Runcorn
Woodland Trust wood
Size:
9.24 ha (22.83 acres)
Grid reference:
SJ551830
Map reference:
Explorer 276
OS Landranger 108
Big Wood is designated as a Local Wildlife Site as well as one of the Guardian’s 10 best woods for spring flowers. With an eclectic mix of broadleaf and exotic tree species, a wealth of wildlife and a rich and varied history, it is a great place to visit.
Big Wood is a nine-hectare (22-acre) urban wood in the Manor Park area of Runcorn, about 3.5 miles east of the town centre and 6.5 miles southeast of Warrington.
The woodland is situated next to the Bridgewater Canal, Daresbury Expressway and Norton Priory Museum. It is close to other Woodland Trust sites, including Windmill Hill Wood and Fountains Wood which lie across the canal.
From Runcorn, head east along the A533. Take the exit towards Windmill Hill. At the roundabout, take the second exit onto Tudor Road, signposted for Norton Priory Museum. Park at the far end of Tudor Road and follow the road round to the left. Cross the road bridge over the Expressway to Norton Priory car park. A cycleway crosses in front of the car park - follow it to the left to arrive at Big Wood.
The nearest train stations are Runcorn East, 3.2km (two miles) from the wood, and Runcorn, 6.4km (four miles) from the wood.
Visit National Rail for more information.
The nearest bus stop is on the bus route adjacent to Windmill Hill Avenue West. It is a 15-minute walk from the bus stop into the northern end of Windmill Hill Wood.
Visit Traveline for more information.
Big Wood has pedestrian access from the cycleway next to Norton Priory Museum car park, and from Sandymoor Lane, next to the canal bridge. Both of these entrances have disabled access (RADAR) kissing gates.
The wood has 1.2km (0.7 miles) of surfaced footpath which links the access points and is predominantly level and suitable for wheelchairs and buggies, although it can become muddy in winter in some places.
There is no car park for the wood, but you can park at the end of Tudor Road and walk across the road bridge towards Norton Priory Museum to get to Big Wood.
The closest public toilets are at the Halton Lea shopping centre about 3km (two miles) from Fountains Wood.
There are toilets at Norton Priory Museum, but these are only for visitors to the museum and café.
Designated a Local Wildlife Site, Big Wood is roamed by foxes and grey squirrels. There’s plenty of birdlife too. Look up and you may see a buzzard wheeling high overhead, or catch sight of an owl as dusk descends.
Look out for:
Famed for its glorious spring flora, Big Wood also has a rich mix of broadleaf tree species and exotic specimens. It contains a significant number of veteran trees, including Turkey and English oak, horse chestnut and yew.
Look out for:
A diverse mix of broadleaf species, conifer trees and areas of wet woodland, there are lots of habitats to be found in Big Wood.
Explore:
Between the early 12th century and the dissolution of the monasteries in 1536, the site was owned by the Augustinian monastery of Norton Priory. Soon after, it became part of the Brooke family estate.
During the 1730s, the Brooke family began creating a recreational woodland by planting a mix of broadleaved trees and exotic species, as well as installing footpaths, ponds and a network of drainage ditches. The house was abandoned in 1921, leaving the wood to become overgrown. Many of its historical features are still visible today, like a backfilled moat and ha-ha wall.
Credit: Amanda Cogan Barber / WTML
In the 1970s, the construction of the A558 Runcorn Expressway cut the site in half. Much of the surrounding land was developed for Manor Park Business Park and new housing estates across the canal at Windmill Hill.
The wood was given to the Woodland Trust in 1995. Since then, we have worked to return Big Wood to its former glory by restoring ponds and ditches, coppicing trees to allow light to reach the woodland floor, and removing invasive rhododendrons.
In 2001, we began a restoration programme, paid for by the Heritage Lottery Fund and involving volunteers from Astmoor Day Services and The Conservation Volunteers. We de-silted the pond, ditches, silt traps, weirs and culverts and cleared over two hectares of rhododendron. In 2010, chemical company INEOS Chlor funded a project to improve access by resurfacing footpaths and installing kissing gates.
This wood is one of more than 50 across the UK where it's possible to dedicate trees, benches or larger areas of woodland. Mark a special occasion or celebrate the life of a loved one with a meaningful gesture that lasts.
Choose a dedicationWhy not enjoy a walk around Big Wood? With a mostly flat, well-surfaced path, an amble around the wood takes around 30 minutes and allows you to take in all the wonderful sights and sounds the wood has to offer.
