GC44GJQ WWay21 – THURSTASTON (Traditional Cache) in North West England, United Kingdom created by Wirral Geocachers

This cache has been archived.

Wirral Geocachers: After 48,000 logs on the WirralWay and ill health its time to archive them.
Thanks to all for doing the series.

GC44GJQ ▼

A cache by Wirral Geocachers Message this owner

Hidden : 3/1/2013

Difficulty:

Terrain:

Size: Size: micro (micro)

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Geocache Description:

The Wirral Ways 40th Anniversary

The “Wirral Way” is a 12-mile countryside path which follows the route of the former Birkenhead Railway route from West Kirby to Hooton. The old line, which closed in 1962, follows the River Dee estuary for 7 miles between West Kirby and Parkgate, and then heads across the Wirral to Hooton.

The Wirral Country Park was the first designated country park in Britain, and is based around the Wirral Way. Work started on the park in 1969, and the park was formally opened in 1973 by Lord Leverhulme. Thus, 2013 is the 40th anniversary of both the Wirral Country Park and Wirral Way.

This series of caches is along the full length 12-mile length of the walk. The majority of hides are micros, but there are a few larger containers to be found. For those walking the whole trail in a day, the hides are relatively easy so as not to delay progress. There are however several more difficult hides already in existence on the trail for those who want to include a few challenges in their walk!

THURSTASTON is a village on the Wirral lying on the A540 road between Heswall and Caldy, although it stretches some distance down Station Road to the bank of the Dee estuary. At the time of the 2001 Census, the village itself had only 160 inhabitants.

Thurstaston means "village of a man called Thorsteinn / Þorsteinn", from the Old Norse name, and Old English tún "farm, village". A record of the name as Torstestiune in 1048 proves this origin. The village was mentioned in the Domesday Book as Turstanetone. Historically and popularly, the name was wrongly thought to refer to "Thor's Stone", a sandstone outcrop on Thurstaston Common. Thurstaston, including the hamlet of Dawpool, had a population of 112 in 1801, 98 in 1851, 141 in 1901 and 151 in 1951.The village is centred on the church of St Bartholomew, and Thurstaston Hall, of which parts date from 1350, although most of the current building dates from between 1680 and 1835. A ghostly "white lady" is said to haunt the Hall.

In 1882 the Liverpool shipowner Thomas Ismay, founder of White Star Line built his mansion 'Dawpool' at Thurstaston; Ismay is said to have used his influence to ensure that the West Kirby - Hooton railway be routed a mile away along the Dee Estuary, rather than closer to the village. He was also successful in moving the main Heswall to West Kirby road, which came too close to the doorstep of his mansion, via a cutting through Thurstaston Hill. Ismay is buried in St Bartholomew's churchyard.

We appreciate write-ups of what you did and what you saw when finding these caches in your logs, but will be happy with brief comments for the majority, as long as more detailed logs are provided for the key hides (those with place names in the cache titles).

Good Luck, and we hope you enjoy your walk along the wonderful Wirral Way

(This cache is being maintained by Jane267 and Foggy46 WP of the Wirral Geocachers)

When you have completed the whole series, you may display the following fabulous badge on your profile, kindly created by Sir HarveyJJ.