-air theatre.
Parking is restricted to the six car parks. Four pay car parks are accessed from the B5152: the Linmere , Station and Old Pale car parks are close to the Linmere Visitor Centre; the extensive Whitefield car park is suitable for horse boxes and coaches. Two free car parks, Barnsbridge and Brines Brow , are located off Ashton Road.
Wood
Wood is a hard, fibrous tissue found in many trees. It has been used for hundreds of thousands of years for both fuel and as a construction material. It is an organic material, a natural composite of cellulose fibers embedded in a matrix of lignin which resists compression...
in the Cheshire West and Chester
Cheshire West and Chester
Cheshire West and Chester is a unitary authority area with borough status, in the ceremonial county of Cheshire. It was established in April 2009 as part of the 2009 structural changes to local government in England, by virtue of an order under the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health...
area of Cheshire
Cheshire
Cheshire is a ceremonial county in North West England. Cheshire's county town is the city of Chester, although its largest town is Warrington. Other major towns include Widnes, Congleton, Crewe, Ellesmere Port, Runcorn, Macclesfield, Winsford, Northwich, and Wilmslow...
, England, near the town of Frodsham
Frodsham
Frodsham is a market town and civil parish in the unitary authority of Cheshire West and Chester and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. Its population is 8,982. It is approximately south of Runcorn, 16 miles south of Liverpool, and approximately south-west of Manchester...
. It includes 972 hectares (2,401.9 acre) of mixed deciduous
Deciduous
Deciduous means "falling off at maturity" or "tending to fall off", and is typically used in reference to trees or shrubs that lose their leaves seasonally, and to the shedding of other plant structures such as petals after flowering or fruit when ripe...
and evergreen
Evergreen
In botany, an evergreen plant is a plant that has leaves in all seasons. This contrasts with deciduous plants, which completely lose their foliage during the winter or dry season.There are many different kinds of evergreen plants, both trees and shrubs...
woodland, centred at around , making it the largest area of woodland in Cheshire. The name means "forest of the lakes".
Delamere Forest is the remnant of the Forests of Mara and Mondrem
Forests of Mara and Mondrem
The Forests of Mara and Mondrem were adjacent medieval forests in Cheshire, England, which in the 11th century extended to over , stretching from the Mersey in the north almost to Nantwich in the south, and from the Gowy in the west to the Weaver in the east...
, which covered over 60 square miles (155.4 km²) in the north-west of the county in the 11th century. A hunting forest of the Norman
Normans
The Normans were the people who gave their name to Normandy, a region in northern France. They were descended from Norse Viking conquerors of the territory and the native population of Frankish and Gallo-Roman stock...
Earls of Chester
Earl of Chester
The Earldom of Chester was one of the most powerful earldoms in medieval England. Since 1301 the title has generally been granted to heirs-apparent to the English throne, and from the late 14th century it has been given only in conjunction with that of Prince of Wales.- Honour of Chester :The...
, it was subject to the harsh forest law, which greatly limited agricultural use for centuries. Ownership passed to the Crown in 1812 and then to the Forestry Commission
Forestry Commission
The Forestry Commission is a non-ministerial government department responsible for forestry in Great Britain. Its mission is to protect and expand Britain's forests and woodlands and increase their value to society and the environment....
, which now manages the forest, shortly after its establishment in 1919.
The area also includes Old Pale hill, the high point of the northern mass of the Mid Cheshire Ridge
Mid Cheshire Ridge
The Mid Cheshire Ridge is a range of low sandstone hills which stretch north to south through Cheshire in North West England. The ridge is discontinuous, with the hills forming two main blocks, north and south of the "Beeston Gap"...
, and Blakemere Moss, a lake around 1 km in length. Black Lake, a rare example of quaking bog or schwingmoor, has been designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest
Site of Special Scientific Interest
A Site of Special Scientific Interest is a conservation designation denoting a protected area in the United Kingdom. SSSIs are the basic building block of site-based nature conservation legislation and most other legal nature/geological conservation designations in Great Britain are based upon...
(SSSI) and forms part of an international Ramsar
Ramsar Convention
The Ramsar Convention is an international treaty for the conservation and sustainable utilization of wetlands, i.e., to stem the progressive encroachment on and loss of wetlands now and in the future, recognizing the fundamental ecological functions of wetlands and their economic, cultural,...
site; Linmer Moss has also been designated an SSSI for its fen
Fen
A fen is a type of wetland fed by mineral-rich surface water or groundwater. Fens are characterised by their water chemistry, which is neutral or alkaline, with relatively high dissolved mineral levels but few other plant nutrients...
land habitat. The white-faced darter
White-faced Darter
The White-faced Darter is a small dragonfly belonging to the genus Leucorrhinia in the family Libellulidae. Its flight period lasts from May to August. It is found in peat bogs from northern Europe eastwards to Siberia. In southern Europe there are populations in some mountainous areas such as the...
