Day 13 Visit a Nature Reserve

This morning me and my eldest daughter took a trip out to Gorse Hill Nature Reserve in Aughton, Ormskirk.  I'd found out about the Nature Reserve after looking on the internet for one that wasn't too far away from our house.

After reading about the Gorse Hill NR on their website at http://nwecotrust.org.uk I had contacted Johnathan Atkins the Reserve Manager earlier in the week to enquire about visting the reserve and he had kindly emailed me back with details on when to come and visit and so I set a date in my diary for today.

Having never the visited this reserve before I was quite looking forward to it and couldn't believe just how near it actually was to my house in Kirkby.  

Upon arrival I made my way to the Information Centre where Johnathan happened to be talking to a woman and her son. I introduced myself and we had a brief chat about the 30 Days Wild Challenge and the reserve itself.  

Johnathan seemed very passionate about the Gorse Hill NR has he told me how it had developed from being former agricultural land 16 years ago. The 85 acre site  now includes wildflower meadows, woodlands, ponds, wetland areas, a newly planted old variety orchard and a wildflower/tree nursery. 

After visiting the reserve today I can see just how much thought, care and dedication has been put into making this a first class Nature Reserve which I consider myself lucky to have on my doorstep.  I will be definitely visiting here again throughout the year.

I've included a lot of photos in this post so I could share with others just how beautiful this reserve really is. 

A signpost for Gorse Hill NR

on the country lane

Driveway up to

the visitor centre

The start of the walk

through Cabin Wood
and the first of many habitat piles

Carvings

Checking the map

A map of Cabin Wood

Cabin Wood

One of many informative signs

Paths are well marked out

One of many Log Piles

Some sort of hotel perhaps?

(I'll have to find out what this is for)

First of many Bug Hotels

What a great habitat for insects

Signpost for Newt Shelters

A Frog Statue

Daughter wants 
a photo with the frog

Buttercups

One of many Newt Shelters

'Seldom' Pond

Looking across 
the pond to the hide

View from the duckboards

Great Tit at the Feeding Station

Great Tits
enjoying the seed mix

Chaffinch
at another feeding station

Chaffinch
enjoying the seed mix

Robin
enjoying the seed mix

The Great Tit
back again

Female Robin

Chaffinch
back again

Feeding Stations from
the picnic benches

'Seldom' Pond
from the picnic benches

We sat here for about twenty minutes
watching the birds feed and if my
daughter hadn't have been with me
I could have happily sat there all day

Continuing our walk
through the woods

Another pathway

One of many 
insects in the long grass

Rotting Tree Trunk

A closer look at the pond

Teeming with wildlife

Time for contemplation

One of many Habitat Piles

Main Path Marker

Small Mammal Home area

Another super Bug Hotel

A formidable home for insects

The path continues

One of many planted trees

Looking back along the path

Frog carving

Hawthorn Tree

Hazel Tree

Homes for Small Mammals

Another infrormative sign

Another Bug Hotel

Another Habitat Pile

These piles are a great idea

We decide to explore another pathway

Looking back along the path

Plodding on

More Habitat Piles

Close up view
of one the piles

Last Habitat Pile along the trail