Connect Wigan with Slow Ways
We’re creating a network of walking routes that connect all of Britain’s towns, cities and national parks
more walks and reviews are needed to fully connect Wigan to the verified network. Can you give a hike and help?
Give a hike!Wigan
Greater Manchester
Slow Ways linking Wigan and Ashton-in-Makerfield, Aspull, Billinge, Ince-in-Makerfield, Orrell, Standish
England / Greater Manchester / Wigan
Wigan’s six Slow Ways are 75% checked
Help connect Wigan
Many Slow Ways have several route options. Some will be better than others, or good for different reasons.
Our goal is for each Slow Way to have at least one route that is verified and surveyed. To be verified – and get its snail badge – a route needs at least three positive reviews.
Give a hike and help get a for every one of Wigan’s Slow Ways.
Walk to Wigan from further afield
Slow Way | Route | To do | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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Ashton-in-Makerfield—Wigan
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Ashwig one |
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U U |
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Double check | Distance 8km/5mi | Ascent 54m | Descent 42m | |
Billinge—Wigan
|
Bilwig one |
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U U |
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Review me | Distance 9km/5mi | Ascent 78m | Descent 128m | ||
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Billinge—Wigan
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Bilwig two |
|
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U U |
|
Double check | Distance 10km/6mi | Ascent - | Descent - | |
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Billinge—Wigan
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Bilwig three |
|
|
3 X |
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Review me | Distance 10km/6mi | Ascent - | Descent - | |
Billinge—Wigan
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Bilwig four |
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U U |
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Pioneer me | Distance 9km/6mi | Ascent 81m | Descent 124m | ||
Orrell—Wigan
|
Orrwig one |
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U U |
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Double check | Distance 6km/4mi | Ascent 19m | Descent 72m | |
Orrell—Wigan
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Orrwig two |
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U U |
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Pioneer me | Distance 6km/4mi | Ascent 40m | Descent 87m | ||
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Standish—Wigan
|
Stawig one |
|
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U U |
|
Review me | Distance 6km/4mi | Ascent 19m | Descent 87m | |
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Standish—Wigan
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Stawig two |
|
3 X |
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Enjoy me | Distance 6km/4mi | Ascent - | Descent - | ||
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Wigan—Aspull
|
Wigasp one |
|
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U U |
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Double check | Distance 6km/3mi | Ascent 112m | Descent 25m | |
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Wigan—Aspull
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Wigasp two |
|
4 X |
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Review me | Distance 6km/4mi | Ascent - | Descent - | ||
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Wigan—Aspull
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Wigasp three |
|
2 X |
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Enjoy me | Distance 6km/3mi | Ascent - | Descent - | ||
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Wigan—Ince-in-Makerfield
|
Wiginc one |
|
2 X |
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Enjoy me | Distance 2km/1mi | Ascent 17m | Descent 11m | ||
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Wigan—Ince-in-Makerfield
|
Wiginc two |
|
2 X |
|
Verify me | Distance 2km/1mi | Ascent - | Descent - |
Fancy stretching your legs a bit more?
If you’ve polished off all of the routes between Wigan and its neighbours, how about walking its whole web?
This includes the great ring of routes that join its neighbours to each other!
Collective progress
63% of Wigan’s six route options are drawn, reviewed, surveyed and/or verified
14/14
12/14
6/14
3/14
7 people have contributed to Wigan’s Slow Ways
1 people have pledged to walk and review a route
6 people have surveyed a route in Wigan
76km out of 91km have been walked and reviewed
123km of reviews have been shared in Wigan
Latest Updates
This route consists of a mixture of canal towpaths, gravel, unmade footpaths and private lanes, with major roads at either end of the route. The first is at Park House Farm (SD578022) where the Right of Way has been unofficially diverted around the farmhouse buildings....
Dannywith
At the end of the canal section of the walk you enter a beautiful and secluded grassy plain with lots of dragon flies....
Will H
Leaving from Wigan Wallgate we headed south east then joined the Leeds Liverpool Canal which forms most of the route. Leaving the canal we then headed through Kirklees wood/Woodshaw Ruck and then through to the finish in the centre of Aspull....
Gismay
After a few minutes there’s a path through to Mesnes park, a refreshing hilly park with a café, play park, ponds and many ducks....
