Spring in the Dales

Heswall Dales is a landscape of wooded valleys and hills of scrub and open heathland. Scrub is periodically removed to promote the regeneration of the rarer lowland heath and it’s in these areas that interesting things start to happen in springtime. Newly exposed to the light and warmth of the sun, many plants begin to germinate: sheep sorrel, wavy-hair grass, groundsels, hawkweeds, bilberry and heather. Amongst them, the ground teems with invertebrates, especially beetles, bugs and spiders. Solitary bees feed on the early gorse and heather flowers, constructing their burrows on the outcrops of bare earth that characterise the rugged hills. Common lizards bask in the sun, but are often only spotted when disturbed due to their superb camouflage. In the woodlands, woodpeckers can be heard drumming and warblers like blackcap, chiffchaff and willow warblers begin to call as they return from overseas. Lucky visitors may spot foxes, weasels, bats and even badgers. This sensitive ecosystem is vulnerable to disturbance. Please keep to paths, keep dogs under control and dispose of waste responsibly. There’s a lot to see on the Dales - you can find out more from the Friends of Heswall Dales website lhttps://www.heswalldalesfriends.co.uk/. Enjoy your visit! …and if you would like to help maintain this rare habitat, contact Ranger Chris Werney on 07767 474478"