The Wirral Way

Twelve miles of old railway line that starts on our doorstep. Flat, sheltered, and you can do as much or as little of it as the dog has in them.

The Wirral Way runs for 12 miles along the route of the old Hooton to West Kirby branch line, which means it is flat, wide, well drained and almost entirely free of traffic. For a dog that pulls, or an older dog that needs a level surface, it is the most forgiving walk in the area.

The nearest access from the house is Hadlow Road Station at Willaston, about a mile away. The station has been kept as it was in the 1950s, down to the platform signs, and there are toilets there. It is the easiest place to start if you have not walked the line before.

Heading south-west takes you towards Neston and Parkgate and the Dee estuary, with refreshments at Willaston, Neston and Parkgate along the way. This is the stretch we use most: enough hedgerow and cutting to keep a nervous dog feeling enclosed, and enough open view over the marsh to make it worth the walk.

The section between Willaston and Parkgate is part of the National Cycle Network, so expect bikes. On a summer weekend it is busy enough that a dog with no recall should stay on the lead.

Worth knowing

• —Car parks along the route are locked at night and have a 2.2 metre (7′2″) height restriction — a problem if you drive a van.
• —Shared with cyclists between Willaston and Parkgate.

Details from Cheshire West and Chester Council — Wirral Country Park.