, a species of dragonfly
Dragonfly
A dragonfly is a winged insect belonging to the order Odonata, the suborder Epiprocta or, in the strict sense, the infraorder Anisoptera . It is characterized by large multifaceted eyes, two pairs of strong transparent wings, and an elongated body...
that is rare in the UK, has been recorded at Delamere Forest, and marsh fern
Thelypteris palustris
Thelypteris palustris, or the marsh fern, is a fern native to eastern North America and across Eurasia. It prefers to grow in marshy situations in full sun.-References:*...
and white sedge, wetland plants that are rare in Cheshire, are found here.
A popular recreational area, Delamere Forest is used by walkers
Walking
Walking is one of the main gaits of locomotion among legged animals, and is typically slower than running and other gaits. Walking is defined by an 'inverted pendulum' gait in which the body vaults over the stiff limb or limbs with each step...
, cyclists
Cycling
Cycling, also called bicycling or biking, is the use of bicycles for transport, recreation, or for sport. Persons engaged in cycling are cyclists or bicyclists...
, mountain bikers
Mountain biking
Mountain biking is a sport which consists of riding bicycles off-road, often over rough terrain, using specially adapted mountain bikes. Mountain bikes share similarities with other bikes, but incorporate features designed to enhance durability and performance in rough terrain.Mountain biking can...
and horse riders. The forest is also a venue for outdoor concerts.
History
Hunting forest
Delamere Forest is the remnant of the twin medieval Forests of Mara and Mondrem, which in the 11th century covered over 60 square miles (155.4 km²), stretching from the MerseyRiver Mersey
The River Mersey is a river in North West England. It is around long, stretching from Stockport, Greater Manchester, and ending at Liverpool Bay, Merseyside. For centuries, it formed part of the ancient county divide between Lancashire and Cheshire....
in the north to a few miles north of Nantwich
Nantwich
Nantwich is a market town and civil parish in the Borough of Cheshire East and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. The town gives its name to the parliamentary constituency of Crewe and Nantwich...
in the south, and from the Gowy
River Gowy
The River Gowy is a river in Cheshire, England and a tributary of the River Mersey.It rises in western Cheshire in the hills near Peckforton Castle, very close to the source of the River Weaver. While the Weaver flows south initially, the Gowy flows north and for several miles provides the valley...
in the west to the Weaver
River Weaver
The River Weaver is a river, navigable in its lower reaches, running in a curving route anti-clockwise across west Cheshire, northern England. Improvements to the river to make it navigable were authorised in 1720 and the work, which included eleven locks, was completed in 1732...
in the east. At a date somewhere between 1277 and 1536, the forest encompassed over sixty townships or villages. One of the hunting forests of the Norman
Normans
The Normans were the people who gave their name to Normandy, a region in northern France. They were descended from Norse Viking conquerors of the territory and the native population of Frankish and Gallo-Roman stock...
Earls of Chester
Earl of Chester
The Earldom of Chester was one of the most powerful earldoms in medieval England. Since 1301 the title has generally been granted to heirs-apparent to the English throne, and from the late 14th century it has been given only in conjunction with that of Prince of Wales.- Honour of Chester :The...
, it might have earlier been an Anglo-Saxon
Anglo-Saxons
Anglo-Saxon is a term used by historians to designate the Germanic tribes who invaded and settled the south and east of Great Britain beginning in the early 5th century AD, and the period from their creation of the English nation to the Norman conquest. The Anglo-Saxon Era denotes the period of...
hunting forest. In this context, "forest" means an area outside the common law and subject to forest law; it does not imply that the area was entirely wooded, and the land remained largely in private ownership. Game was hunted with dogs and included wild boar, and red
Red Deer
The red deer is one of the largest deer species. Depending on taxonomy, the red deer inhabits most of Europe, the Caucasus Mountains region, Asia Minor, parts of western Asia, and central Asia. It also inhabits the Atlas Mountains region between Morocco and Tunisia in northwestern Africa, being...
, fallow
Fallow Deer
The Fallow Deer is a ruminant mammal belonging to the family Cervidae. This common species is native to western Eurasia, but has been introduced widely elsewhere. It often includes the rarer Persian Fallow Deer as a subspecies , while others treat it as an entirely different species The Fallow...
and roe deer
Roe Deer
The European Roe Deer , also known as the Western Roe Deer, chevreuil or just Roe Deer, is a Eurasian species of deer. It is relatively small, reddish and grey-brown, and well-adapted to cold environments. Roe Deer are widespread in Western Europe, from the Mediterranean to Scandinavia, and from...
