Wetland Word of the Week 12
Our wetland word of the week is...
... Solway. This is the firth that our reserve is situated on. It forms the border between Scotland and England on the west coast. It stretches from the Mull of Galloway in the north to just south of Whitehaven.
There are many nature reserves, Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty and Sites of Special Scientific Interest along the coast here. Estuaries are important places for wildlife and have been recognised as such by these designations because the great expanses of mudflats exposed at low tide are great feeding grounds which makes them hotspots for migrating birds.
Did you know in the Victorian era, a railway viaduct was built across the Solway Firth between Annan in Dumfriesshire and Bowness in Cumbria? It was demolished after a series of cold winters at the end of the 19th century damaged the integrity of the viaduct. You can still see the remnants of it today.
Words by Marianne Nicholson
Feature image of saltmarsh mudflats by Jaems Shooter
