Storeton Woods

Click here for the map of the woods inc places of interest.

More than 16 years ago, Storeton Woods were in a sad state. Used for motorcycle and four-wheel-drive rallies and war games, they were suffering badly from erosion. Who would have thought these neglected woods hid a wealth of wildlife and a fascinating history - including their very own dinosaur.

It took the dedication of local people near the woods in Bebington, Wirral, to uncover their potential. They approached the landowner and raised £25,000 towards the purchase price, then asked the Woodland Trust to take on the long-term ownership and management of the woods, which it did in 1989.
But the story did not end there. The local group organises regular workdays and events, such as an annual Christmas carol concert in the woods.

On the face of it, the 12.5-hectare (31-acre) woods may not seem anything special, a patch of secondary woodland in an urban fringe area. But former chairwoman Garnette Bowler, one of those who headed the original fundraising campaign, says that is just what makes the woods so special to people living nearby: 'The Wirral is one of the least wooded places in the country. Storeton is right on the edge of a densely populated area, and is the nearest thing we have to a natural and wild walk.'

And Storeton Woods are full of surprises. They are on the site of an old sandstone quarry, dating back to Roman times and still 60 metres (197 feet) deep in the early 20th century. In the 19th century, a tramway was opened to take the stone down to the docks. This went downhill by gravity and was then pulled back up by horses.

The tramway embankment still exists as a footpath, and stone from the quarry can be seen in many major buildings, including Birkenhead Town Hall and the Sankey Viaduct in Lancashire. In the 1920s the quarry was filled with spoil from the first Mersey Tunnel, and the woods grew up on top. You can still see the top of the cutting face of the quarry in places.
Storeton Woods also boast something far older. When fossilised dinosaur footprints were found in the quarry, they were attributed to an upright raptor-like dinosaur which was named after the site: Cheirotherium storetonia.

The woods are now a tranquil spot, a pocket of wildlife interest in the surrounding, increasingly built-up, landscape. When residents walk there and see butterflies such as large skipper, red admiral and small copper, and birds such as jay, lesser spotted woodpecker and even kestrel, they know all their hard work has been worthwhile.

Fact File

Wood: Storeton Woods

County: Wirral

Nearest town: Higher Bebington

Size: 12.5 hectares (31 acres)

Landranger no: 108

Grid reference: SJ314847

Designation: Tree Preservation Order

Walk grade: Easy