Meres and Mosses celebrations
A host of celebratory events are taking place from Friday 26 July to Sunday 28 July 2013 at Natural England and Natural Resources Wales’s Fenn’s Whixall and Bettisfield Mosses National Nature Reserve to mark International Bog Day, which is the last Sunday in July.
The free events, organised by the Meres and Mosses Landscape Partnership Scheme and supported by Shropshire Council’s outdoor recreation team, include:
Sat 27 July – the launch of the new Bettisfield Moss Trail, starting at World’s End Car park, Whixall (SJ 48033482, SY13 2QE) at 2pm. This 2km (1.5miles) walk on level but uneven peaty tracks will be led by Natural England’s Senior Reserve Manager Joan Daniels. It will explore a Moss almost destroyed by self-sown conifer forest, which was removed in 2001.
Sun 28 July – a guided mammal walk starting at Natural England’s Manor House NNR Base ( SJ505366, SY13 2PD) at 10am. This 2.5 km (2 miles) walk on level but uneven peaty tracks will be led by Natural England’s volunteer Stuart Edmunds of Shropshire Mammal Group. The Moss is a haven for water vole, decimated by mink in recent decades, as well as foxes, badger and hare. Live trapping for the event will add to the NNR records and allow visitors to see smaller mammals close up.
Sun 28 July – the launch of the new History Trail on Fenn’s and Whixall Mosses starting from Natural England’s Manor House NNR Base at 2pm. This 4.5km (3 miles) walk will be led by Shropshire Council’s access development officer Jim Stabler and Natural England’s Senior Reserve Manager Joan Daniels.
Visitors will get to find out about the story of the Moss, its history and people from the last Ice Age to the present times.
They will be taken to the newly reconstructed World War II top secret Starfish site. During the war Fenn’s Moss was used as a ‘Starfish’ site where fires, designed to look like pathfinder incendiary flares, were lit to fool enemy planes into dropping their bombs in the belief that they were destroying populated industrial areas.
Gwilym Butler, Shropshire Council’s Cabinet member for leisure, libraries and culture, said:
“The Mere’s and Mosses celebrations are a great opportunity for local people and visitors to find out about this unique and fascinating nature reserve. I would encourage everyone to come along to what will be a great weekend of walks, discovery and explorations.”
Luke Neal, Acting Programme Manager, Meres and Mosses Landscape Partnership Scheme, added:
“We are delighted to be part of celebrating the landscape as a whole, projects such as this demonstrate how the landscape is made up from integrated facets of natural resources, human activity and geological history. It is wonderful that people of all abilities will be able to experience the Moss and explore its secrets. I hope people will take this opportunity to come along and discover this rare jewel.”
Joan Daniels, Natural England’s Senior Reserve Manager, commented:
“This weekend marks a major step forward in letting a much wider range of people know about the innumerable interesting aspects of this fantastic wildlife site. Holding these events to join people round the World celebrating International Bog Day, fittingly marks 22 years of Natural England and Natural Resources Wales restoration of this remarkable Wetland of International Importance. “
To book on the Bettisfield Moss Trail walk, mammal hunt or History Trail walk please email paul.huxley@naturalengland.org.uk or ring 01948 880362.
On Friday 26 July 2013 there will be an official opening of the first wheelchair access path to the Mosses. The event will be attended by an invited group of 40 people from the project’s partners, representatives from Disabled Holidays and the Lyneal Trust.
For more information about the disabled trail launch contact Shropshire Council’s outdoor recreation team on 01743 255059 or email leanne.jones@shropshire.gov.uk.
To book on the Bettisfield Moss Trail walk, mammal hunt or History Trail walk please email paul.huxley@naturalengland.org.uk or ring 01948 880362.
