MARBURY COUNTRY PARK 

Contact:

Comberbach, Northwich, Cheshire, CW9 6ATTel No:  01606 77741            

Amenities:

Toilets are located near to the car park (Pay and Display).  A children's play area and small picnic site are also next to the car park and an ice cream van is usually present during weekends and holidays.  5 bird hides are scattered over a wide area overlooking various habitats.

Opening and Closing Times:

The car park is open between 10am and dusk during winter and summer.

Area Description:

Once part of a large country estate Marbury Country Park offer a nice variety of habitats to please most naturalists.  In 1975, 196 acres was leased from the owners, ICI, by Cheshire County Council and restoration work was begun.  More land was acquired and toady it is run by the Countryside Management Service to the benefit of visitors and wildlife.  Marbury literally means fortified dwelling by the mere or water.The combination of open water, reedbeds, woodland, small pools and grassland make Marbury a most scenic site to explore with a variety of wildlife on offer.

Best times to visit:

Early mornings are best so as to make the most of the bird activity and song.  Each season has its own magic with the showy woodland bluebell carpet and abundant patches of wood anemone the first major show of the year.  Birding is always productive with anytime of the year worth a visit.  Due to the variety of habitats insect life is quite abundant with nearby Anderton NR excellent for odanata enthusiasts.

Key Flora:

The spring woodland display is spectacular and with patience a good selection of fauna can be had.  Lords and ladies and moschatel can be found as well as a nice list of trees.  The aboretum is worth a visit to brush up on a few ID skills.  Fungi and lichens are found throughout the woodland.  For all flora and fungi Anderton NR can be explored via a canal-side walk that can make an excellent day.

Key Fauna:

Birdlife is usually abundant throughout the year with late summer the quietest time.  An over wintering Bittern or two, passage waders, all 3 woodpeckers and a variety of wildfowl and woodland species make this area an ornothological delight.  Buzzard, Long Eared Owl, Sparrowhawk and Kingfisher are also usually present.

Black Tailed Skimmers are now common around open bare ground near water and a variety of the more common butterflies can be seen with little effort.

Back to menu