This geocache has been placed by the Somerset Wildlife Trust - Routes to the River Tone project, at Children's Woods -a green space within a short walking distance of Taunton’s city centre.
Why is Children’s Wood important?
The green spaces beside Taunton’s waterways form an important wildlife corridor offering birds, mini-beasts and animals, all they need to live side by side with people . A wildlife corridor not only offers shelter , food, water and warmth but also connects areas so that wildlife can move from one green space to another and into the open countryside.
Children’s Wood was formed from the grassy banks of the River Tone flood alleviation work. A tree was planted for each child born in Taunton commencing in 1992 to create a woodland of over 3000 trees. There is also a small orchard at Obridge. The adjoining site, Hankridge Riverside, has a lake and the habitat that is associated with it. This reserve is an important habitat for wildlife such as watervoles, otter and bats. It is home to many species of bird, including kingfisher, mute swan, grey heron and reed warbler. The river holds a healthy and varied fish stock including brown trout and salmon. The reserve supports a diverse invertebrate population with butterflies, dragonflies and damselflies.
Points of Interest
Part of the Grand western canal runs alongside the river and the restored Firepool lock is a great feature. Take a look at the nearby tall water tower. This is supported on a brick structure which itself is built upon two earlier stone limekilns. The limestone and coal for making quicklime for fertiliser and plaster on houses were both carried here by canal barge. The water tower was built to provide the GWR steam engines with water pumped from the canal, on their way to and from the West Country. If you follow the canal towards Bridgewater you can also follow Somerset’s space walk with models of the planets at distances to scale. The Sun is found at Mausel Lock. Pluto is on the outskirts of Taunton.
The canal was opened in 1838 but most of the canal was closed in 1867.
Please let us know in your log if you see any wildlife near this cache. For more information about the Somerset Wildlife Trust, please visit us here.
It would be very useful if you could record the wildlife you have seen here.
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This cache is placed with the kind permission of Taunton Deane Borough Council