. During the early Norman period, the penalties for killing game were blinding, mutilation or execution; these savage punishments were gradually replaced by huge fines.
The original woodland was mixed, predominantly oak
Oak
An oak is a tree or shrub in the genus Quercus , of which about 600 species exist. "Oak" may also appear in the names of species in related genera, notably Lithocarpus...
, but also including elm
Elm
Elms are deciduous and semi-deciduous trees comprising the genus Ulmus in the plant family Ulmaceae. The dozens of species are found in temperate and tropical-montane regions of North America and Eurasia, ranging southward into Indonesia. Elms are components of many kinds of natural forests...
, lime
Tilia
Tilia is a genus of about 30 species of trees native throughout most of the temperate Northern Hemisphere. The greatest species diversity is found in Asia, and the genus also occurs in Europe and eastern North America, but not western North America...
, yew
Taxus baccata
Taxus baccata is a conifer native to western, central and southern Europe, northwest Africa, northern Iran and southwest Asia. It is the tree originally known as yew, though with other related trees becoming known, it may be now known as the English yew, or European yew.-Description:It is a small-...
, chestnut
Chestnut
Chestnut , some species called chinkapin or chinquapin, is a genus of eight or nine species of deciduous trees and shrubs in the beech family Fagaceae, native to temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere. The name also refers to the edible nuts they produce.-Species:The chestnut belongs to the...
, fir
Fir
Firs are a genus of 48–55 species of evergreen conifers in the family Pinaceae. They are found through much of North and Central America, Europe, Asia, and North Africa, occurring in mountains over most of the range...
, larch
Larch
Larches are conifers in the genus Larix, in the family Pinaceae. Growing from 15 to 50m tall, they are native to much of the cooler temperate northern hemisphere, on lowlands in the north and high on mountains further south...
, beech
Beech
Beech is a genus of ten species of deciduous trees in the family Fagaceae, native to temperate Europe, Asia and North America.-Habit:...
, ash, silver birch, hazel
Hazel
The hazels are a genus of deciduous trees and large shrubs native to the temperate northern hemisphere. The genus is usually placed in the birch family Betulaceae, though some botanists split the hazels into a separate family Corylaceae.They have simple, rounded leaves with double-serrate margins...
, willow
Willow
Willows, sallows, and osiers form the genus Salix, around 400 species of deciduous trees and shrubs, found primarily on moist soils in cold and temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere...
and alder
Alder
Alder is the common name of a genus of flowering plants belonging to the birch family . The genus comprises about 30 species of monoecious trees and shrubs, few reaching large size, distributed throughout the North Temperate Zone and in the Americas along the Andes southwards to...
. The forest area also encompassed heath
Heath (habitat)
A heath or heathland is a dwarf-shrub habitat found on mainly low quality acidic soils, characterised by open, low growing woody vegetation, often dominated by plants of the Ericaceae. There are some clear differences between heath and moorland...
and wetland
Wetland
A wetland is an area of land whose soil is saturated with water either permanently or seasonally. Wetlands are categorised by their characteristic vegetation, which is adapted to these unique soil conditions....
, as well as pasture, arable land and even small settlements. Agriculture was, however, allowed within the forest boundaries only under severe restrictions; assarting
Assarting
Assarting is the act of clearing forested lands for use in agriculture or other purposes. In English law, it was illegal to assart any part of a Royal forest...
, or enclosing and clearing new land for agriculture, was prohibited until 1215.
The northerly Forest of Mara remained wooded in the 14th century, and still retained a population of wild boar and wolves
Gray Wolf
The gray wolf , also known as the wolf, is the largest extant wild member of the Canidae family...
. By that date, however, large areas of the southerly Forest of Mondrem had been cleared.
Later history
A total of 7755 acres (3,138.3 ha) in the south of the Forest of Mara, a small fraction of the original area of Delamere Forest, remained a hunting forest until 1812, when an Enclosure Act was passed disafforesting the remaining forest (that is, returning its legal status to ordinary land) and transferring ownership of the remnant half to the Crown and half to surrounding major landowners. The Forestry CommissionForestry Commission
The Forestry Commission is a non-ministerial government department responsible for forestry in Great Britain. Its mission is to protect and expand Britain's forests and woodlands and increase their value to society and the environment....
, established in 1919, took over the management of Delamere Forest in 1924; the land was managed for timber production. Since 1968, the Forestry Commission has worked with the county council to promote recreational usage of the area.
Blakemere Moss
Blakemere Moss was drained in around 1815, supposedly by prisoners from the Napoleonic WarsNapoleonic Wars
The Napoleonic Wars were a series of wars declared against Napoleon's French Empire by opposing coalitions that ran from 1803 to 1815. As a continuation of the wars sparked by the French Revolution of 1789, they revolutionised European armies and played out on an unprecedented scale, mainly due to...
