Wildlife reserves · North West England
Highfield Moss
In or near Winwick.
Highfield Moss — nature reserve in Greater Manchester, England.
Wikimedia Commons licence
Plan your visit
- Typical visit
- 2 h–4 h
- Best time of year
- Autumn & winter (migration & wildfowl)
- Nearest railway station
- Newton-le-Willows · 1.9 km
- Free entry
- Family-friendly
- Dog-friendly
- Limited wheelchair access
About
Highfield Moss is a wildlife reserve in the United Kingdom. Managed by Wildlife Trust for Lancashire, Manchester and North Merseyside. Wikidata describes it as: "nature reserve in Greater Manchester, England". Coordinates: 53.4547°, -2.5847°.
Photo gallery
Official information
Highfield Moss is a nature reserve featuring unique peatland habitats that support a diverse range of wildlife, including various birds, insects, and rare plants. Visitors can explore the sandy banks and observe species such as solitary bees, golden plovers, and the rare marsh gentian. The reserve is an important part of the Great Manchester Wetlands area.
Protected designations
- Site of Special Scientific Interest: Highfield Moss SSSI
- National Nature Reserve: RISLEY, HOLCROFT AND CHAT MOSS
Designations sourced from Natural England open data under OGL v3.
From the Wikipedia article
Highfield Moss is a nature reserve of the Wildlife Trust for Lancashire, Manchester and North Merseyside, near Lowton in the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan, Greater Manchester. It is designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest.
Excerpt from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0. See the source article linked in Sources below.
Background
Description
The area, of size 17.9 ha, is a lowland raised mire, an unusual type of wetland among those in the Greater Manchester area, with diverse habitats over deep peat, including wet heath, tall fen and standing water. Peatlands are important, because they store carbon dioxide, which has been absorbed over thousands of years, whereas degraded peatland emits carbon dioxide; and peatlands reduce flooding by soaking up water. Restoration is also important for species of wildlife which are adapted to this particular environment, and which would otherwise disappear. There is access to the reserve by public footpaths.
Sourced from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Coordinates
- 53.4547, -2.5847
- District
- St. Helens
- Parish
- St. Helens, unparished area
- Postcode
- WA2 7EA
- Parliamentary constituency
- St Helens North
- Phone
- 01204 663754
- Nearest railway station
- Newton-le-Willows — 1.9 km
- Opening
- Open at all times.
- Official site
- www.lancswt.org.uk
Sources
- wikidata: Q136439229 (CC0)
- wikipedia: Highfield Moss (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Other places nearby
Huskisson Memorial, Newton-le-Willows
Memorials & monuments · 0.7 km
Huskisson Memorial
Memorials & monuments · 0.8 km
Newchurch
Villages · 1.3 km
Lowton
Villages · 1.3 km
Beard's Battery
Archaeological sites · 1.3 km
St Oswalds Well
Archaeological sites · 1.5 km
Kenyon
Villages · 1.7 km
Castle Hill
Literary houses · 1.8 km
Newton Le Willows Castle Hill
Castles · 1.8 km
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Literary houses · 1.8 km
Mill Lane Viaduct
Historic bridges · 2.0 km
Newton Stocks
Memorials & monuments · 2.0 km
Nearby
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Huskisson Memorial, Newton-le-Willows
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Frequently asked questions
- Where is Highfield Moss?
- Highfield Moss is in the West Midlands, United Kingdom (postcode WA2 7EA), in the parish of St. Helens, unparished area.
- What is Highfield Moss?
- Highfield Moss — nature reserve in Greater Manchester, England.
- How do I get to Highfield Moss?
- The nearest railway station is Newton-le-Willows, about 1.9 km away. Drivers can use postcode WA2 7EA.
- Who runs Highfield Moss?
- Highfield Moss is operated by Wildlife Trust for Lancashire, Manchester and North Merseyside.
- Is Highfield Moss a protected site?
- Yes — Highfield Moss is part of the Highfield Moss SSSI Site of Special Scientific Interest and the RISLEY, HOLCROFT AND CHAT MOSS National Nature Reserve.
- Is Highfield Moss free to visit?
- Yes, Highfield Moss is free to enter.
- How do I get to Highfield Moss?
- The nearest railway station is Newton-le-Willows, about 1.9 km away. Drivers can navigate to postcode WA2 7EA.
- Are dogs allowed at Highfield Moss?
- Most wildlife reserves allow dogs on lead only, with restrictions during ground-nesting bird season (March-July). Check signage at the reserve.