The St Helens stretch of Sankey Valley Park starts at the southeast corner of Carr Mill Dam and heads southeast for approximately 5 miles, passing through Blackbrook, Parr, Haydock, Earlestown and Newton-le-Willows. It ends at the Cheshire border, close to Newton Brook at SJ527977 to SJ585934. For most of its length it follows the line of the old St Helens Canal, which, in turn, runs parallel with the Sankey Brook. The park is made up of a variety of habitats, which include both still and running water, deciduous woodlands, alder, willow and birch scrub, hedgerows, meadows and open grassland. It is close to housing in some areas and is surrounded by farmland in other stretches. It is managed, monitored and patrolled by St Helens MBC Rangers who are based at a Visitors Centre at Blackbrook, close to the Ship Inn.

Access

The northern section of Sankey Valley can be reached from the carpark at the south end of Carr Mill Dam or just off the A58 at Blackbrook where the Visitor Centre and carpark are situated. Other carparks can be found at the southeast end of the park, but it is possible to walk the whole of its length via an extensive network of public footpaths. Local Ordinance Survey Maps are advisable and the rangers have produced a wide range of leaflets, available from the Visitor Centre and local libraries.

Birds

Due to its length and mosaic of habitats, the park has an extensive and varied species list. These include most common woodland birds, which are mainly at the north end in the more mature woodland areas. Also here is the Willow Tit which is a local speciality. Good numbers of breeding summer migrants can be found with colonies of Reed Warblers perhaps the most notable. The nationally declining Skylark can still be found around the park, with flocks of up to 50 seen in winter. National and local rarities occur fairly regularly and amongst the list are Alpine Swift, Yellow-browed Warbler, Firecrest, Great Northern Diver, Marsh Harrier, Osprey, Peregrine Falcon, Merlin, Short-eared Owl and Quail. For more details regarding Sankey Valley Park, contact the St Helens Ranger Service, Sankey Valley Park, Blackbrook Road, Blackbrook, St Helens.

Mucky Mountains
Mucky Mountains is an old alkali waste tip in Earlestown, which has a whole host of interesting flora which is unknown elsewhere in St. Helens, such as the locally rare Pyramidal Orchid and Quaking Grass.