Getting to Know You For National Trust

GETTING TO KNOW YOU

For National Trust staff and volunteers, the doubling the size of the landholding gives a very special opportunity to learn more about the special features of the Lifeboat Road lands and the Ravenmeols Sandhills Local Nature Reserve to the south. Who better then than John Houston, Dr Phil Smith and National Trust Countryside Manager, Andrew Brockbank. John was the first Coast Management Officer on the Sefton Coast, based in Formby from 1977. Dr Phil Smith is an expert botanist and naturalist and former university lecturer who has spent much of his life studying the Sefton Coast. A recent paper of his on the Devil’s Hole was published in British Wildlife.

Weary, footsore and totally amazed at the story of the 204 hectares (500 acres+) in the three hour plus tour from the experts, one volunteer was heard to say that he had no previous idea of the history or wildlife of the site.

John and Chris with an historic boundary marker left) between the Formby and Blundell families’ estates