Walbir two

Slow Way not verified yet. Verify Walbir here.

A good route going through some of the nicest parts of north Wirral.

From Grove Road station, we access the bridge over the railway (using either stairs or step-free access from the station approach), and then we're along a few well-paved residential roads. Over crossings at a busy crossroads, and we're onto an industrial estate road. Paved at first, it becomes unpaved past the rugby ground and a long line of rental transits. At the end, we access Cross Lane, a Forestry Commission nature reserve; a tarmac footpath wends uphill through a nature-filled and shady hill, before it drops down before doglegging onto a long boardwalk crossing a marshy area.

The path goes beneath the motorway viadicts, before running alongside the railway. This bit of footpath, although good, can be muddy and even flooded at times, as it lies in essentially a swamp, but it's always passable. The path eventually veers away from the railway, before heading under another viaduct, and then, once over a bridge over the Birket and to Bidston station.

The only access to the station is via a stepped footbridge, which crosses the railway and to the road beyond. Past the car parks, we use the crossing over the dual carriageway and head into Bidston. We head uphill along a residential road, before crossing to join a track. It's rough earth and stone, but it passes Bidston Hall, before coming a grass and earth footpath, and then, past a barrier, it turns uphill along another dirt track, thick with trees.

At the top, we're on the sandstone ridge of Bidston Hill, and we're literally standing on history; the first slab of stone on the path as we reach the top and break free from the tree cover has a possibly thousand year old carving of horses head on it. There's a few other carvings on the hillside if you know where to look for them, but they're not on the route. We pass the lighthouse and observatory. Beyond, it's an often muddy and uneven walk across the pink and grey sandstone. But the views make it worth it. To the west, across the Wirral to the river Dee and north Wales beyond; to the east, over the Mersey and Liverpool.

Carrying on, we pass the old windmill, cross a bridge, then take the second left footpath junction. Again, it can be muddy in places, but once we're off the stone, we enter the woods. It's a pleasant woodland walk, although can be soft underfoot. Eventually we hit the road, and descend the hill using well-paved roads. Passing a few shops and a school, we enter Birkenhead Park.

Locals are righly proud of Birkenhead Park: first municipal park in England; the influence to Sefton Park in Liverpool and, more impressively, Central Park in New York. And it's always a pleasant wander. The drives and paths are tarmac and good, although in small places can be muddy or have puddles. We cross a road at one point, but mostly stay in the park for a while.

Once through the park, we join more roads, and eventually we're onto the pedestrianised shopping area of central Birkenhead. At the end, we take stairs (a slope is also available), cross the road under the flyover and arrive at Birkenhead Central station.

A nice walk through some of my favourite bits of the Wirral, and a much improved route compared to the street-stomp of the original! Foot-only, unfortunately, due to terrain and steps, but a good one!.

I started from Wallasey along quiet suburban roads, to reach cycle route 56 through an off-road green space, and under the M53. The track then proceeded alongside the railway behind industrial units which were hidden by trees and boggy ground. This was mostly a good tarmac path although there was a large puddle to wade through at one point, but the weather had been fairly wet for a while. This area was isolated, but I didn’t feel unsafe. There was another solo woman walking here, and the track into Bidston Moss Nature Reserve was close to the corner. (It was quiet as it was midweek in the winter.) There was plenty of birdsong mingled with the motorway noise.
A stepped footbridge over Bidston Station led to the path up Bidston Hill, which was fabulous, the highlight of the walk! It was gorgeous here, with sandstone paths, lighthouse, observatory and windmill, great views across to Liverpool and also North Wales, and it finished with some woodland.
There was a short section of road at Claughton, with pubs and shops, before I reached the entrance to the wonderful Birkenhead Park, reputedly the inspiration for Central Park in New York. I made a short detour here, past the lake, to the Visitor Centre, for a lunch break. Resuming the route through the park, I passed some grand houses, and then was soon into the less grand streets into the centre of Birkenhead.
The route finished by heading through the pedestrianised Pyramid Shopping Centre. The exit to the main road, just before the station, is closed at night, I believe, but Borough Road, just to the south has a pavement, if an alternative is needed.
For an enjoyable walk, if I wasn’t in a hurry, I’d use this rather than WalBir One, although I’d miss the bascule bridge at the docks!.

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