. During the 19th century, it was unsuccessfully planted with oak, and later with Scots pine
Scots Pine
Pinus sylvestris, commonly known as the Scots Pine, is a species of pine native to Europe and Asia, ranging from Scotland, Ireland and Portugal in the west, east to eastern Siberia, south to the Caucasus Mountains, and as far north as well inside the Arctic Circle in Scandinavia...
. The Forestry Commission planted the moss with pine and western hemlock
Western Hemlock
Tsuga heterophylla. the Western Hemlock, is a species of hemlock native to the west coast of North America, with its northwestern limit on the Kenai Peninsula, Alaska, and its southeastern limit in northern Sonoma County, California.-Habitat:...
during the 1940s, which proved uneconomic. It was decided in 1992 to restore Blakemere Moss as a wetland environment, which was achieved in 1998 by clear-felling the area and then flooding it. The restored lake now provides a habitat for wildlife, particularly birds. Following the success of this project, it was announced in January 2010 that a further 33 hectares (81.5 acre) of drained fenland at four sites in the Delamere Forest area would be rewetted as part of Natural England
Natural England
Natural England is the non-departmental public body of the UK government responsible for ensuring that England's natural environment, including its land, flora and fauna, freshwater and marine environments, geology and soils, are protected and improved...
's "Wetland Vision" scheme.
Geography and geology
Delamere Forest forms part of the Mersey ForestMersey Forest
This article is about a community forest in the United Kingdom. See also Mersey Forest, Tasmania.The Mersey Forest is a network of woodlands and green spaces being created across Merseyside and North Cheshire by a wide-ranging partnership of different organisations including local authorities,...
, an initiative to increase woodland coverage in areas close to urban communities. Nearly all the Forestry Commission land is open access land under the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000
Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000
The Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 is a UK Act of Parliament which came into force on 30 November 2000.As of September 2007, not all sections of the Countryside and Rights of Way Act have yet come into force...
. A few small additional areas contiguous with the Forestry Commission land are also wooded.
The Mid-Cheshire Railway Line
Mid-Cheshire Line
The Mid-Cheshire Line is a railway line in the north-west of England, between Chester and Manchester.- History :The Mid Cheshire line has its origins in railways promoted by three separate railway companies in the 19th century. The Cheshire Midland Railway was opened to passengers between...
runs east–west through Delamere Forest; Delamere railway station
Delamere railway station
Delamere railway station opened on 22 June 1870. It serves both the village of Delamere and Delamere Forest in Cheshire, England. The station is 15 km east of Chester on the Mid-Cheshire Line....
is located at , around ½ mile (800 m) from the Linmere Visitor Centre. The B5152 road runs north–south through the forest, and Ashton Road runs east–west. The National Cycle Network
National Cycle Network
The National Cycle Network is a network of cycle routes in the United Kingdom.The National Cycle Network was created by the charity Sustrans , and aided by a £42.5 million National Lottery grant. In 2005 it was used for over 230 million trips.Many routes hope to minimise contact with motor...
Cheshire Cycleway (Regional Route 70) follows Ashton Road. The nearest town is Frodsham
Frodsham
Frodsham is a market town and civil parish in the unitary authority of Cheshire West and Chester and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. Its population is 8,982. It is approximately south of Runcorn, 16 miles south of Liverpool, and approximately south-west of Manchester...
, to the north-west; nearby settlements (anti-clockwise from the south) include Delamere
Delamere, Cheshire
thumb|right|200px|Map of civil parish of Delamere within the former borough of Vale RoyalDelamere is a civil parish and village in Cheshire. It is situated approximately 7 miles to the west of Northwich, within the unitary authority of Cheshire West and Chester.The village is well-known for the...
, Cuddington
Cuddington, Vale Royal
Cuddington is a civil parish and rural village in the unitary authority of Cheshire West and Chester and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England, about six miles west of Northwich and fourteen miles east of Chester....
, Norley
Norley
thumb|right|200px|Map of civil parish of Norley within the former borough of Vale RoyalNorley is a village and civil parish in the unitary authority of Cheshire West and Chester and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. It lies to the north of Delamere Forest, near the village of Cuddington...
, Kingsley
Kingsley, Cheshire
Kingsley is a civil parish and a village in the unitary authority of Cheshire West and Chester and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. It is approximately 5 miles south east of the town of Frodsham....
, Mouldsworth
Mouldsworth
Mouldsworth is a village and civil parish on the outskirts of Chester in the unitary authority of Cheshire West and Chester and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. It is located about 8 miles north east of Chester City Centre on the B5393 road. The nearest villages are Manley to the north...
and Kelsall
Kelsall
Kelsall is a medium-sized agricultural/commuter village and civil parish in the unitary authority of Cheshire West and Chester and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. It is located around east of Chester, west of Northwich and north west of Tarporley...
