There's plenty to do at Woolston Park whether it's discovering wildlife, using the sports facilities and play areas or making it a base to explore the wider countryside.

Woolston Park covers 56 acres and was officially opened in 1977. It was created from neglected farmland to provide a valuable refuge for people and wildlife amongst the rapidly expanding local community.

Spittle Brook forms the backbone of the park.  Its steep banks are the result of engineering works carried out to reduce the threat of flooding to local housing.

Thousands of tonnes of soil were bulldozed and shaped to create the park. The wildfowl pond was excavated and trees planted to form the woodlands we see today.  Stands of willow provide a link with the area's agricultural past, when vegetables were grown on the peaty soils of Woolston Moss. Farmers carried their produce to market in wicker baskets made from willow grown on the wetter parts of the farm, with many areas along Spittle Brook being used as willow beds.

For more information on the sports facilities available or to book a football or cricket pitch, contact the outdoor facilities team on 01925 442727 or email games@warrington.gov.uk

The Probation Service Community Pay Back team recently helped clear back overgrowth from paths and collected litter from shrub beds and planting. 

How to find us

By car - take the A57 (Manchester Road) from Warrington to Holes Lane traffic lights, signposted Padgate. Turn right at the mini-roundabout into Hillock Lane, first left into Somerset Way and then immediately right into the drive to the car park. There are numerous pedestrian entrances.

By bus… from Warrington bus station, take the no.3 to the Dog & Partridge on Manchester Road or Monday to Saturday, the no.4 or no.104 to Green Lane or Hillock Lane

By train - Padgate and Birchwood stations are within a mile of the park. From Padgate follow Green Lane into the park. Blue road signs link the way from Birchwood station to the park.

Wildlife and the environment

The park is a haven for wildlife, home to many interesting creatures and plants. There are three main habitat types on the park – wetland, woodland and grassland.

Wetland

Spittle Brook, the wildfowl pond and the fenced wildlife pond, along with seasonal wet areas, form the main wetland areas. 

Spittle Brook is home to small mammals such as the endangered water vole. Kingfishers can sometimes be seen, darting along the brook or perching on a branch. The secretive little grebe is an occasional winter visitor. Celandines offer a first sign of spring, brightening up the muddy banks. Late spring sees the arrival of sedge warblers from Africa. Listen out for their ratchety call in the reeds. 

The wildfowl pond is home to mallards and moorhens. This pond is interesting because it is slowly drying out. It demonstrates succession – a natural process whereby the pond slowly silts up and is taken over by reeds and eventually tree species.

The wildlife pond was created in 1997 to provide a habitat for dragonflies and amphibians and has established well. Look out for dragonflies emerging from beneath the pond surface on a warm summer day. To protect this important habitat the pond area is closed when not in use by the rangers or organised groups. Please help us by keeping dogs out of the water. 

Woodlands

The woodlands provide food and shelter for many creatures and give us a stunning show of colour in the autumn. Among the woodland birds, look out for bullfinch or the blue flash of the jay as it searches for acorns.

Take the path through Meadow Wood or visit the hazel coppice. This area, close to the community garden is managed to produce long, straight poles for craftwork and to benefit wildlife.

Grassland

Some grass is kept short for sport and informal games but in many areas of the park the grass is allowed to grow long. This encourages many plants to flourish and benefits insects and small mammals. Improvements are regularly made to these areas by the planting of more flowers and adjusting how often they are cut. Annual highlights are the summer cornfield, which is planted near the wildlife pond and the wildflower meadow, close to Meadow Wood, which attracts many butterflies.

Friends of Woolston Park

The ‘Friends’ are local people with a common interest. They meet once a month to discuss park issues and plan practical tasks which will keep Woolston Park looking good, well maintained and beneficial for wildlife. The Friends also help at ranger service events, help plan the annual Woolston Show and arrange social and fundraising events. New members are always welcome. If you would like to know more please contact the rangers. 

Further afield

Woolston Park makes an excellent base from which to explore the local countryside and rights of way network.

• Head north through the park and follow the blue signposted route to Birchwood Forest Park and Risley Moss Local Nature Reserve
• Visit Paddington Meadows or Woolston Eyes Nature Reserve via paths along the New Cut Canal and River Mersey or go further afield to Rixton Clay Pits or Black Bear Park. You could even link up with the Trans Pennine Trail and come back on the penny ferry  

Contact

Call us on 01925 442495

Related documents

Location map - Woolston_Park.pdf