Welcome to Childwall Woods and Fields.
The beautiful Childwall Woods and Fields Local Nature Reserve is situated in Childwall, Liverpool L16 0JJ. It provides a home for an astonishing variety of trees, wildflowers, fungi, insects, birds and animals in a fascinating mosaic of habitats. It is a special place for nature and for people.
What makes it special for nature is its size, variety and ‘wildness’ compared with other local parks and green spaces in Liverpool. Here you will find historic woodland with swathes of spring bluebells, meadows, scrub, glades, plantations and ponds – and surprising views over the Lancashire plain – right in the middle of an urban residential suburb.
For a quick introduction to Childwall Woods and Fields through the seasons, see here.
The reserve is special for people too. It’s a place to walk and connect with nature. We all know from the pandemic how important contact with nature is for our mental health, especially for us city folk. The sheer variety of people who come here – of all ages – is proof of this.
Childwall Woods and Fields has a fascinating history. The woods were planted from the 1700s as a private ornamental garden by the wealthy residents of Childwall Hall. This is why so many huge old trees can still be found here. The fields have a more varied history having been pasture, a golf course, playing fields and a landfill site!
The reserve today is a legacy of the historic privately owned wood used for leisure, and not managed for timber. Although the Hall itself is now gone and the site is occupied by Lime Pictures television studio, there is a fascinating social history of Childwall Hall and the Childwall area – ancient and modern – to discover.
Welcome to the Friends of Childwall Woods and Fields.
Childwall Woods and Fields is owned by Liverpool City Council and managed by an active voluntary group, the Friends of Childwall Woods and Fields. We have been established for thirty years and are currently in the process of becoming a registered charity.
We run regular public and member-only events and walks to experience nature, and we offer weekly and monthly opportunities to get involved in practical conservation work as a volunteer. Here is your chance to get involved in helping nature.
If you would like to become a Friend of Childwall Woods and Fields, you can join here. You will get invitations to activities and a seasonal newsletter to keep you up to date with everything that’s going on. Or if you simply wish to support us with a donation you can do so here.
Contact us
If you would like to contact us about your membership email membership@fcwf.org.uk
If you would like to contact us about anything else please email isabelle.h@fcwf.org.uk
Discover Childwall Woods and Fields for yourself.
Google Maps: Childwall Woods
There are entrances into the woods and fields from Childwall Lane, Countisbury Drive, Quickswood Close, the junction of Childwall Park Avenue and Woolton Road, and there are 2 entrances on Childwall Abbey Rd.
Google Earth view
If you’ve never been to Childwall Woods and Fields, take this map with you. It shows you all the main paths and entrances.
Help us look after Childwall Woods and Fields
Have a lovely memorable day visiting our beautiful Local Nature Reserve but PLEASE:
Leave nothing but footprints, take nothing but photographs.
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Don’t set fires or have barbecues on this site. They are damaging to the environment and the creatures that live in it.
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Take your litter home with you or put it into one of the many bins by the gates.
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Be a responsible pet owner. Keep your pet under control and clean up after them.
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Be respectful of the ecosystem that is the woods and fields. Stay on paths and be careful not to stand on the wildflowers.
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Don’t pick the wildflowers. Bluebells are a protected species under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. To pick them is an offence.