.
Mouldsworth Gap
The majority of the modern Delamere Forest falls within the Mouldsworth Gap, a break in the Mid Cheshire RidgeMid Cheshire Ridge
The Mid Cheshire Ridge is a range of low sandstone hills which stretch north to south through Cheshire in North West England. The ridge is discontinuous, with the hills forming two main blocks, north and south of the "Beeston Gap"...
which runs north–south through the centre of Cheshire. This region originated at the end of the last ice age, when glacial meltwaters formed a vast lake in the West Cheshire basin
Cheshire Basin
The Cheshire Basin is a late Palaeozoic and Mesozoic sedimentary basin which extends under most of the county of Cheshire in northwest England. It extends northwards into the Manchester area and south into Shropshire...
which burst through the sandstone ridge, and deposited large amounts of sand and gravel across an extensive outwash fan on the eastern side of the ridge. The soils are very varied, including brown earth
Brown earth
Brown earth is a type of soil. Brown earths are mostly located between 35° and 55° north of the Equator. The largest expanses cover western and central Europe, large areas of western and trans-Uralian Russia, the east coast of America and eastern Asia. Here, areas of brown earth soil types are...
s, podsol
Podsol
In soil science, podzols are the typical soils of coniferous, or boreal forests. They are also the typical soils of eucalypt forests and heathlands in southern Australia...
s, peat
Peat
Peat is an accumulation of partially decayed vegetation matter or histosol. Peat forms in wetland bogs, moors, muskegs, pocosins, mires, and peat swamp forests. Peat is harvested as an important source of fuel in certain parts of the world...
s and gley
Gley soil
Gley soil in soil science is a type of hydric soil which exhibits a greenish-blue-grey soil color due to wetland conditions. On exposure to the air, gley colors are transformed to a mottled pattern of reddish, yellow or orange patches. During gley soil formation , the oxygen supply in the soil...
s. One valley adjacent to the railway line has eight different soil types within a small area, and hosts a soil trail.
This part of Delamere Forest is undulating in character, with elevations predominantly in the range 60–90 metres. It is composed of numerous hummocks and peatland basins, some of which are glacial in origin while others have been created by sand extraction. The basins form lakes and mosses
Bog
A bog, quagmire or mire is a wetland that accumulates acidic peat, a deposit of dead plant material—often mosses or, in Arctic climates, lichens....
(bogs) within the forest, the largest of which is Blakemere Moss, which originated in two glacial kettle holes and is now a lake around 1 km in length. Other sizeable wetlands include Black Lake, Dead Lake and Linmer Moss. This forest area has several named local high points, including Hart Hill, Hunger Hill and Manley Hill.
Old Pale
The Old Pale hill (176 metres; ) stands towards the south of the Forestry Commission-owned area; it forms the high point of the northern mass of the Mid Cheshire Ridge. The summit, Pale Heights, has a trig pointTrig point
A triangulation station, also known as a triangulation pillar, trigonometrical station, trigonometrical point, trig station, trig beacon or trig point, and sometimes informally as a trig, is a fixed surveying station, used in geodetic surveying and other surveying projects in its vicinity...
and three transmitter masts which carry radio, television and telephone signals. There is a view point with views of seven counties: Cheshire, Derbyshire
Derbyshire
Derbyshire is a county in the East Midlands of England. A substantial portion of the Peak District National Park lies within Derbyshire. The northern part of Derbyshire overlaps with the Pennines, a famous chain of hills and mountains. The county contains within its boundary of approx...
, Lancashire
Lancashire
Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...
, Shropshire
Shropshire
Shropshire is a county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. It borders Wales to the west...
and Staffordshire
Staffordshire
Staffordshire is a landlocked county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. Part of the National Forest lies within its borders...
in England, and Denbighshire
Denbighshire
Denbighshire is a county in north-east Wales. It is named after the historic county of Denbighshire, but has substantially different borders. Denbighshire has the distinction of being the oldest inhabited part of Wales. Pontnewydd Palaeolithic site has remains of Neanderthals from 225,000 years...
and Flintshire
Flintshire
Flintshire is a county in north-east Wales. It borders Denbighshire, Wrexham and the English county of Cheshire. It is named after the historic county of Flintshire, which had notably different borders...
in Wales.
