Top 5 Natural Monuments around Halton

Victoria park was opened in 1900 to celebrate the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Victoria. It is built on the former Appleton House estate and was created by the local council with funds collected via a public subscription. The park contains a Grade II listed war memorial pillar incorporating detailed carvings and standing more than 16m high, the memorial is a striking and prominent architectural building. The pillar was designed by Harold E Davies and unveiled by the 17th Earl of Derby in a ceremony on 28 September 1921 after a civic parade from Widnes Town Hall. The memorial cost £6,000 and was paid for by public subscription. The sculptural additions were undertaken by the national artist Herbert Tyson Smith. There is a memorial fountain in honour of William Ewart Gladstone. A milestone marker, with plaque, commemorates the last effective Zeppelin air raid of World War I in England. Five Zeppelins dropped bombs in Widnes, Ince and Wigan. There is a statue of Sgt. Thomas Mottershead V.C., DCM (1892–1917) who was born in Widnes and was awarded a Victoria Cross and Distinguished Conduct Medal in World War I. There is also a combined memorial headstone for Mottershead and two other recipients of the V.C. from Halton namely Thomas Wilkinson and Thomas Alfred Jones. Thomas Mottershead was born in Widnes, Lancashire on 17 January 1892. He was the son of Thomas and Lucy Mottershead. He studied engineering at Widnes Technical School and was apprenticed as a fitter and turner after leaving school. In February 1914, he married Lilian Medlicott Bree and the couple had a son, Sydney, the following year. Mottershead was living at 31 Lilac Avenue in Widnes and working as a garage mechanic when World War I broke out. He enlisted in the Royal Flying Corps on 10 August 1914 as a mechanic, and was posted to the Central Flying school at Upavon and was promoted to Sergeant on 1 April 1916. In May 1916 he began pilot training and on 9 June he obtained his Flying Certificate. He was posted to No.25 Squadron at St Omer, flying the FE 2, on 6 July 1916 and saw action in the Battle of the Somme. Wikipedia

It was such a wonderful place to stop with views of both bridges and the river Mersey

Runcorn Hill (park & local nature reserve) is situated in the heart of Runcorn (old town). Commanding panoramic views over the Mersey Estuary looking north west to Liverpool, south west to the Welsh hills and south east to Frodsham and Delamere. The habitats cover lowland heath with scattered scrub of gorse, silver birch, wooded hillside, formal parkland, playing fields and recreational small lake. The football fields to the east of the site alongside Park Road are good for Black-headed Gull loitering and good numbers of Jackdaw. Since 2016 a Nordic (type) Jackdaw has been present with its fellow corvids. The East Quarry is an area of heath with patches of bramble and silver birch. A small pool attracts passerines to bathe and drink and can be good for spring and autumn migrants. Common Redstart, Pied Flycatcher and Wood Warbler are possible with Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff, Lesser Redpoll an Great Spotted Woodpeckers the more usual species to be encountered.

The Duck Decoy at Hale is an impressive, complex monument, now a Scheduled Ancient Monument and a Site of Special Scientific Interest. It lies in the lowest part of the landscape, amongst streams and wetlands and close the the River Mersey itself. This part of the manor of Hale was drained in the medieval period, with the idea of increasing the amount of land suitable to plough. The trade-off was a reduction in land that wetland wildfowl could use. To counter this, the duck decoy was built. Hale Decoy was designed to look like the many other coverts that dotted the landscape. The lack of shelter for water birds would make it an attractive spot. A pond was dug in the centre to complete the picture.

Runcorn Hill, a winner of the coveted Green Flag award, is a local nature reserve on a sandstone outcrop above the town of Runcorn. The site offers woodland walks, views of the Mersey Estuary, quarry, orienteering trails and is north Cheshire's largest surviving stretch of heathland, supporting a wealth of wildlife.

Green Flag Award winning Local Nature Reserve with acres of wild flower meadows and a fabulous view across the upper Mersey estuary. It is a peaceful place to enjoy picnics and watch the abundant wildlife. Surfaced paths lead along the waterfront making it suitable for pushchairs and wheelchairs. The Friends of Pickerings Pasture meet every other month at the visitor centre, to plan voluntary work on Pickerings and Hale Duck Decoy. Every month there is a project morning. If you are interested in volunteering, you can find out more details on their website.

This was a commercial plantation – effectively a tree factory – planted over 30 years ago. There had been a woodland at Daresbury in the 19th century, but this had mostly been cut down by 1910. The conifer plantation that we see now was planted in 1978. The trees on Keckwick Hill behind Daresbury Firs are not part of the plantation. In this more natural woodland, if trees are cut down it is to let in light for wildflowers and young trees to grow, or to make the woodland safer and easier for the public to use.

Great views of the estuary here, and the wild flower meadow is teeming with bird and insect life. Lots of oystercatchers, terns, lapwings, song thrushes, and chaffinches too.