About Harmers Wood
Harmers Wood is a small 8.8 acre wood on the back of Helsby Hill. This wood is there today for walkers, dog walkers, climbers and runners or just for picnics, (disabled friendly) due to the efforts of a group of individuals who fought hard to save it from becoming a private wood with no public access.
It was purchased primarily for use by the populations of the villages of Helsby, Frodsham and Alvanley. The footpaths which are now well worn run round the outside of the wood with beautiful views to Frodsham or across to Snidley Moor. There are also other paths which go up the middle and round the top of the large quarry now called “The school quarry” due to school visits. There are four sandstone quarries altogether which have been securely fenced. The sandstone which was quarried back in the 19th century’s was used to build St Paul’s Church in Helsby and other local buildings. (See history)
Through the efforts of The Friends of Harmers Wood Trust, trustees in securing grants to cover the £32,000 purchase price, the wood was a finally purchased in 2007 and although some of the directors, (as approved on Companies House website) trustees and volunteers have changed over the years, the group are still active in preserving this woodland for future generations.
The trees of the woodland area are mainly Birch, Oak and Mountain Ash with an understory of bracken, broad buckler fern and bilberry. The soil here is thin and acidic on top of red sandstone which was once extracted from the quarries and used for buildings in Helsby.
The wood is home to various birds and small mammals but can be used as an interesting and traffic free route to the top of Helsby Hill away from Hill Road North. The small car parking space on Hill Road north requires considerate parking as it is not just for people using Harmers Wood but also the only place to park making it a short distance to the top of Helsby Hill. You can walk to the summit of the hill by taking the paths through the wood which lead out further up the road. You then turn right to approach the farm, then left through the gate and on past the holly trees and Harmers Lake which is on land owned by the farm. Turn right onto the narrow path at the end of this wide path to the Helsby Hill summit.
There is a route straight on as a continuation of this wide path from the farm. That takes you downhill avoiding the summit and part way down the other side of Helsby Hill towards Hill Road South. At the end of Hill Road South is a T junction and opposite is the car park for Helsby Quarry.
The paths through Harmers Wood are now well established with a few different routes possible through the wood and an exit near the end of Hill Road north which then leads, as described above, to the top of Helsby Hill. On a clear day you can see magnificent views north across the River Mersey estuary towards Liverpool, east towards the Pennines, west towards the Clywdian Range and south towards the rest of the Sandstone Ridge.
Use the drop down menus at the top of this page to find more about the wood, its environment, the people who currently manage it and ways in which you can help. In the Natural History sections you can click on an image to enlarge it and move it around the page.