Ecology
Deciduous
Deciduous means "falling off at maturity" or "tending to fall off", and is typically used in reference to trees or shrubs that lose their leaves seasonally, and to the shedding of other plant structures such as petals after flowering or fruit when ripe...
and mixed woodlands, blocks of coniferous
Pinophyta
The conifers, division Pinophyta, also known as division Coniferophyta or Coniferae, are one of 13 or 14 division level taxa within the Kingdom Plantae. Pinophytes are gymnosperms. They are cone-bearing seed plants with vascular tissue; all extant conifers are woody plants, the great majority being...
plantation, as well as grassland
Grassland
Grasslands are areas where the vegetation is dominated by grasses and other herbaceous plants . However, sedge and rush families can also be found. Grasslands occur naturally on all continents except Antarctica...
and wetland
Wetland
A wetland is an area of land whose soil is saturated with water either permanently or seasonally. Wetlands are categorised by their characteristic vegetation, which is adapted to these unique soil conditions....
. The area provides a habitat for numerous woodland bird species, including nuthatch
Nuthatch
The nuthatches are a genus, Sitta, of small passerine birds belonging to the family Sittidae. Characterised by large heads, short tails, and powerful bills and feet, nuthatches advertise their territory using loud, simple songs...
es, treecreeper
Treecreeper
The treecreepers are a family, Certhiidae, of small passerine birds, widespread in wooded regions of the Northern Hemisphere and sub-Saharan Africa. The family contains ten species in two genera, Certhia and Salpornis...
s, crossbill
Crossbill
The crossbill is a bird in the finch family . The three to five species are all classified in the genus Loxia. These birds are characterised by the mandibles crossing at their tips, which gives the group its English name...
s, siskin
Siskin
-Birds:The name siskin when referring to a bird is derived from an adaptation of the German dialect words sisschen, zeischen, which are diminuative forms of Middle High German and Middle Low German words, which are themselves apparently of Slavic origin...
s, tawny owl
Tawny Owl
The Tawny Owl or Brown Owl is a stocky, medium-sized owl commonly found in woodlands across much of Eurasia. Its underparts are pale with dark streaks, and the upperparts are either brown or grey. Several of the eleven recognised subspecies have both variants...
s and greater spotted
Great Spotted Woodpecker
The Great Spotted Woodpecker , Dendrocopos major, is a bird species of the woodpecker family . It is distributed throughout Europe and northern Asia, and usually resident year-round except in the colder parts of its range...
and green woodpeckers. Dragonflies such as the southern hawker
Southern Hawker
The Southern Hawker or Blue Darner is a long species of hawker dragonfly.It is large, with a long body. It has green markings on the black bodies, and the male also has blue spots on the abdomen....
can be seen in the wetland areas; the nationally scarce white-faced darter
White-faced Darter
The White-faced Darter is a small dragonfly belonging to the genus Leucorrhinia in the family Libellulidae. Its flight period lasts from May to August. It is found in peat bogs from northern Europe eastwards to Siberia. In southern Europe there are populations in some mountainous areas such as the...
has been observed at several sites within the forest, including Black Lake. Butterflies such as the small tortoiseshell
Small Tortoiseshell
The Small Tortoiseshell is a well-known colourful butterfly.-Range:It is found in temperate Europe, Asia Minor, Central Asia, Siberia, China, Mongolia, Korea and Japan. There are a few records from New York City which, however, are believed to have arrived human-assisted.-Subspecies:*A. u. urticae...
are common in the Old Pale area. Adders
Vipera berus
Vipera berus, the common European adder or common European viper, is a venomous viper species that is extremely widespread and can be found throughout most of Western Europe and all the way to Far East Asia. Known by a host of common names including Common adder and Common viper, adders have been...
have been observed in the woodland, and mammals seen here include badgers, foxes and bats.
Sites of Special Scientific Interest
Two Sites of Special Scientific InterestSite of Special Scientific Interest
A Site of Special Scientific Interest is a conservation designation denoting a protected area in the United Kingdom. SSSIs are the basic building block of site-based nature conservation legislation and most other legal nature/geological conservation designations in Great Britain are based upon...
(SSSIs) lie within the area of Delamere Forest owned by the Forestry Commission. Black Lake is an example of the rare quaking bog or schwingmoor habitat, a type of bog in which bog vegetation forms a raft which floats on top of water. The site is particularly notable for including the very earliest stages in quaking bog development, although all stages are present, from open water to largely consolidated schwingmoor in the process of colonisation by Scots pine
Scots Pine
Pinus sylvestris, commonly known as the Scots Pine, is a species of pine native to Europe and Asia, ranging from Scotland, Ireland and Portugal in the west, east to eastern Siberia, south to the Caucasus Mountains, and as far north as well inside the Arctic Circle in Scandinavia...
