Hatherton Flush facts for kids

Hatherton Flush is a special place in Cheshire, England. It's called a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) because it has many rare and interesting wetland plants. You can find it near the River Weaver in Hatherton, close to Wybunbury.

This area is protected to keep its unique plants safe. Some of the rare plants growing here include the marsh helleborine, marsh lousewort, and tubular water dropwort. Hatherton Flush is the biggest "flush" of its kind in Cheshire. A "flush" is a type of wetland where water slowly seeps out of the ground.

What Makes Hatherton Flush Special?

Hatherton Flush SSSI is located on the east side of the River Weaver. It's on private land, but you can find it near a public footpath. This path crosses the Weaver using a footbridge.

Underground water, full of minerals, slowly drips down the steep riverbank. This creates a "flush," which is a type of wetland. It's a bit like a spring-fed fen, but the water moves more slowly. The kinds of plants that grow here depend on the ground beneath, which is made of glacial deposits.

A Home for Rare Plants

The SSSI covers an area of about 1.935 hectares (that's about 4.7 acres). It's special because of the amazing variety of wetland plants it supports. Natural England says it has an "excellent collection" of plants.

Many different plants grow across most of the site. This includes several types of orchids, which are beautiful flowers. You can find lots of common spotted orchid and southern marsh orchid here. The locally rare marsh helleborine also grows at Hatherton Flush.

Unique Wetland Species

This area is home to seven different types of sedge plants. You can also spot the locally rare marsh lousewort and tubular water dropwort. Other special plants include the locally scarce bog pimpernel and marsh valerian.

You might also see marsh pennywort, marsh arrowgrass, and great horsetail. These plants all love the wet conditions of the flush.

The Southern Part of the Flush

The southern part of Hatherton Flush has fewer types of plants. Here, you'll mostly find different kinds of rushes and fleabane.

Grassland Plants

The flush is surrounded by acid grassland. Some parts of this grassland haven't been changed by farming. These areas have fewer plant species. Typical grasses include crested dog's-tail and heathgrass.

Other broad-leaved flowering plants you might see are bird's-foot trefoil, devil's-bit scabious, and sheep's sorrel. The locally scarce spiny restharrow also grows in this area.

Protecting Hatherton Flush

In 2008, experts from Natural England checked on Hatherton Flush. They said it was in "unfavourable" but "recovering" condition. This means it was getting better after some changes were made.

Workers had removed unwanted scrub (small bushes) and changed how animals grazed the land. To keep the flush healthy, it's important to avoid draining the water or taking too much water out. It's also vital to protect the underground water from animal waste, fertilizers, and other farm chemicals. Some grazing by animals is actually helpful for the plants.

Images for kids

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  Common spotted orchid

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  Southern marsh orchid

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  Marsh helleborine

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  Marsh helleborine flower

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  Marsh lousewort

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  Bog pimpernel

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  Marsh pennywort

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  Marsh arrowgrass

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  Great horsetail

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  Crested dog's-tail

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  Bird's-foot trefoil

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  Devil's-bit scabious

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  Sheep's sorrel

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  Spiny restharrow