Another road crossing at Penkford Bridge, and we're into the Sankey Valley County Park, where the canal passes under its replacement: George Stephenson's monumental Sankey Viaduct, the first major railway bridge in the world. Here we exit the canal, over a bridge, and take a somewhat steep tarmac footpath up to the industrial estate above. At the station, we cross the railway using the stepped footbridge, then along the platform to a footpath leading to another set of platforms; Earlestown is one of those rare stations with four platforms on two different lines....

Hiking Historian

It's a good route, but unfortunately at present it is impossible to walk this route in its entirety: the path between the sewage works and the bridge over the canal is currently closed for what looks like subsidence. So that's half a mile that's undoable. I've rerouted it on SthNew Two...

Hiking Historian

Eventually we reach Moss Nook, where, after a brief paved road walk, we join an unpaved road passing a garage, which gradually becomes a track. This empties out onto an unpaved residential road; as it's a dead-end we come from, traffic isn't an issue. A short stretch of paved road brings us to the next footpath that leads through Wheatacre Woods....

Hiking Historian

Lastly, access to Wheatacre Wood can be made earlier than suggested by this route map....

Hiking Historian

This leads us to a road crossing and a paved road through a retail park. Once over the crossings of the main road, after a short walk we head down our first proper footpath: a tarmac track alongside an industrial estate. Eventually we hit Elton Head Road, and it's a short walk to the station (although it's a bit if a mess at the moment with so many building works)....

Hiking Historian

Here we join a farm track which eventually narrows into a footpath; both can be wet or muddy in places. It becomes an unpaved road towards the end, but unused by traffic, and at its end we join a paved road, where we quickly join another footpath after a short section of unpaved drive....

Hiking Historian

Past Pocket Nook, the route is supposed to follow the canal north before looping around east, but it's possible to cut the bend using footpaths and a road passing past the industrial estate....

Hiking Historian

Does what it says on the tin: an improved route that avoids the busy roads of the original....

Hiking Historian

The first half of this route, starting from Prescot, used suburban housing streets as far as possible, to avoid the main road slog of PreSth One, although after the small shopping street of Prescot, there was about mile of main road. The final section of the route was alongside the disused St Helens Canal, which included an easy level crossing over the disused railway which had blocked the canal!...

Mary Oz

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. Hinkley Road (residential) was nice enough, but it’s a pity the footpath through The Burgies appears to be unavailable....

Mary Oz

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

Hiking Historian

There is one small section that doesn't work, however: there is no crossing over Kirkland Street from Albion Street to gain access to the footpath and beyond, so I've rerouted this section slightly in ECCSTH Two....

Hiking Historian

Mostly fully accessible route for all users; most junctions have ramped crossings or low kerbs, but there's the odd high kerb that may impede progress for wheelchair users. Fully paved throughout, although it's mostly an uninteresting suburban wander. Shops at both ends with nearby transport links....

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

A good urban, mostly residential, route, using paved roads throughout. Good shops at either end, with some along the way, and, with the aid of ramps at crossings, accessible to all users....

Hiking Historian