. In addition to Sphagnum
Sphagnum
Sphagnum is a genus of between 151 and 350 species of mosses commonly called peat moss, due to its prevalence in peat bogs and mires. A distinction is made between sphagnum moss, the live moss growing on top of a peat bog on one hand, and sphagnum peat moss or sphagnum peat on the other, the...
species, common sundew
Drosera rotundifolia
Drosera rotundifolia is a species of sundew, a carnivorous plant often found in bogs, marshes and fens...
and the locally rare white sedge are present. The site is managed by Cheshire Wildlife Trust
Cheshire Wildlife Trust
The Cheshire Wildlife Trust is a wildlife trust covering the county of Cheshire and parts of the counties of Greater Manchester and Merseyside, England...
and forms part of the Midland Meres and Mosses Ramsar
Ramsar Convention
The Ramsar Convention is an international treaty for the conservation and sustainable utilization of wetlands, i.e., to stem the progressive encroachment on and loss of wetlands now and in the future, recognizing the fundamental ecological functions of wetlands and their economic, cultural,...
site.
Linmer Moss is unusual within Delamere Forest in having a fen
Fen
A fen is a type of wetland fed by mineral-rich surface water or groundwater. Fens are characterised by their water chemistry, which is neutral or alkaline, with relatively high dissolved mineral levels but few other plant nutrients...
environment which is not dominated by Sphagnum species. The vegetation is predominantly tussock sedge and reedmace
Typha latifolia
Typha latifolia is a perennial herbaceous plant in the genus Typha. It is found as a native plant species in North and South America, Europe, Eurasia, and Africa...
. Marsh fern
Thelypteris palustris
Thelypteris palustris, or the marsh fern, is a fern native to eastern North America and across Eurasia. It prefers to grow in marshy situations in full sun.-References:*...
and white sedge, which are rare in Cheshire, are found here; other species include cuckooflower
Cardamine pratensis
Cardamine pratensis , is a flowering plant in the family Brassicaceae, native throughout most of Europe and Western Asia.-Description:...
, marsh bedstraw
Galium palustre
Galium palustre is a herbaceous annual plant of the family Rubiaceae. This plant is native to Europe and North America and has several common names, including Common Marsh-bedstraw....
, marsh cinquefoil and Sphagnum squarrosum. The site has experienced rapid changes in water levels during its history, and contains the trunks of birch trees which died when the area flooded. It is now being colonised by alder and willow
Willow
Willows, sallows, and osiers form the genus Salix, around 400 species of deciduous trees and shrubs, found primarily on moist soils in cold and temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere...
.
Multiple other wetland
Wetland
A wetland is an area of land whose soil is saturated with water either permanently or seasonally. Wetlands are categorised by their characteristic vegetation, which is adapted to these unique soil conditions....
SSSIs fall within the historical bounds of Delamere Forest, including Hatch Mere
Hatchmere
thumb|Swimmers in Hatchmerethumb|Swimmers in HatchmereHatchmere is a small lake in Cheshire, adjacent to Delamere Forest. It is also the name of a hamlet near to the village of Norley. Hatchmere is notable for several campaigns to maintain public access to the lake after it was boughtby the...
and Flaxmere Moss, which lie immediately outside the Forestry Commission boundary, as well as Abbots Moss, Oak Mere and Pettypool Brook Valley. Little Budworth Common SSSI and the woodland around Abbots Moss are considered to be among the closest modern representatives of the forest before human settlement in the area.
Recreational uses
Delamere Forest is a popular recreational area, drawing visitors mainly from nearby urban areas. Three long-distance footpaths meander through the forest, the Sandstone TrailSandstone Trail
The Sandstone Trail is a long-distance walkers' path, following sandstone ridges running north–south from Frodsham in central Cheshire to Whitchurch just over the Shropshire border. The path was created in 1974 and extended in the 1990s...
, Delamere Way
Delamere Way
The Delamere Way is a footpath running from Frodsham to Stockton Heath within the English county of Cheshire. The total length of the trail is .-The route:...
and Baker Way
Baker Way
The Baker Way is a footpath running from Chester railway station to Delamere railway station within the English county of Cheshire. The total length of the trail is .-The route:...
. Two waymarked circular walking trails of 1.7 and 2.7 mi (2.7 and 4.3 ) and two waymarked cycling trails of 4 and 7 mi (6.4 and 11.3 ) start near the Linmere Visitor Centre; the cycling
Cycling
Cycling, also called bicycling or biking, is the use of bicycles for transport, recreation, or for sport. Persons engaged in cycling are cyclists or bicyclists...
trails are also open to walkers. There are two easy-access circular trails which are suitable for wheelchair users and pushchairs; one starts at Barnsbridge car park and leads to Blakemere Moss (0.75 miles (1.2 km) in length), the other explores Old Pale hill from the Linmere Visitor Centre. Numerous non-waymarked footpaths are also available for both cyclists and walkers. There is a large area of dirt cycle jumps on Manley Hill for extreme mountain biking
Mountain biking
Mountain biking is a sport which consists of riding bicycles off-road, often over rough terrain, using specially adapted mountain bikes. Mountain bikes share similarities with other bikes, but incorporate features designed to enhance durability and performance in rough terrain.Mountain biking can...
enthusiasts.
