Take A Walk…..

The newly installed crowdfunded pathway starts at the Rowlands Dell entrance adjacent to the beautifully refurbished Hare & Hounds PH, with two entrance points descending on long steps, inviting the walker into the first of four distinct nature areas comprising of a developing lush woodland fernery of 600 newly planted ferns  (seven different species). As you walk through the fernery path it is bordered with newly planted ferns and daffodils, whilst on the left you will be greeted by the enchanting bug hotel and a developing compost area utilising the recycled fern pallets. Which is overlooked by a young grant funded wildlife friendly evergreen Yew Tree hedge enthusiastically growing to mask the historic sandstone quarry wall and will grow high enough to obscure the intrusion of neighbouring traffic. As you leave the fernery you will ascend on further long steps between the Ivy hedge and the Hawthorn hedge, reaching a viewing point height to overlook a planned sloping carpet of stunning wildlife friendly red berried (Red Cushion) pyracantha and the seasonal portrait of historic trees and woodland ferns.

As you leave this path at the iconic (neurodiversity awareness raising) log archway and future bug haven, there is a glimpse of the developing wildlife friendly bog garden. A future path will then recommence with long steps ascending the slope, with anticipation, to the destination of the developing Wishing Well, scattered picnic tables and block paved viewing area near the Medical Centre. However, during your ascent the path will be bordered with 1000 newly planted spring daffodil bulbs and a young orchard fruit trees that will provide spring blossom and community fruit. Whilst immediately on your right there is a stunning recycled dry waterfall rockery, populated with a host of Daffodils, Camassia, Alliums (flowering throughout the year) and other rockery planting. Beyond the rockery, at this high point, there are fantastic seasonal views of the entire mature woodland and the myriad of donated woodland shrubs and the 3000-tree perimeter wildlife friendly hedging.

The health and wellness 50 m fernery path and the future 35 m connecting path/steps will be extensions to the old 50 m path and last year’s 50 m disability friendly path that provide other developing nature adventures.

Remarkably, the 50m of new pathway and steps were installed over three days (6.12.25), by the hard-working Greg Mook and his Southport Garden Maintenance team. Equally remarkable was the incredible 2025 endeavour of our volunteers and community and the generosity of the community to successfully crowdfund the  beautiful 50m pathway addition, that will provide countless health and wellness benefits, whilst providing accessibility to three of the four developing nature areas.

Recycled Materials. The path was created mainly without digging to protect old tree roots, with permeable membrane to prevent weeds but allowing water to the roots. The recycled aggregate (broken up tarmac road surface), often used in country park pathways, is boxed in with tanalised wood, and vibrated and binding securely into place.

We are enormously grateful to the countless people and organisations who have contributed, who we have celebrated individually throughout the year. In addition, we would like to thank Greg not only for his tireless work but for donating mountains of woodchip for the fernery and several fruit trees for the Orchard.

To finish this beautiful transformative haven, we are appealing throughout 2026 for the final 35m path extension and for much more woodland planting in the form of either donated shrubs or cash donations online to provide a restorative legacy haven for the community and wildlife.

 

If You Would like to Help in the Future?

Volunteer sessions this week (everyone is welcome without any commitment) can be found on our Events calendar page at https://www.fomd.co.uk/events/ where you will find all the details.

Crowdfunding Campaign. So far, with your help, we have raised enough money to recently install a  50m and a 35m path extensions (£12,384) but we are hoping to raise further funds for much-needed large-scale woodland shrubs in 2025/26. Please donate online at www.fomd.co.uk or with cash at the Hare & Hounds PH, Morrisons, Esso Petrol Station.

Rowlands Dell Introduction (3min Video): https://youtu.be/lxrTdudVza8?si=AM_znsaI35Cose-M

Background to Rowlands Dell.

This beautiful haven for wildlife has unbelievably been treated as an open tip for decades, where every inch has revealed a variety of pollutants harmful to wildlife. In our three-stage plan, stage I has resulted in Maghull’s biggest ever 46-week cleanup in which FOMD have removed 300 bin bags of litter and 25 tons of debris.

In Stage II (completed in November), with the help of our NHS landowner partners we successfully obtained a health and wellness grant (Maghull’s largest green investment) to fund an amazing legacy array of hard landscaping installations. These features provided accessibility for the whole community and included: accessible path, viewing/picnic area, sunken garden, bins, 10,000 bulbs and planting at small junction points, bug and bird boxes, and a dry waterfall feature). A Morrisons grant has enabled us to create the ongoing bog garden and wishing well.

We are now engaging in stage three to repopulate Rowlands Dell with woodland planting and need your help.

Best Wishes,

Friends of Maghull & District (FOMD)

Together making Maghull a better place to live.

More information at www.fomd.co.uk including: (1) Events tab for everything about the meeting and (2) Projects tab for the project background.

Contact: admin@fomd.co.uk

#fomdcic #Maghull #Environment