I walked most of this route in July 2023 and then walked the alternative route between Port Sunlight Station and Bebington Station (through Port Sunlight) in February 2024. (There is also a garden centre near the end in Port Sunlight, which has replaced another open-air pool where I learned to swim!). There were quite a lot of cafés and shops near Bromborough Station, to break up the journey. I walked through the centre of Port Sunlight village past lots of lovely and varied housing, and municipal buildings, and I like this route better that the road alongside the railway....

Mary Oz

For me though, the most interesting part of the walk was heading into Chester, passing some fantastic canal architecture and heritage – the aqueduct over the A5480, Taylor’s Boatyard and all the history of the canal branch to the River Dee, and Northgate Staircase Locks. A cobbled slope up from the canal brought me into the centre of Chester which really is a fantastic town to visit, with many gorgeous buildings and so much history....

Mary Oz

Walking from Ellesmere Port, I had hoped to find a less roady way, but north of the railway here it is all very industrial, so I started with a long, dull, pavement walk. (There is also a garden centre near the end in Port Sunlight, which has replaced another open-air pool where I learned to swim!). There were quite a lot of cafés and shops near Bromborough Station, to break up the journey. The cycle track from Spital Dam to Port Sunlight was new to me, and was quite a pleasant way to arrive into the gorgeous Port Sunlight. Even the railway station is quite cute, like a Swiss cottage....

Mary Oz

We're not on it long, however; we soon zigzag down a ramp to the road and head downhill towards Dibbinsdale. From here, it's a road walk through residential areas, passing a few shops and pubs along the way. Crossing and moving down one more residential road, we then take another tunnel under the railway, before moving through a meadow. At the end, we cross a road into a smaller, sunken section of the park, before heading over a bridge and taking steps up to the residential roads above. It's then residential roads through Overpool to Ellesmere Port, ending at the station....

Hiking Historian

This however reaches Ellesmere Port Golf Course and you are faced with a choice. Getting off the main road, you join a series of greenways and streets across residential areas, all pretty direct and enjoyable, with the occasional pub or shop. There is a road crossing before a short bit of pavement pounding leads you to an old railway line which takes you to Port Sunlight....

David Sanderson

2 At Ellesmere Port Golf Club the route diverts from the footpath and was impossible to follow from south to north....

David Sanderson

The route started well from Chester and soon got me via an accessible route on to the Shropshire Union Canal. Ellche Three then follows the canal all the way to Ellesmere Port and this was the route I was following to start with but reached a "towpath closed" sign just north of Chester Zoo. A lack of places to stop is a serious problem for this route, the only one I encountered was a cafe at the Harley Davidson showroom as you reach the outskirts of Ellesmere Port....

David Sanderson

In agreement with the other two reviewers that the footpath from Stoak does not connect with the towpath. This route should not be used...

David Sanderson

As I've said, a foot-only route, due to the terrain, but a pleasant country route, only somewhat marred by heavy industry at the edge of civilisation....

Hiking Historian

This route, however, is not feasible: the footpath connecting Thornton-le-Moors and Elton has seemingly been removed by the landowner, with crops growing over the route snd stiles removed or grown over. I've submitted an alternative that skirts around these fields....

Hiking Historian

As I've said, a foot-only route, due to the terrain, but a pleasant country route, only somewhat marred by heavy industry at the edge of civilisation....

Hiking Historian

As Paul says in his review, the Stoak dogleg, as it exists, is not doable due to the footpath over the canal from Stoak does not connect to the towpath due to hedges and barbed wire. The Chester exit from the canal also needs a tidy, something I'll do in an updated route....

Hiking Historian

From Ellesmere Port to the housing estate on Cromwell Road, a good, wide pavement with ramps, but as it becomes an industrial estate there are no ramps, so cyclists and wheelchairs will have to keep to the road, a quiet cul de sac. The towpath is a mixture of tarmac and concrete. Once back on the canal, a mixture of tarmac, concrete, and loose stone....

Hiking Historian

This route is hopefully accessible to all, although narrow passages under bridges may exclude larger motorised wheelchairs. Past Stoak, a mixture of tarmac, concrete, and loose stone....

Hiking Historian

Wheelchairs are excluded right from the off at Shotton station, due to the only access to the lower station being via stairs, but there are also stiles and kissing gates later on....

Hiking Historian

An improvement on NESELL One, but needed some slight modifications due to a non-existent footpath in Otterspool. Have now corrected as NESELL Three....

Hiking Historian

Where on pavements in urban areas, all have ramps or lowered kerbs, and where there are gates or barriers, there's a good metre clearance, so all but the larger motorised wheelchairs will get through. Starts and ends at accessible stations, both with shopping areas....

Hiking Historian

Route is mostly walkable, especially along the Wirral Way, but the section in Sutton Hall is now a new housing estate, and the paths marked on the map (OS and SlowWay) are no longer in existence. Makes more sense to carry on through Sutton. I'll submit and walk an amended route in the near future....

Hiking Historian

Mostly for foot only, with some footpaths and a route across a golf course excluding wheelchairs and bicycles....

Hiking Historian

Firstly there is no exit from the old railway path to Dibbinsdale; secondly, the recommended path from Bromborough Rake is along a private track to a locked gate on an unpaved road. I've submitted an alternative....

Hiking Historian

The route was walked from Chester (The Cross) to Ellesmere Port (Railway Station) on Tuesday 18.05.2021 (afternoon) – joined by friend (and dog) after Bridge no. Much of the route is level since it follows the towpath of the Shropshire Union Canal between Northgate Locks (Chester) to Bridge no. The surface of the towpath varies and is generally smooth between Chester’s Canal Basin to Knolls Bridge. From Knolls Bridge to Caughall Bridge it has recently been resurfaced and has much loose gravel-sized chippings, but these appear to be consolidating with use. From Caughall Bridge the towpath has many broken surfaces and consequently is rather uneven in places. Notably, the first seat after Chester’s Canal Basin was at Caughall Bridge and then a couple of benches alongside the towpath at Stoak (near Bridge no. 136). At Ellesmere Port Station there are two options to cross the railway line – a shorter route via a steep and stepped footbridge from Whitby Road or a slightly longer route via the roadside pavement on the A5032 road bridge....

Peregrinating Paul