Within Way, Hale
Resuming the walk along Within Way, I see a young whitethroat perched on a hedge down a side track, beak full of small caterpillars. It darts into the opposite hedge – maybe helping to feed the next brood?
Further on, the path doglegs right then left, and narrows considerably on its way towards Hale Ford. Although it’s no longer the case, for hundreds of years the Mersey could be forded here, most notably during the English Civil War. This history is explained on an old, mud-streaked noticeboard along the way.
Hale Ford history board
Minutes later, hedgerows and farm fields give way to reeds and shore, a wide vista stretching from industrial Runcorn over Frodsham and its bird-friendly marshes to Ellesmere Port. I walk to the land’s edge and sit for a while overlooking the estuary. It’s low tide and there are numerous water birds out there: prominent amongst them great white egret, little egret and black-tailed godwits.
Looking out over the Mersey Estuary from Hale Shore
When I resume the walk, the path leads past more farm fields, the first edged by a wide swathe of wildflowers that are obviously sown from a commercial mix (reviled by some, adored by others…). In the reeds on other side of the path, I hear a reed warbler, then spot a juvenile reed bunting. A yellow wagtail is blown past on the stiff breeze, uttering its ‘zee, zee, zee’ flight call as it tumbles above the regimented rows of leafy green potato plants.
Wildflowers…
The choice as I reach the lighthouse, and the furthest point south in the country of Lancashire, is carry on to the woods and park (or even to Oglet shore and Speke-Garston Coastal Reserve) or turn right and walk up Lighthouse Lane to the church. I take the latter path, wanting to look around the churchyard. On a previous walk, taken in the winter, the field to the right was full of curlews – a heartening sight when these birds are in steep decline, added to the Red List in 2015 – but today they are empty, the curlews presumably still on their upland breeding grounds.
Eurasian curlew – photo by Bishnu Sarangi, licence-free on Pixabay
I shimmy through the footpath gate at the top of the lane, where it joins Church Road, pass a field where, after it has been ploughed in the autumn, a buzzard likes to search for worms, admire the houses along both sides of the road, then reach the church gate and enter, moving seamlessly from one world to another.
St Mary’s Church, Hale
According to a number of interesting sites about Hale, the Grade II-listed church replaced a chapel built in 1081 by John of Ireland, a forefather of Gilbert Ireland, patron of the Childe of Hale (we’ll come to him in the next post); the oldest part of the current church is the tower, which dates from the 14th century, whilst the rest of it is from the Childe’s time, the mid-1700s. I circle the churchyard, taking in the beauty and solemnity of the imposing grave markers, and end at the Childe’s grave, encircled by iron railings. What a life he must have had, being so different to anyone else – but perhaps those were kinder days and his difference was seen as a marvel not something to evoke fear or dismay. There isn’t a bench in this churchyard – which is disappointing, especially on a lovely sunny day when I have brought lunch with me. I retire to the car and eat in its heat, then execute a stunning three-point turn and head towards Speke Hall – there’s a sparrowhawk nest to check on.
For more details about the curlew: https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/wildlife-guides/bird-a-z/curlew/
For information on Hale in general: https://historic-liverpool.co.uk/interactive-maps/historic-townships/hale/
A timeline of St Mary’s Church: https://www.halevillageonline.co.uk/st-marys-church