Other activities include horse riding, jogging
Jogging
Jogging is a form of trotting or running at a slow or leisurely pace. The main intention is to increase fitness with less stress on the body than from faster running.-Definition:...
, orienteering
Orienteering
Orienteering is a family of sports that requires navigational skills using a map and compass to navigate from point to point in diverse and usually unfamiliar terrain, and normally moving at speed. Participants are given a topographical map, usually a specially prepared orienteering map, which they...
, bird watching and nature study. Britain's largest Go Ape
Go Ape
Go Ape Ltd. is an outdoor pursuits company which runs 26 high wire adventure courses in forests in England, Scotland and Wales consisting of rope ladders, zip-lines, rope bridges, trapezes and swings...
facility opened in Delamere Forest in 2006; it includes numerous zip wires, Tarzan swings, tightropes and nets high in the treetops. Delamere Forest is the venue for the northern Hellrunner cross-country race, and the Sandstone Trail Race finishes in the forest.
Since 2003, the Old Pale area of the forest has served as a music venue, playing host to performers including Ian Brown
Ian Brown
Ian George Brown is an English musician, best known as the lead singer of the alternative rock band The Stone Roses, which broke up in 1996 but are confirmed to reunite in 2012. Since the break-up of the Stone Roses he has pursued a solo career...
, The Charlatans, Jools Holland
Jools Holland
Julian Miles "Jools" Holland OBE, DL is an English pianist, bandleader, singer, composer, and television presenter. He was a founder of the band Squeeze and his work has involved him with many artists including Sting, Eric Clapton, George Harrison, The Who, David Gilmour and Bono.Holland is a...
, Status Quo, Sugababes
Sugababes
The Sugababes are an English pop girl group based in London, consisting of members Heidi Range, Amelle Berrabah and Jade Ewen. The Sugababes were formed in 1998 with founding members Siobhán Donaghy, Mutya Buena and Keisha Buchanan. Their debut album, One Touch, was released in 2000 under London...
, Paul Weller, The Zutons
The Zutons
The Zutons are an English indie rock band from Liverpool. They were formed in 2001 but did not release their first album, Who Killed...... The Zutons?, until May 2004. They achieved their biggest hits with "Why Won't You Give Me Your Love?" and "Valerie", both taken from their second studio album...
, Doves and Elbow
Elbow (band)
Elbow are an English rock band. They have played together since 1990 and recorded five studio albums, the most recent of which is Build a Rocket Boys!, released in March 2011...
. The forest has also been used for open-air theatre.
Facilities for visitors
The Linmere Visitor Centre has an information centre, shop, cycle hire facility, covered picnic area, café and toilets (including disabled). Picnic facilities are also found at numerous points within the forest including most parking areas, and refreshments are available at weekends at the Barnsbridge and Whitefield car parks during the peak season. A classroom and "learning garden" near the visitor centre can be hired for educational visits.Parking is restricted to the six car parks. Four pay car parks are accessed from the B5152: the Linmere , Station and Old Pale car parks are close to the Linmere Visitor Centre; the extensive Whitefield car park is suitable for horse boxes and coaches. Two free car parks, Barnsbridge and Brines Brow , are located off Ashton Road.
External links
- Discovercheshire website (Delamere Forest Park page)
- Delamere Loop cycle and horse riding route (Discovercheshire website)
Sources
- Bevan RM. Tales of Old Delamere Forest (CC Publishing; 2005) (ISBN 0-949001-24-4)
- Coxhead AD, Bevan RM. The Story of Delamere House and Delamere Park (CC Publishing; 2008) (ISBN 978-0-949001-37-5)
- Husain BMC. Cheshire under the Norman Earls: 1066–1237. A History of Cheshire Vol. 4 (JJ Bagley, ed.) (Cheshire Community Council; 1973)
- Local History Group, Latham FA (ed). Vale Royal (The Local History Group; 1993) (ISBN 0 9522284 08)
- Phillips ADM, Phillips CB (eds). A New Historical Atlas of Cheshire (Cheshire County Council & Cheshire Community Council Publications Trust; 2002) (ISBN 0-904532-46-1)
- Tigwell, Rosalind E. Cheshire in the Twentieth Century. A History of Cheshire Vol. 12 (JJ Bagley, ed.) (Cheshire Community Council; 1985) (ISBN 0-903119-15-3)