Delamere Station

From the car park at Delamere station walk through the car park and continue to the forest visitor center at Linmere, this is just down from the station.  On your left is Eddisbury Hill, capped by a fort built for a daughter of Alfred the Great. Stay with the road beyond the visitor’s center ignoring all forks to the right. This gradually roughens and leaves the cover of trees. Pass by the drive way to Eddisbury Lodge on your right to reach a barrier across the road at the forest edge.

Turn right along the narrow path just within the woods. This falls to a brook, and after 400yds climbs to reach a wide path to the right. Take this and continue ahead at two junctions to reach a stand of tall pines on your right, sheltering the reed-fringed Black Lake with its floating island, take a look we found it a bit eerie. Cross the railway bridge, turn immediately left and walk round to a forest road. Bear left then keep right at the fork, then left to reach a minor road. Cross straight over.

In 150yds go right along the second path beneath a lone tall beach tree and wind through to a roadway junction. Go ahead and then right along the wide road to a fork, 500yds further on bear left.  At the t-junction go straight ahead along the narrow path beneath the birch trees. In about 100yds turn right along a wider path and trace this to a forest road above the reedy hollow of Walkers Pool. Turn right, then in 75yds turn left along the graveled track.  Keep right to wind round about 400yds to the crossways.  Turn left and follow this forest road for about 500yds to find a wide well used path to the left. Follow this until you can see Hatch Mere ahead. Turn left along a faint path, which skirts the boggy mereside, within the trees. This soon develops into a distinct footpath to reach a stile.  Look right for the plank bridge.  Cross this and follow the path alongside the brook to a footbridge.  Trace the path beyond, which eventually meets the B5152. Turn right towards The Carriers pub, overlooking Hatch Mere.

On the left just before the pub is a bridleway for Norley Road and School Lane.  Take this, keep ahead at the sharp bend, in 200yds take either path through the trees to reach a graveled drive tracking this to a lane junction.  Go ahead up Post Office Lane for about 30 paces, then climb the stile on the right and walk across the pasture to the barn.  Turn left behind this go along the yard-side track and then follow the field edge hedge above the shallow valley.  Climb the stile beneath a sycamore and walk on to reach a gate and stile into a green lane.  Turn right to pass through two bridle gates.  Pick up the low waymark posts, arcing left along a raised field-track to reach gates and rail fence at the field corner (half-right).

Follow the fenced bridleway through to a junction near a garage.  Turn right along the rough lane to a forest-edge old stile and waymark.  Go ahead into the forest, following the wide, sandy path and a line of waymark arrows, keep ahead left along the forest edge path to gain a wide graded forest road at a barrier. Keep ahead along this car park access.  Down to your left you should be able to see the Dead Lake.  Carefully cross the main road and join the wide forest path that soon runs parallel to the railway.  Cross the bridge over the railway.  To your right is the visitor centre, and to your left is the path back to Delamere station.

When we did the walk they were changing all the waymark sign numbers so I have not put any numbers in for you, you should easily find your way without these I hope.