Editing Runcorn (section)

==Geography==
===Topography===
[[File:Runcorn bridges aerial.jpg|thumb|Aerial view of the Runcorn Gap]]
Runcorn is situated on a spur projecting into the River Mersey, which flows to the north and then to the west of the town. On the north bank of the river is another spur forming the West Bank area of Widnes; together these form Runcorn Gap, a narrowing of the River Mersey. The town is bounded to the southwest by the [[Weaver Navigation]]; to the south by the [[Chester to Manchester Line|Chester–Manchester]] and [[Crewe–Liverpool line|Crewe–Liverpool]] railway lines; and to the east by the [[West Coast Main Line]] until the village of [[Moore, Cheshire|Moore]]. A series of valleys is formed by high points at Runcorn Hill (75m [[Ordnance datum|AOD]]), Halton Castle (75m AOD), Windmill Hill (70m AOD) and Keckwick Hill (75m AOD).<ref name="Halton Landscape Character Assessment 2008">{{cite web |url=https://www3.halton.gov.uk/Pages/planning/policyguidance/pdf/evidencebase/green/Halton_Landscape_Character_Assessment_%282009%29.pdf |title=Halton Landscape Character Assessment 2008 |publisher=Halton Borough Council |access-date=23 July 2020 |archive-date=23 July 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200723183325/https://www3.halton.gov.uk/Pages/planning/policyguidance/pdf/evidencebase/green/Halton_Landscape_Character_Assessment_(2009).pdf |url-status=live}}</ref>

Runcorn Gap is crossed by three bridges: Runcorn Railway Bridge (which carries the Liverpool branch of the West Coast Main Line), the Silver Jubilee Bridge and the Mersey Gateway which carries the [[A533 road|A533]]. A system of dual carriageways called 'expressways' form a figure of 8 around the town.<ref name="nt">{{cite web |url=http://www2.halton.gov.uk/yourcouncil/townsandvillages/runcornnewtown?a=5441 |title=Runcorn New Town |access-date=28 June 2007 |publisher=Halton Borough Council |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070216085558/http://www2.halton.gov.uk/yourcouncil/townsandvillages/runcornnewtown?a=5441 |archive-date=16 February 2007}}</ref> The Central Expressway runs through the centre of the town in a north–south direction and is the main through-road. It connects to the [[M56 motorway]] which cuts into the south of the town.

To the west of the Central Expressway lies the Old Town of Runcorn, Higher Runcorn, [[Weston, Runcorn|Weston]], Weston Point and Clifton (formerly Rocksavage), and the new town estates of Halton Brook and Halton Lodge. To the east are the formerly separate villages of [[Halton, Runcorn|Halton]] and [[Norton, Runcorn|Norton]], and the new town estates of Castlefields, Palacefields, Windmill Hill, Murdishaw, Brookvale, Hallwood Park, [[Beechwood, Runcorn|Beechwood]] and [[Sandymoor]].<ref>''Liverpool, St Helens, Widnes & Runcorn:Explorer 275 map'', [[Ordnance Survey]].</ref> The density of housing is generally high, but there are open green areas, in particular [[Heath (habitat)|heathland]] on Runcorn Hill and the extensive Town Park created as part of the new town. Housing is typically situated within the expressways and industry outside.<ref name="New Town Masterplan" />

===Geology===
[[File:Runcorn Hill 3.jpg|thumb|Runcorn Hill, showing cutting through sandstone]]
The Runcorn area drains into the River Mersey to the north and the River Weaver to the south.

The [[bedrock]] geology of the River Mersey and the northern and western fringes of Runcorn is [[Sherwood Sandstone Group|Sherwood Sandstone]] and pebbly sandstone. To the south there is a transition to siltstone, sandstone and predominantly [[Mercia Mudstone Group|Mercia Mudstone]]. The primary sedimentary rock is [[New Red Sandstone]].<ref name="Halton Landscape Character Assessment 2008" />

The [[Superficial deposits|superficial geology]] is varied with pockets of sand and [[diamicton]] along the lower-lying land adjacent to the Mersey and through Runcorn. Sand and gravel becomes common on the southern fringes of the town and elsewhere there are small pockets of clay, silt, sand and gravel.<ref name="Halton Landscape Character Assessment 2008" />

===Ecology===
[[File:The Manchester Ship Canal looking towards Wigg Island from Astmoor in Runcorn.jpg|thumb|[[Wigg Island]] local nature reserve across the Manchester Ship Canal]]
There are two [[Site of Special Scientific Interest|Sites of Special Scientific Interest]] within the town: [[Floodbrook Clough]] and the Mersey Estuary.<ref name="Halton Landscape Character Assessment 2008" /> Floodbrook Clough in Beechwood is an [[Ancient woodland|Ancient Semi-Natural Woodland]] and one of the best examples in Cheshire of clough woodland on [[keuper marl]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/visiting-woods/woods/floodbrook-clough/ |title=Floodbrook Clough |publisher=Woodland Trust |access-date=23 July 2020 |archive-date=29 September 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200929140235/https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/visiting-woods/woods/floodbrook-clough/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

There are five [[Local nature reserve|Local Nature Reserves]] designated under the [[National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949]]: Runcorn Hill, Dorchester Park, Oxmoor Woods, Wigg Island and Murdishaw Valley.<ref name="Halton Landscape Character Assessment 2008" />