Limekiln Wood

Clinging to the north-west slope of the Mow Cop ridge, Limekiln Wood is one part of a larger wood complex that has cloaked the ridge since the end of the last Ice Age. The trees reflect the thin soils and exposed location rising above the Cheshire plain: oak, downy birch and rowan predominate, with alder in the wetter patches and dense stands of holly beneath the canopy. There are a number of wet flushes through the wood, and these are home to a particularly rich ground flora. Opposite-leaved golden-saxifrage, marsh marigold, yellow pimpernel, meadowsweet and lesser celandine are all abundant. In drier areas honeysuckle, greater stitchwort, wood sorrel and foxglove add colour. A visit in the autumn will reveal a variety of fungi with evocative names such as foxy spot, stinkhorn and blushing bracket.