LUNT MEADOWS CIRCULAR WALK – (07-09-2017)

Today’s walk commenced from the Hare and Hounds pub, Liverpool Road North, Maghull. There were meant to be 2 walks as advertised. A short 5 miles walk (a circuit of Lunt Meadows) led by Margaret Schumacher and the longer 8 miles walk led by Alan Carr. Unfortunately Alan was unavailable and asked me to lead the walk for him. Unfortunately, no one turned up for the short walk. So Margaret joined forces with us, making 9 walkers in total. The weather was mild but overcast, fortunately it did not rain.

The long circular walk took us across Lunt Meadows towards Ince Blundell, passing through Carr House Farm, crossing the River Alt at Baines Bridge and returning to Maghull via the Cheshire Lines. The walk was on reasonable paths, with several good bridges to cross the water and there was only one stile.

During our walk, we passed the Mesolithic Settlement Site, where there is an observation platform overlooking the dig. Whilst at the site, we were fortunate to meet Ron Cowell, Archaeological Services, Liverpool Museum, MCIfA Curator of prehistoric archaeology, a specialist in prehistoric archaeology, landscape and wetlands. Ron was kind enough to give us a short enthusiastic talk about the site and his work. Over the last four years, assisted by a faithful band of volunteers, he has been excavating a rare kind of Mesolithic site at Lunt, on behalf of the Museum of Liverpool. The site dates back to about 8000 years ago, in the Mesolithic period, when groups of hunter-gatherers lived in the flood-plain of the River Alt leaving behind relatively well-preserved traces of a series of building floors dotted with pits in two defined, adjacent areas.

Lunt Meadows is a new 77ha wetland nature reserve, managed by Lancashire Wildlife Trust, located along the River Alt. Bird watching hides around Lunt Meadows, over the habitats including wet grassland, reedbed. fen and open water. The site is managed primarily for breeding waders and watervole.  Deer have also recently been seen.

After the walk, which took 3 hrs 30mins, including stops, several people went to the Hare and Hounds for lunch or a drink.

My thanks to Alan and Margaret for planning the walks.

Ian Gent