Recreational walks in Cheshire

Stile on the Gritstone Trail near Tegg's Nose

Southern section of the Sandstone Trail near Bickley, showing the footprint waymarker

There are 1,864 miles^[1] (3,000 km) of public rights of way in Cheshire, England.

The following are some of the recreational walks partly or wholly in the county:

Longer walks

• Baker Way, 13 miles (19 km), Chester to Delamere Forest
• Bollin Valley Way, 25 miles (40 km), Macclesfield to Partington following the River Bollin
• Dane Valley Way, Buxton, Derbyshire to the source of the River Dane at Dane Head, then following the river down to Middlewich
• Delamere Way, 21 miles (33 km), Frodsham to Stockton Heath via Delamere Forest
• Eddisbury Way, 16 miles (26 km), Frodsham to Burwardsley where it joins the Sandstone Trail
• Ladybrook Valley Interest Trail, Lyme Park, Disley down Ladybrook to Cheadle
• Longster Trail, 10 miles (16 km), Helsby Hill via Barrow to Pipers Ash, Chester
• Maelor Way, 24 miles (39 km), from Bronygarth to Whitchurch, Shropshire
• Middlewood Way, 10 miles (16 km), Macclesfield to Marple
• Salter's Way, 25 miles (40 km), Rudheath (near Northwich) to Jenkin Chapel, Rainow
• Wirral Shore Way, 21 miles (33 km), Chester to Hoylake, along the west coast of the Wirral

Long-distance paths

• Bishop Bennet Way, 34 miles (55 km), from Beeston to Wirswall on the Shropshire border
• Cheshire Ring 97-mile (156 km) circular walk alongside six canals, via Dukinfield and Marple
• Crewe and Nantwich Circular Walk, 29 miles (47 km), a circular walk around Crewe and Nantwich
• Gritstone Trail, 35 miles (56 km), from Disley to Kidsgrove, Staffordshire
• Marches Way, 200 miles (320 km), from Chester railway station to Cardiff, initially following the River Dee to Farndon, then passing through the border counties
• North Cheshire Way, 71 miles (114 km), Hooton to Disley, linking the Wirral Way, Sandstone Trail and Gritstone Trail
• North West Coastal Trail. A proposed trail starting from The Groves, Chester, down the River Dee to West Kirby, using the Mersey ferries to Liverpool and then on to Carlisle. An alternative, the 'Mersey Loop' will run from Chester via Helsby, Frodsham and Runcorn to Liverpool
• Sandstone Trail, 34 miles (55 km), from Frodsham to Whitchurch, Shropshire
• South Cheshire Way, 32 miles (51 km), from Grindley Brook to Mow Cop. This can be used as a link between the Sandstone Trail and the Gritstone Trail
• Trans Pennine Trail, 207 miles (333 km), from Southport in Merseyside to Hornsea in the East Riding of Yorkshire passing through Widnes
• Two Saints Way, 92 miles from Chester to Lichfield, Staffordshire
• Vale Royal Round, 34 miles (55 km), a circular walk taking in Northwich, Frodsham, Delamere Forest and Winsford
• Weaver Way, 40 miles (65 km), from Frodsham to Audlem via the River Weaver and the Trent and Mersey and Shropshire Union Canals

Walking challenges

• Sandstone Trail Race, annual race over two distances on the Sandstone Trail, usually held in October.
• Bullock Smithy Hike, 56-mile (90 km) challenge walk, to be completed in 24 hours, starts and finishes in Hazel Grove
• Cheshire Hike, annual walking competition for Scouts taking place over two days in and around the county of Cheshire.

See also

• Long-distance footpaths in the UK

References

External links

• Discovercheshire website – interactive maps featuring council maintained walking routes – with downloadable directions
• Visit England North West's Walks page
• Walking Cheshire's Sandstone Trail
• Cheshire and Wirral walking books