Although less direct than the other versions of this Slow Way, this has the benefit of being almost entirely off-road by maximising use of the canal tow path. It also has added interest as it includes the historic Wigan Pier area. This route forms part of the 'Rail Trail' between Wigan and Bolton....

RGW

Whilst entirely functional, as has mentioned already in Andrew's previous review, this not a particularly exciting route and includes a bizarre deviation from the main road around Newtown. If taking this route, the alternative "Orrwig Two" would be preferable....

Dannywith

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

I’ve included photos of the difficult area....

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

There 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 route linking Wigan and Ince....

Dannywith

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