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Dee Cliffs - SSSI
Dee Cliffs are located 3 km west of Heswall, immediately adjacent to the Dee Estuary and rise to 15 m above sea level.
The soil is base-rich clay.
This site contains the best known example of clay cliff and bank habitat in Merseyside as well as some marl pits which have a rich flora and fauna and an area of herb-rich neutral grassland.
The clay cliffs support an open grassland community which is dominated by Red Fescue (Festuca rubra) but there is also much bare ground. False oat-grass (Arrhenatherum elatius), Early hair-grass (Aira praecox), Barren Brome (Bromus sterilis), Quaking-grass (Briza media), Perennial rye-grass (Lolium perenne), Yellow oat-grass (Trisetum flavescens) and Tall Fescue (Festuca arundinacea) are the other common grass species. The herb flora is rich with a wide range of lime-loving plants present, some of which-are at the northern limits of their British. distribution, for example Yellow-wort (Blackstonia perfoliata). Common Centaury (Centaurium erythraea), Bristly Oxtongue (Picris echioides), Autumn Hawkbit (Leontodon auiumnalis), Oxeye Daisy (Leucamhemum vulgare), Bloody Cranesbill (Geranium sanguineum), Fairy Flax (Linum catharticum), Dyers Greenweed (Genista uncforia) and Common Restharrow (Ononis repens) are some of the other species also found on the cliffs. The maritime influence is seen in the presence of Sand Couch (Elytriga juncea) Lyme-grass (Elymus arenarius), Sea Rocket (Calki1e maritima) and Sand Sedge (Carex arenaria).
Photograph shows the clay cliff in detail.
Date Notified: 10 MARCH 1994
File Ref: SJ 28/7
County: MERSEYSIDE
Site Name: DEE CLIFFS
District: WIRRAL
Status: Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) notified under
Section 2S of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981
Local Planning Authority: Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council
National Grid Reference: SJ 238 832
Area: 14.39 (ha) 35.55 (ac)
Ordnance Survey Sheet 1:50,000: 108
Date Notified (Under 1949 Act): 1979
Date Notified (Under 1981 Act): 1983
Date of Last Revision: 1994
Other Information:
1. This site is adjacent to the Dee Estuary SSSI and lies partly within the Wirral Country Park.
2. Site boundary changed at renotification by partial deletion in 1983.
3. Site boundary changed at renotification by partial deletion in 1994.
4. Thurstaston Geological Conservation Review (GCR) site is included within this site.