QJNT / Birkdale Sands Aerodrome Traditional Cache
beforeeaster: Sorry has become a weird place to go.
QJNT / Birkdale Sands Aerodrome
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Queen’s Jubilee Nature Trail / Birkdale Sands Aerodrome This is one of Southport’s hidden gems. Generally most people pass it by as it’s well hidden from the Coastal Road by the sand dunes.
The nature trail was established in 1992 to commemorate the 40th Anniversary of Her Majesty the Queen’s succession to the throne. The circular trail is waymarked by coloured posts. Less than a hundred years ago this area was the top part of Southport beach, but as the sea receded, dunes were formed. The dunes were enclosed with the construction of the Marine Drive in the 1970’s. The site had never been managed prior to 1992.
The trails have been designed to show the range of natural and man-made habitats, from high sand hills, to dune scrub and wet marshland. The site is especially rich in indigenous wildlife, with colourful displays of dune flowers and butterflies in the Summer and superb birdlife all year round. The Natterjack Toad, the Southport Nightingale, has also returned to breed in the shallow dune slacks. The Queen’s Jubilee Nature Trail forms part of Sefton’s Coast Site of Specific Scientific Interest (SSSI) and is a proposed local Nature Reserve.
From the Viewing Platform, the expansion of the dunes and marshland can be clearly seen, with views on a good day from the Welsh to the Cumbrian hills. This is a great place to take some time out and admire the beauty of nature.
The Birkdale Sands Aerodrome Just seven years after the Wright Brothers Atlantic Crossing (1910), what is now QJNT and the Eco centre (part of the park and ride area), was used as a runway for an early pioneer of British Aviation, Claude Graham-White, who landed his Farman biplane on the beach near the pier.
On Tuesday 20th May 1919, the Birkdale Palace Hotel on Weld Road saw its first arrival, Major McMinnies, Managing Director of Avro Aviation Company, who with Mr N. R. Parr, the Hotel’s Managing Director, developed the new airfield on Birkdale Sands. The positioning of the airfield was a strategic one as the terminus for the Cheshire Lines local railway was just two minutes walk away. The hotel was the first to inaugurate an air service for its guests, and the airfield was the third to be licensed in Britain. The company operated pleasure flights, charter flights and air displays to Blackpool, Manchester and Southport. The planes were stored at Hesketh Park Aerodrome (GC2JMQR). Pleasure flights continued until recent times. Due to the natural processes caused by the gradual build up of the sand dunes, in 1971 the runway was moved out in front of what is now the Coastal Road. Pleasure flights ceased in 2000, when the natural succession forced the airstrip to close, it was declassified by the Civil Aviation Authority in 2001.
When visiting this site please be aware of its sensitivity by following the suggested guidelines (Notification Boards at all entrances) and keeping to the designated trails. Also at certain times of the year this area can be extremely muddy and even flooded so take care when accessing.
The above information has been provided by Sefton’s Coast and Countryside department.
This cache has been placed with the permission of the Coast and Countryside Officer, please check the link below for further information.
http://www.sefton.gov.uk/default.aspx?page=4367
http://www.visitsouthport.com/seftons-natural-coast/
Please replace the cache carefully as found. This is a temporary cache, a new container to follow.
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Fvqr-fgrccrq (Jurer unf Fpeng uvqqra vg?)
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