Wybunbury Moss National Nature Reserve,Wybunbury, Cheshire. - Public Access Lands on Waymarking.com

Wybunbury Moss National Nature Reserve is situated in south Cheshire, at the centre of the ‘Meres and Mosses’ Natural Area, where it forms part of a series of peat bogs or ‘Mosses’.

Ice movement and erosion in the last Ice Age scraped a series of depressions in the landscape that it covered. Over time, some of these hollows filled with water to form meres (large lakes) whilst others filled with peat to form mosses.
Wybunbury Moss is special in that subsequent subsidence of the rocks underlying the peat-filled basin has left a raft of peat floating on an underground lake forming a schwingmoor. A schwingmoor (German for swinging bog, which describes the movement of this type of moss) is a raft of peat which floats on top of an underground lake.
They are more common in Northern Europe, however Wybunbury Moss is one of only 3 examples of these floating bogs in the UK known to have formed in this way.

The peat raft is carpeted in sphagnum moss, along with cotton sedge, cranberry, bog rosemary, white-beaked sedge and the insect-eating sundew.

The Moss is also important for its invertebrate populations for which it is one of the most notable sites in Cheshire. A huge species list includes 2 rare spiders and a leaf beetle - Cryptocephalus decemmaculatus - which is not found anywhere else in England.

The peat raft is surrounded by reedswamp, woodland and meadows where marsh violet and heath-spotted orchid can be found.

The site is now managed by English Nature. A leaflet with information about the site can be downloaded from the following link. (visit link)

Estimated size of the public land (in regional measurement standard: hectares, acres, kms, etc.): 16.5 hectares Is there a trail system?: Yes If there is a trail system, please describe length, terrain, etc.: A circular walk around the Moss is possible via public footpaths. These pass through some of the reserve’s meadows and give views into the Moss itself. What points of interest are there?: Peat bog, reed swamps, woodlands,meadows views. What activities are available?: Walking Hours of accessibility?: Open all the time List of known hazards (cliffs, snakes, poison plants, etc.): You can’t access the central part of the Moss which is very dangerous due to soft, unstable peat. There are, however, public rights of way which circle the reserve and a concessionary path which crosses part of the peat body. Dogs Allowed?: Yes Is a permit/fee required?: No If a permit/fee is required please describe in detail how to get one, how much, etc.: Please supply the website of the land if available: [Web Link]

Visit Instructions:
Visitors are encouraged to supply a picture of either themselves or their GPS at the trailhead and/or signage of the public access lands - describe your experience there and what you saw - tell us why other folks should come visit!

Recent Visits/Logs:

Date Logged Log User Rating   07/08/2017 Mike_bjm visited it