Black Pudding Gaiters

Another walk from last year, back when we had  warm sunny weekends! I wanted a walk but didn’t fancy a drive so, took a local, albeit a virtually linear walk.

I started the walk close to Bromobrough Rake station making it around 14 miles, however, for a shorter walk, start at Bromborough, Eastham Rake or, to avoid walking along streets, Hooton Station

I headed to Plymyard Avenue, taking a right at the end on to Eastham Rake.

Just before the railway bridge, turn on to Lowwfields Avenue,  following the blue signs to Hooton. Take the underpass beneath the M53 motorway then follow the path to the left, where it forks, take the left hand path, around the field  before reaching Dale Hey.
At the end of this road, take a right towards Hooton Station, passing the Hooton pub.

Just past the station, a path to the left takes you to the start of the Wirral Way.

Navigation is easy enough, just follow the route of the old Birkenhead Railway. This line was closed in 1962 and became Wirral Country Park in 1973.

Eventually you’ll  hit Hadlow Road station, another spot where you can park up and start this walk, in fact, starting here makes the walk more circular.

Hadlow Road was once a  station on the Hooton to West Kirby line of the  Birkenhead Railway, serving the village of Willaston.  It closed to passengers in 1956 but the Grade 2 listed station as been preserved and is well worth a look inside, if nothing else, it makes a nice toilet stop!

On leaving the station, cross over the road to continue on the Wirral way.

Rather than walk the full 12.2 miles of the Wirral way I took a path to the left  crossing fields.

This is where the circular part of the walk starts.

The path pops out on the busy Chester High Road, cross here at the lights and follow Mill Lane to the bridleway on the right which, eventually leads to Gorntons Lane in Neston.