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.