Once over, and after a short walk along a paved road, we access our first footpath: a tarmac path running betwern fences, before heading under a railway tunnel and onto a path running past houses. Crossing at the next junction, we head up the industrial estate road of Heysham Road, where we access the Transpennine Trail, a good tarmac footpath eventually passing Aintree Station....

Hiking Historian

Good tarmac tracks bring us through to the road past HMP Altcourse, where, after a short unpaved (but closed to traffic) road walk, we cross the road (unfortunately no ramp) and join the pavement, before turning onto a footpath. At the end, a road crossing and onto another tarmac footpath, running behind houses....

Hiking Historian

After the motorway bridge, we exit the canal via a narrow passageway, and follow the paved road walk through the residential streets of Kirkby, passing the station along the way....

Hiking Historian

Good tarmacced paths lead us through the park, until we take a junction over a road where we then access the old railway, which is now mostly the Transpennine Trail. At Aintree Racecourse, the footpath becomes earth and stone in a wooded area, often narrow in places, before joining the canal....

Hiking Historian

One thing I'll point out about the route so far: the map shows the route as crossing the crossroads/roundabout at the junction of Aintree and Southport Roads using a crossing on the right (south) side. The path ahead has some subsidence, and, at Aintree Racecourse, the path becomes a narrow earth and stone footpath, which eventually meets the canal, from where it is a short grassy bank to the bridge. Crossing before the bridge, the path ahead is again narrow and natural, and in undergrowth....

Hiking Historian

After crossing the busy East Lancs dual carriageway the route goes onto the Gellings bridleway, again alongside the M57, before going onto Knowsley Lane for the final section. Nearing the end a busy roundabout has to be negotiated. Plenty of facilities at start and finish....

James Riding

Then onto a quiet single lane road and dirt path, and past farm buildings....

James Riding

This route includes private inaccessible paths and so isn't a valid route....

James Riding

First, the route through Walton Hall Park has a massive diversion around the bowling greens and along the path that runs adjacent to the housing estate; this is unnecessary, and I recommend just going straight along the main path through the park. Secondly, the exit from the canal onto the bridge at Spencer's Lane isn't as straightforward as the map claims. These small quibbles have been corrected on WALKIR Four; route Two offers a slightly amended ending....

Hiking Historian

The left right next to Aintree racecourse is a dead end, the right hand (and better path) takes you to Aintree Lane south of a swing bridge, which you may like to do. Crossing the road at the swing bridge the path continues along the Liverpool to Leeds canal until a left turn before a bridge (the steepest part at 12%) the right onto the road, suburban road to Kirkby station (cat + coffee!), then a wide pavement to Kirkby Bus Station and shopping precinct....

Strider

A good walk but...several small mapping errors, any one of which would not warrant a new route, but all together make navigation difficult. More accurate Walkir2 coming soon....

Strider

This route is not feasible: the entire Patten's Walk section is on private farm roads on the Knowsley Estate. I'll submit a better route in the future....

Hiking Historian

A good route along the canal and well-paved roads between two towns with ample parking, public transport and shopping. Access from Westway in Maghull to the canal, however, is not straightforward, nor good for access. Therefore I have suggested an alternative route for ease and for all users: MAGKIR Two....

Hiking Historian

An enjoyable walk, mostly along tarmac towpaths and well-paved roads. This route is fully accessible to all users, with no steps and ramps on kerbs. Good shops and bus transport links at either end (rail stations are nearby)....

Hiking Historian