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| Sefton Coast Partnership | Shoreline Management | Nature and Wildlife | Coastal Heritage | Visiting the Coast | Students and Teachers | Coastlines | |
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Summer 1996The Altcar Rifle RangeArticle by David Simpson, Altcar Conservation Group The Altcar Rifle Ranges are unique in that they are the only major ranges owned by a Territorial Army Association. The estate covers 250 hectares (620 acre) of beaches, sand dunes, fields and small woods. Two hundred and fifty years ago the area was a sandy wilderness with wild marshes inland. The human population was very sparse, being scattered amongst farms and fishermen’s cottages. These conditions were then prevalent oil along the West Lancashire Plain between Liverpool and Southport. In 1979 Commissioners were appointed to supervise the drainage of the Alt mosslands, or marshes, for agricultural purposes. A major problem was caused by sand drifting southwards from Formby Point blacking the rivermouth. This was solved by planting bundles of gorse to hap the sand. It was soon realised that new land could he claimed by this method and brushwood fending was supplemented by the planting of ‘star grass’ i.e. marram. By 1855 grazing land of 150 acres had been created horn on area of sandflats previously known as ‘Balling’s Wharf’. Although it proved TV ho your farmland, a U. Colonel Gladstone of the military, expressed an interest in using an area as a rifle range. A lease was duly arranged with the landlord, Lord Sefton. The tenant former helped to design the first range layout. Initially the site was uneven and wet with difficult access. The site was levelled and ditches dug and a new railway siding and platform constructed. The Altcar Range halt can still be seen from the footpath on the estate boundary. On 28 July 1860 one target of 1100 yards was available and the first shot was fired by the Earl of Sefton. Drainage work of the adjacent mosslands has continued throughout the 19th and 20th centuries. A plumping station with flood gates was installed and the river was canalised and embanked, and feeder ditches were dug. In this way the mosslands were drained and converted into the most productive gardening regions of the United Kingdom. When the Altcar Rifle Range estate was purchased in 1912, it included 500 acres of farmland. The 150 acres west of River Alt has been largely converted to ranges. A farther 125 acres between the river and the railway has been gradually disposed of over many years. The remaining area was leased to a local farmer until 1992 when it was returned to TAVRA and developed as a dry training area. The Altcar Estate is a rich area far wildlife. This is due to the wide variety of habitats and the relative lack of disturbance which has created a sanctuary far nature. At least 148 species of bird hove been recorded, while 40 species hove bred or attempted to breed. The Alt estuary mudflats are probably the most important wildlife area on the estate. This is one of a series of estuaries used by migrating waterfowl in Western Europe. Since 1970 they have been counted each month by observers as part of the nationally co-ordinate Wetland Bird Survey (Webs). Huge numbers of wading birds feed on marine warms such as lugworms, and molluscs such as cockles and teillins. in winter over 30,000 birds can be present, with numbers of knot bar-tailed godwit, grey plover, redshank sanderling and pink-footed geese being particularly important. At the northern end of the estate is a large low lying area of hoed dune which stretches onto the adjacent Cobb Hill National Nature Reserve. This used to bean area of natural dunes and slacks but was quarried ant after the second world war, the sand being used towards the rebuilding of Liverpool. This area is most noteworthy as the main breeding site far Natterjack toads. Skylarks and meadow pipits can often be observed amongst the dunes. Their numbers are swelled by summer visitors such as sedge and grasshoppers warbles and whitethroats which nest in damp scrubby areas. Lapwing, partridge and stonechat also breed, and Altcar was the last recorded nesting site for whinchat on the Sefton Coast. Migration can be quite spectacular with landfalls of birds in bad weather. Ringing studies began in 1983 and have revealed both local movements of common species as well as the activities of long distance migrants such as a sedge warbler ringed in Senegal. Rarities like an Asian yellow – browed warbler have also been intercepted. Small woods and gardens, with a mixture of native and exotic plants, are scattered across the estate. Red squirrels occasionally visit the estate and are likely to become a more common sight as the pine plantations mature. In May and June a beautiful purple display of the scarce green – winged orchid can be seen, whilst cowslips are also common. A careful in 1977 a conservation group first met, and continues to meet, as the Altcar conservation group. The group brings together the managers of the estate with statutory agencies such as English Nature and specialists who provide much of the information about species found on the site. Much of the recording work is carried out by volunteers and the Conservation group always welcomes offers of help from people with special interests.
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