Delamere Forest
A leisurely walk (woodland) in Cheshire, England, about 7.20km (4.47 mi) long with an estimated walking time of about 2:15h. It is suitable for families with children, but unsuitable for prams & pushchairs, wheelchairs.
Elevation Profile
Ascent
98m (321ft)
Descent
96m (314ft)
Max. Elevation
180m (590ft)
Altitude Gain & Loss
194m (635ft)
Start & End
Delamere
Distance
7.20km
(4.47mi)
(4.47mi)
Duration
~2:15h
Difficulty
Leisurely
Ordnance Survey Map
1Created by driver 16 on 28 Oct 2012
The Mid Cheshire Line, a branch railway line from Chester to Manchester, has six walks from stations along the way: Mouldsworth, Delamere (start of this walk), Cuddington, Greenbank, Northwich and Lostock. You can download the walking routes at this link: www.midcheshirerail.org.uk
This walk skirts the edge of Delamere Forest and takes walkers up Old Pale, a hill with fine views over the Cheshire Plain. Eight Counties are in view: Cheshire, Lancashire, Yorkshire, Staffordshire, Shropshire, Denbighshire, Flintshire and Merseyside.
The walk takes in woodland, fields, hills and lanes with no stiles, no gates and with three refreshment stops, the Station Cafe, the Linmere Visitor Centre and Eddisbury Fruit Farm Tea Rooms and shop, which has great a souvenier - Cheshire Cider !!!!!
There is a blog piece at: www.carfreewalks.org/blog/a_gem_in_northwest_england.html, which is very descriptive. Another useful website is: www.discovercheshire.co.uk
Walk Functions
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- $walk->POI array(0)
Waypoints
OS Grid SJ554704
If coming from Chester, take the exit from the station to the main road. Turn right over the bridge and look on the right for steps down to the car park. If coming from Manchester, you exit straight into the car park. Look on your left for the steps, turn right, then go straight ahead, keeping the cafe on your right. Pass a toilet block on your left, keep straight on through another car park to a 'No Entry' sign, waypoint 2.
OS Grid SJ553704
Turn right to follow a well-defined path through trees. The railway is on your right. Look for a road on the left near the end; the path rises to meet the road, waypoint 3.
About 0.15 km (~0.09 miles) from 
OS Grid SJ550704
Do not cross the bridge, but head across the road, straight on past a sign for Linmere Lodge Visitor Centre, waypoint 4.
About 0.30 km (~0.19 miles) from 
OS Grid SJ545704
With the picnic tables on the left and a cafe / bike hire / toilets on the right, go straight ahead to see a large wooden sign for Old Pale Woodland. Cross the road and take the path to the left of the sign, uphill to waypoint 5.
About 0.47 km (~0.29 miles) from 
OS Grid SJ546702
At the Y-junction in the path, the left path into conifers is not very well defined and steep. I suggest turn right on to a forestry track, for a gentler path with better views over the Cheshire Plain towards Fiddlers Ferry power station. On to waypoint 6.
About 0.19 km (~0.12 miles) from 
OS Grid SJ544697
Eight standing stones in a circle show the counties that can be seen: Cheshire, Lancashire, Yorkshire, Staffordshire, Shropshire, Denbighshire, Flintshire and Merseyside. You can see what looks like a lake, but isn't - you will see why later. Take the path to the right of the Denbighshire stone towards last two pylons, dropping down right of the fields. Watch out, there are electric fences on the left. On to waypoint 7.
About 0.50 km (~0.31 miles) from 
OS Grid SJ539693
Look ahead to see a gap in the hedge. Go through, still dropping to the crossroads in the trees, waypoint 8.
About 0.64 km (~0.4 miles) from 
OS Grid SJ539693
Follow the sign for The Yeld, and straight on into Forest Gate Lane. Do not turn off, but pass houses on both your left and right. Pass any little junctions and head uphill to a T-junction and the car park at the Yeld, waypoint 9.
About 0.06 km (~0.04 miles) from 
OS Grid SJ533692
Turn right onto a tarmac road, then downhill to Eddisbury Fruit Farm, with apple trees in the field on your left. On to waypoint 10.
About 0.63 km (~0.39 miles) from 
OS Grid SJ534703
Turn right onto the path, with more apple trees on your left. You can see from the map the first path on left, signed Delamere Loop. I went past this, and past the next bridleway on the left, to take the third exit left. They all meet up at the same point anyway. Cross a rusty rail brige to waypoint 11.
About 1.06 km (~0.66 miles) from 
OS Grid SJ541711
Turn right, signed for the visitor centre. Read the wetland sign for loss of Meres and Mosses; this wetland was seen from Old Pale hill. Straight on to waypoint 12.
About 1.12 km (~0.7 miles) from 
OS Grid SJ551707
Pass the pony trekking centre on the right, then straight on. You will recognise the bridge from earlier. Turn left across the road and immediately left onto the path into the woods that you came up earlier. It's an easy walk back to station now.
About 1.07 km (~0.66 miles) from 
End of walkOS Grid SJ555703
Welcome refreshments at the cafe, or enjoy a famous Snugbury ice cream. I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did, I will be back in the area for the walks from the other 5 stations on nice winter days - watch this space!
About 0.51 km (~0.32 miles) from 
