Stenner Woods

Stenner Woods is an area of wet woodland dominated by a rare willow carr, plus drier woodland. A wooden boardwalk forms a pathway through the wetlands. The woodland runs to the meadows and the River Mersey.

The Wood is adjacent to Millgate Lane and Stenner Lane.

The ‘Willow Carr’ is a remnant of a habitat that at one time would have covered the whole of the Mersey Valley flood plain. Willows thrive in waterlogged soil where other trees drown or suffer from rotten roots. In the drier areas there is an interesting mix of trees, including alder, sycamore, birch, ash, poplars and wych elm.

There is interesting ground flora of woodland wildflowers. Some of the marshy areas support a variety of marginal plants – those which grow in shallow water, but whose leaves emerge from the water. This includes dotted and purple loosestrife, wild angelica and marsh woundwort.

Dead trees are left standing where it will not be hazardous. Beetle larvae and other invertebrates inhabit the trees. These become the larders of food for birds such as great spotted woodpeckers and tree creepers. Look out for the small round holes in the wood drilled by the larvae, and larger holes where the birds have dug the grubs out with their beaks.

The area has numerous footpaths as can be seen on the map in the gallery above, click here to view an interactive Google map version.

At the south end of the woods towards Millgate Fields is a dipping pond and guidance to the insect and pond life. Please put anything you catch back in the pond.