Walk stats
- Distance7.7 km · 4.8 mi
- Elevation+57 m
- Duration1 hr 45 min
- DifficultyModerate
- Route typeLinear
- TerrainLevel former railway path with gentle gradients, mostly compacted surface
- Best seasonSpring to autumn, though pleasant year-round
- DogsDog-friendly, well suited to leads near wildlife areas
About this walk
The Wirral Way is a well-loved linear trail along a former railway line, offering an easy-going route across the Wirral peninsula. This 7.7 km section begins by the riverside and follows the old trackbed south, with gentle gradients and only 57 metres of ascent making it approachable for most walkers.
Early on, the path skirts Ashton Park Lake before opening up at Cubbins Green, where views across the Dee Estuary can be enjoyed on clear days. The route then enters Wirral Country Park, one of Britain's earliest designated country parks, before continuing through wooded cuttings and open embankments to finish at Gayton.
Nearby, walkers with extra time can extend their day by exploring Heswall Dales Local Nature Reserve, climbing Grange Hill or Caldy Hill for wider views, or detouring into West Kirby to see the town's cenotaph and the Hoylake and West Kirby War Memorial.
Route map
Route line drawn from OpenStreetMap footpath data. Numbered markers are waypoints on the route; amber star markers are points of interest a short detour away.
Waypoints along the route
5 waypoints along the way
- 1
Riverside
- 2
Ashton Park Lake
- 3
Cubbins Green
- 4
Wirral Country Park
- 5
Finish: Gayton
- Finish
The end of the route.
Worth a short detour
Points of interest just off the route, look for the amber markers on the map.
Grange Hill
~431 m off the route
Caldy Hill
~461 m off the route
Hoylake and West Kirby War Memorial
~431 m off the route
West Kirby Cenotaph
~433 m off the route
Heswall Dales - Local Nature Reserve
~382 m off the route
Route & waypoint data © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).