Compstall Nature Reserve

This SSSI contains a variety of habitats including open water, tall fen, reed swamp, carr and mixed deciduous woodland on the slopes above the River Etherow. It is of considerable ornithological interest.

Location
The reserve lies north east of the village of Compstall, within the Etherow Country Park (O.S. Grid Ref.: SJ974915).

Access
From the A626 (Stockport-Glossop) turn left (travelling to Glossop) onto the B6104. 1/2 mile after Marple Station, and once you enter Compstall, turn right following the Country Park sign. Cars should be parked in the Country Park Car Park (paying).
Access to the nature reserve is on foot along the track which runs along the north west side of the river. Cross the river by the bridge below the weir. Follow the farmtrack on the eastern side of the river to the reserve entrance. The reserve is open to Cheshire Wildlife Trust members at all times. Access to the bird hide is also available to non-members (permits are available from the Country Park Ranger's Office at the car park).

Status
The reserve lies within the Etherow Country Park, owned and administered by Stockport Metropolitan BC. Cheshire Wildlife Trust runs the reserve by management deed and it covers approximately 38 acres (15.4ha). The site is classified as a SSSI.

Topography
The reserve covers two main areas, the steeply wooded banks of the Etherow River, and the marshy flood plain at the base of the valley slopes. Several pools are maintained within the marshy area which is prone to flooding during the winter. The steep slopes are crossed by a series of small ravines, formed by spring-fed streams cutting into the Carboniferous Shales.

Vegetation
The slopes of the valley are covered with deciduous woodland containing a mixture of species. In wetter areas, alder and various willow species flourish.
The ground flora is very rich, especially in the vicinity of the spring-fed ravines. In the wetter areas golden saxifrage Chrysosplenium oppositifolium is fairly prolific, together with nukmerous ferns e.g. common buckler fern Dryopteris austriaca and lady fern Athyrium filix-femina. Three species of horsetail are present together with various bryophyte species.
The marshy area is dominated by herb-rich swamp vegetation, including sweet flag Acorus culamus. There are some small areas of reed bed. Some areas of open water are maintained within the marsh area, primarily for ornithological interest, though these help to increase the diversity of plants present. The bird hide is situated between one of these pools and the river.

Fauna
The slow moving section of the river in the lower part of the reserve, together with the various pools within the marshy river margin, attract large numbers of waterfowl, especially during the winter. Tufted duck and mallard are fairly frequently seen along with goldeneye, pochard, widgeon, teal and occsionally shoveller. Herons can be seen fishing the pools, historically they bred in the area. Dippers and grey wagtails can often be seen near the weir. Kingfishers feed in the area but do not breed. The woodland has a rich bird population. During the spring passage a number of interesting species have been noted.
Most common mammals have been recorded, and the marshland has a fairly diverse invertebrate fauna.