Leaving Kirkby shopping centre and bus station, I would recommend staying on the north side of Kirkby Row as there are fewer road crossings. The route leaving the canal into Litherland used Rimrose Valley/Brook Vale wildlife area on a well-used tarmac path, and a slightly muddy path under the railway, before a stepped footbridge over a main road to reach the station end point....

Mary Oz

The route ended after a temporarily closed Aldi supermarket, with a pelican crossing (the type that always prioritises cars over pedestrians) before arriving at Bootle New Strand Station, opposite a shopping centre....

Mary Oz

The route into Rimrose Valley included crossing an open field with a fairly well-trodden track before reaching a tarmacked cycle track. This short route was made more pleasant by the use of Rimrose Valley Country Park, and although it was all rather dull, I can’t see any improvement for this route, so I’ll give it 4*, as it’s also very direct....

Mary Oz

Good, direct, easy to navigate, pleasant slowway between two urban centres....

Strider

Mostly urban walk with good use of green space making it a pleasant stroll between two transport links....

Strider

The route at the beginning at Litherland station does use a stepped footbridge, but this can be circumvented by travelling the opposite direction, around past the pub of the corner, where there are road crossings....

Hiking Historian

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

95% a good route, but there's a few errors: first, straight from the off, from Litherland station there is a steep footbridge over the main road, and thus excluding wheeled users; second, a footpath taken from the canal into Rimrose Valley is along a narrow earth path through long grass, but there's a tarmac one just around the corner that takes us where we need to go; third, there are steps down to the towpath at Red Lion Bridge, only to get off at the next swing bridge yards later, so best to ignore. As I said, the makings of a good route, which I have corrected on the next route....

Hiking Historian

A good route through country and canal between urban areas, but wheeled users may have difficulty in places, despite trying to make it as open as possible....

Hiking Historian

Route is well-paved with ramps when in residential areas, and when in Rimrose Valley, there is a short section of grass and stone footpath, and then tarmac....

Hiking Historian

Route around leisure centre unnecessary as you can just carry on along the road, but it's a nice shot green diversion!...

Hiking Historian