Siding Lane Local Nature Reserve was Starting point: 3 (920 metres) Turn left up a small slope to the site of an 1860s colliery owned the Liverpool & Wigan railway line. Listen initially by the Rainford Coal Company Southport and watch out for passing trains in either The Siding Lane Ltd, whose general manager at the time direction along this single-track railway, iwas Mr George Boole. Following the 1926 Ranger Centre before using the gated level crossing. miners’ strike, the colliery finally ceased The Siding Lane Ranger Centre car park is production in 1928. Having crossed the railway, walk down the located to the northwest of Rainford and is START/ steps and follow the cart track towards the The site is a designated Local Nature clearly signposted from the A570 Rainford FINISH distant pine trees of Nursery Plantation, Reserve and is managed by St.Helens bypass. which you keep to your left. Please respect Council’s Ranger Service. 1 If arriving by public transport, Rainford the signs and keep out of this plantation, railway station is located approximately 1 2 (400 metres) At the edge of the picnic 2 as it is private. mile to the east, while regular bus services area, you will find two concrete-capped 3 4 (1.8km) When you reach the tarmac Dairy pass the railway station and stop on the shafts with an interpretation board Farm Road, look out for passing vehicles in Rainford bypass near to Siding Lane. explaining more about the former Rainford both directions before carefully crossing Colliery. After viewing this, retrace your 4 over, then follow the signposted footpath route back through the disabled car park. straight ahead along the field edge. You 1 (Start & Finish) Turn left out of the Ranger Turn left and pass the yellow vehicle barrier. may see lavender fields along this section. Centre car park and proceed west along a After a short distance, you will see a small narrow tarmac road. At the end of the Continue in a southeasterly direction for pond to your left. tarmac road, turn left before passing a approximately 1km before turning left onto yellow vehicle barrier and proceed through This pond is home to a wide range of 10 Moss Nook Lane. Walk for a short distance the disabled car park onto the open field aquatic plants and animals, most 5 until you arrive at the bicycle lane at the picnic area. notably the Southern Hawker side of the Rainford bypass. dragonfly. This insect is known to be 5 (2.8km) Using the bicycle lane, head ivery inquisitive and may fly over to have a southeast towards Mossnook Farm, taking 6 closer look at you as you walk past! care when crossing the vehicular entrance to Having passed the pond, turn left at the 7 Inglenook Farm. next junction of paths and proceed along a S t. narrow signposted public footpath, keeping H el the railway line to your left and 9 en s Lavender fields open fields to your right. 8 1 kilometre © Crown copyright and database rights 2012. Ordnance Survey Licence Number LA100018360. You are not permitted to copy, sub-license, Pink-footed Goose Southern Hawker dragonfly distribute or sell any of this data to third parties in any form. To your left, good views can be had of 7 (4.1km) Proceed in a westerly direction As well as an array of small birds, these Start/Finish the village of Rainford, which became towards the northern edge of Clare’s Moss fields contain large numbers of small Welcome to established as a settlement between Plantation. Follow this track as it turns to mammals. This combination in turn attracts The walk starts and finishes at Siding Lane the 11th and 12th centuries. It is named the left and heads south following the a wide range of birds of prey. Kestrels, Ranger Centre WA11 7SR iafter the Rainford family, the local Lords of Sparrowhawks and Buzzards are the western side of this plantation. Map Ref: SD463020 Rainford Loop the Manor, who originated from Randers commonest of these, however nationally 8 (5.0km) At another junction of tracks, Fjord on the coast of Denmark. The rare species have also been seen. These have Sheet 108 1:50000 OS map turn right and proceed westwards towards Rainfords were kinsmen of William the included Merlin, Peregrine and Hen Harrier Sheet 285 1:25000 OS map Trail & Map a tree-lined tarmac road, which was Lord Conqueror and claimed to be descendants of in winter, whilst Hobby, Marsh Harrier and Derby’s Old Coach Road. Route Distance – 9.5km (Approx 6 miles) the early Danish Kings, arriving in England Montagu’s Harrier have been seen during at the time of the Norman Conquest in 9 (5.6km) On reaching the Old Coach Road, the summer months. Estimated time – 3-4 hours turn right and head in a northerly 1066. The family originally lived at Gupshill 10 (6.7km) Having passed the vehicle access Going – Moderate direction, eventually meeting a vehicle Manor in Gloucestershire before they were gate, take the next right turn onto Dairy access gate after 1.1km. granted lands in what is now Merseyside Farm Road. Proceed northeast along this and Lancashire. The Old Coach Road is an excellent straight road, passing several properties on Further Information place for birdwatching throughout the your right and also the entrance to a 6 (3.3km) Turn right off the bicycle lane To find out more about walks in your local year. Resident birds include Lapwing, former World War 2 ammunition storage along the main track towards Mossnook area, please contact St.Helens Ranger Service Yellowhammer and Corn Bunting, and area, now privately owned and used for Farm. Continue past Mossnook Farm before i on 01744 678073, or these are joined in spring and summer by commercial and industrial purposes. Take heading southwest along the same track [email protected] migrant species such as Cuckoo and care and watch out for passing vehicles. towards Moor Game Farm. Whitethroat. Winter sees the arrival of www.sthelens.gov.uk/rangers Eventually you will reach the corner of Having passed Clare’s Wood tree plantation spectacular numbers of Pink-footed Geese Nursery Plantation, a point you crossed on your left, you will come to a T-junction from breeding grounds in Iceland, earlier in the walk. Having now walked with other tracks, where you turn right. Greenland and Svalbard. In the winter of 7.9km, turn left and head north towards 2008, there were an estimated 10,000 birds the railway line and back to the Siding Lane in these fields! These flocks can often Ranger Centre car park. contain rarer species of geese such as the Ross’s Goose that comes all the way The total distance of the walk is 9.5km. Contact Centre from Arctic Canada. , Wesley House, Corporation Street St.Helens WA10 1HF 01744 676789 Tel: 01744 671671 Minicom: 01744 676895 Fax: [email protected] Email: www.sthelens.gov.uk Please contact us to request translation of Council information into Braille, audio tape or a foreign language. Rainford Village Kestrel [email protected] 1401151M.