Billinge

I though this was a very good route. The first part of the disused St Helens Canal had unbelievably clear water. The second part (after the road crossing) was a bit more isolated and it was necessary, as defined, to leave the canal where the route was blocked for footpath improvements which seem a long time coming. The diversion goes through a typical vehicle-based industrial estate (where roads are for vehicles to move along and pavements are for vehicles to park on). Hinkley Road (residential) was nice enough, but it’s a pity the footpath through The Burgies appears to be unavailable. The woodland footpath around the lake at Carr Mill was delightful. It was accessed via a hotel car park and four rough footpath steps. There were some signs suggesting it was private land, but lots of locals were using it, and I was assured that the signs were only about angling rights. There was a bench along here, and it was a bit muddy in places. After passing Nineteen Arches bridge, the route crossed onto Carr Mill Old Road, a pleasant track through trees and alongside fields. This eventually became a tarmacked quiet road into Billinge....

Mary Oz

But in rural Merseyside, the ramps vanish and, in places, the pavement is narrow or overgrown. A pleasant enough and straightforward route, albeit for foot only, but hardly exciting....

Hiking Historian

Only Carr Mill makes it awkward for wheeled users, but otherwise a goid route....

Hiking Historian

First, from St Helens, the route is very road-heavy, when there's a perfectly good footpath running alongside the old canal; second, the footpath through The Burgies doesn't exist; third, an inexplicable spike to Carr Mill pub, rather than just crossing the road; and fourth, another road walk, when Carr Mill Woods are right next to it with nice shady footpaths. I've amended the route to take in these changes....

Hiking Historian