National Character Area 59
Wirral - Key Characteristics
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A low-lying but gently rolling platform punctuated by low sandstone outcrops, this western portion of the Wirral peninsula stretches from the mid-Wirral sandstone ridge to the Dee Estuary.
Extensive intertidal sandflats and mudflats around the Dee Estuary.~Julia Richardson/Natural England -
Geology is dominated by glacial till overlying Triassic red mudstones and sandstones, with sandstone ridges and outcrops.
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The north Wirral coast is characterised by extensive beaches along the foreshore, while the large, funnel-shaped Dee Estuary lies between the Wirral peninsula and north-east Wales.
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Drainage is into the Dee Estuary in the west and the Mersey Estuary in the east, with a network of small streams and drainage ditches.
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Woodland is predominantly broadleaved, with woodland cover on sandstone ridges, country parks and country estates.
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The formal landscape has been created by former large country estates and the core of the area is mixed agricultural land, with areas of improved pasture, arable farming and market gardens and extensive areas given over to grazing horses.
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Fields are defined by intermittent clipped hedgerows, with copses, some red sandstone walls and field ponds (‘marl pits’); coastal areas often feature a geometric field pattern bounded by ditches draining former marshlands.
Fields are often defined by hedgerows and field ponds are frequent. Woodland cover can be seen on the sandstone ridges.~Ruth Critchley/Natural England -
This is a significant coast and estuary, with internationally, nationally and locally recognised wildlife and habitats that include intertidal mudflats, sand flats and coastal salt marshes, with coastal sand dune systems. Inland, extensive areas of lowland heathland are associated with sandstone outcrops.
Extensive coastal saltmarshes are found in the Dee Estuary.~Rosemary Budd/Natural England -
The rural landscape, with country estates, scattered farms and a mix of ancient and post-medieval fieldscapes, is interspersed with residential commuter belt development, with towns and villages coalescing due to suburban development, linked by an intricate network of lanes, bridleways and footpaths.
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Red sandstone is common throughout the area; the pink hues of the local red stone bring warmth to the landscape and provide a unifying theme in buildings, walls, bridges and churches.
Red sandstone is common throughout the area; the pink hues of the local red stone bring warmth to the landscape and provide a unifying theme in walls, buildings and bridges.~Julia Richardson/Natural England -
Recreation and tourism are supported by good access to the dramatic coastal landscape and its outstanding ornithological interest, with a number of country parks, Local Nature Reserves and Local Wildlife Sites; links-style golf courses are a distinctive feature along the coastline.
Relationship with the coast
The adjacent coastline is covered by the following Shoreline Management Plans:
- Great Ormes Head to Scotland
The adjacent coastline includes the following Marine Plan – Marine Character Areas (MCAs):
- Dee and Mersey Estuaries and Coastal Waters
Great Ormes Head to Scotland Shoreline Management Plan
Shoreline Management Plans are developed by Coastal Groups with members mainly from local authorities and the Environment Agency. They identify the most sustainable approach to managing the flood and coastal erosion risks to the coastline in the short, medium and long term. This could inform actions within the NCA.
Description for the Dee and Mersey Estuaries and Coastal Waters Marine Character Area
Seascape Character Assessments have been produced for all marine plan areas in England, extending along the coast to the High Water Mark. Information in the Seascape Character Assessments could inform actions along the coastline of the NCA.
