ストークの天然記念物・トップ5

Probably the highest spot on the walk, open and breezy with a panoramic view of the Mersey estuary. You deserve a breather here!

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.

Visit these and you are trespassing!

Helsby Hill is an Iron Age hillfort commanding a prominent position above Helsby village and grand views in all directions. Combining both natural and human-made features, steep cliffs on the northern and western sides would have provided a natural semicircular defence, while double rampart earthworks to the south and east would have provided protection to those sides.

The small well located on the outskirts of the village has possibly served the iron age settlements at Burton Point and the Anglo Saxon settlement of Burton since 900. Now being restored by.... https://friends-of-hampstons-well-buton.business.site/#summary

Accessible from Flag Lane Bridle Path which runs through the middle of Chester Zoo.... "This area was formerly used for agriculture, but over the past two years we have been carefully restoring it to allow nature to move in and thrive. It now comprises wildflower meadows, ponds, beetle banks, log piles, trees and a reedbed, with a hide for viewing the wildlife" - Sarah Bird, Chester Zoo Biodiversity Office https://www.chesterzoo.org/news/celebrating-chester-zoos-nature-reserve-expansion/

These, surprisingly large, sandstone caves are on the east side of Manley Road. The enclosure is part of a local dairy farm and consequently the caves are often used for shelter by cattle. Please be aware the Caves are on private land

Spread over an area of 3,084 hectares, the Hale Duck Decoy is a duck decoy and nature reserve. It is not known exactly when the duck decoys were built, but it's thought that they date back to the 1600s. Today, the woodland and marsh are home to various species of wildlife such as otters and kingfishers. The historic significance of the duck decoys led the site to be placed on Historic England's Heritage at Risk list in November 2018.