Will H
There was a short section off Gidlow lane that was a bit overgrown but passable as we kept our arms up away from the nettles. But the rest of the walk was straightforward, plenty off road until the outskirts of Wigan is reached then a pleasant stretch through Mesnes park and on to Wallgate....
Gismay
It is rather boring and follows Ormskirk Road except for a bizarre diversion down Tunstall Lane for no apparent reason....
Andrew Dowd
You would need to walk back along the Poolstock Bypass to cross safely at a crossing otherwise you'd be walking across a dual carriageway. Eckersley/Trencherfield Mill complex is still closed at the back due to an unsafe wall and building meaning the footpath requires a longer walk round to get through....
Andrew Dowd
The route is a good journey from Wigan to Ince along the canal....
Andrew Dowd
Then a couple of bridges led to the canal towpath, with a pub next to it. There were a couple of road crossings where rather than the towpath going under the road bridge, it was necessary to cross the road via a zebra crossing....
Mary Oz
It headed past some interesting flood defences, and then on into Bottling Wood. I really enjoyed the woods, but the track now led past the Aspull Sough Mine Water Treatment Scheme, and out onto the busy B5238 for half a mile. This led into Aspull past the rugby and wrestling clubs....
Mary Oz
The route followed a branch off to the left, closer to the stream, whereas StaWig One ploughed on through mud. One reaching the gravelled track the route was easy to follow, so although it was a bit longer, it was no slower....
Mary Oz
I set off from Standish to walk this route, but at ///idea.guess.snake it looked so endlessly muddy ahead that I followed the path to the left which is on OS Maps as a bridleway, then walked WSW along the lane until ///flying.chat.tags, where I couldn’t find any clear footpaths in either direction through the woods, where OS Maps just shows dotted black lines....
Mary Oz
There was a section of paved canal towpath, past a couple of locks, then out onto the road as per WigInc One....
Mary Oz
Mary Oz added Wiginc two, a new walk from Wigan to Ince-in-Makerfield
Walk this routeThere was a reasonably wide pedestrian footbridge over the canal with a kissing-gate/cycle-barrier combo at the end of it: maybe okay for smaller wheelchairs but mobility scooters would struggle, I think....
Mary Oz
The exit onto Wynstanley Road/Ashton Road is through a gap in the hedge, which seems to be the route used by locals, rather than the Right of Way path, and is safer if you are walking north. Parsons Meadow was pleasant and the final walk into Wigan was interesting, passing Wigan Pier, and the railway themed Wigan Central pub....
Mary Oz
Crossing Winstanley Road/Ashton Road just south of the M6 could have been a bit dangerous as the footpath emerges onto the inside of a bend on a road where the traffic is quite fast....
Mary Oz
A short and straightforward route between the centre of Wigan and the suburb of Ince. The kissing gate is wide and good for all users, and the towpath beyond is paved....
Hiking Historian
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
A really enjoyable walk, really good paths for the most part, a narrow gate and some sloping earth paths ~ 17 degrees. The path splits close to ///idea.guess.snake I walked the suggested route (straight on) but the path to the left looked to be better, and it avoided a steep, but short, bank at ///flying.chat.tags. Rather than heading to Parsons walk at ///label.flute.cube I walked through the very pleasant park and joined it at ///badly.cage.circle....
Stearsb
It travels through an urban area for the most part and improved when it followed the canal....
Stearsb
Slow Ways added Ashwig one, a new walk from Ashton-in-Makerfield to Wigan
Walk this routeSlow Ways added Wiginc one, a new walk from Wigan to Ince-in-Makerfield
Walk this route
Wigan’s Slow Ways starting point
Grid ref
SD5814205529
Lat / Lon
53.54474° / -2.63315°
Easting / Northing
358,142E / 405,529N
what3words
Fancy stretching your legs a bit more?
If you’ve polished off all of the routes between Wigan and its neighbours, how about walking its whole web?
This includes the great ring of routes that join its neighbours to each other!
Facilities
Users have reported that the following facilities can be found within 1km of Wigan's meeting point
Public toilet
Wheelchair accessible toilet
Supermarket or convenience shop
Restaurant, cafe or pub
Accommodation
Accommodation for under £50 a night
Campsite
Bothy
Free wifi
Mobility scooter hire
Off-road wheelchair hire
Disabled Parking
Train station
Bus stop
Ferry
Official ‘Walkers are Welcome’ town
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