Bilash one

Slow Way not verified yet. Verify Bilash here.

A good mostly rural route.

From Billinge, we're almost straight away heading into the countryside; at the end of our first junction, a short residential road becomes a farm track once we're past a barrier by the gate. It's a good walk, up a gentle slope, and the rough track still has some of its cobbles in places. At a junction with another path by a wooded spoil tip, we carry on ahead on a narrower footpath through the trees. It can be a bit muddy in places, but there's a few drier desire paths.

Eventually we leave the trees, and follow a now earthern track along the edge of the field, before turning and heading up and over Weathercock Hill. The track becomes a tarmac path just before it meets the road, and we cross and follow the paved residential road ahead. Following the road past the station, and then under the railway itself, we come to a junction, where we turn right.

Almost straight away we cross to the footpath: a narrow gap in a hedge of thorns brings us to a kissing gate. A field of long grass running alongside trees shielding an industrial estate, it can be a bit damp in places, but it's nevertheless a nice little walk. It soon becomes a footpath running through the trees near the end, and another kissing gate brings us out onto the road.

It's best to cross to the pavement on the right; there's no crossing, but is the odd traffic island. Crossing early is essential, as we soon come to a junction of the M6. Past this, it's gradually uphill into the centre of Ashton-in-Makerfield.

A good walk with shops and transport links at both ends.

I walked the route starting from Ashton, to Billinge on 17 April 2024. Overall I found the route lovely and very easy to follow. The walk from Ashton town centre was nice, couple of sweet community gardens with seats.
The route then crosses over the M6. If you stay on the on/off slip side then there is traffic to negotiate, three roads to cross; the offslip is traffic-light controlled but only for the traffic, there were not pedestrian indicators that it is safe to cross. The onslip only has look left/right signs. If you cross the bridge on the other side, there are no roads to cross but you are then stuck on the wrong side of the road and there are no crossings to get back on to the right side to continue the route, and it’s a fast road.
Once you take the footpath off at the side of the industrial estate (see picture, don't be put off by it's unprepossessing appearance!) you are in lovely open countryside farmland. Very muddy, but after wet weather it’s to be expected. You pop out on to Strange Road and then Station Road. There’s a chip shop half way along which could be relevant to your interests.
You also pass close to Garswood railway station.
You then cross Garswood Road and the footpath leads on to open farmland up to Weathercock Hill. The views from here all around are astounding. I could see Helsby/Frodsham and possibly the Clwyd Hills on one side and Manchester and the Pennines on the other
Then down the other side where you join Garswood Old Road and thence into Billinge. This is a really lovely part of the route; the original coach road surface can still be seen in parts. This area is rich in wildflowers.
The route was lovely and seemed to me to qualify as a slow way, the only part I didn’t like was the M6 bridge crossing section. I would definitely have given it five stars but for this.

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