Brimstage Thornton Hough

Information WALK 1 Brimstage & Thornton Hough WALK 2 Parkgate & Gayton

This Walk and Cycle leaflet for Wirral covers the 5 Cross the drive to another kissing gate, and walk 11 At the private drive, continue straight across on south western quarter and is one of a series of A gentle walk visiting the two historic villages A pleasant ramble beside the Dee Estuary golf course meeting the footpath from Gayton. At that 7 Having continued along Wood Lane, pass Brook Lane the bridleway. Please ensure you do not take the wrong four leaflets each consisting of three walks and of Brimstage and Thornton Hough and the across that field, then at the next field the hedge is on returning along quiet tracks and lanes into footpath turn right and go to 4 a for further instructions. on the left, and soon after there is a sign pointing right to your right. route on the private roads of The Leverhulme Estate. Parkgate. Take this path and follow it until you pass one cycle route. quiet surrounding farmland. old Parkgate. 2 If continuing along the sea wall you will eventually 6 Cross two further stiles, onto a hedged path which 11a At the footpath sign, take the path on the right across beneath the old railway bridge which is now the I have recently updated all 12 walks based on Start: Brimstage Hall and Craft Centre. reach a tall beech hedge at the end of the path. Descend Wirral Way. previous suggested routes, so thanks to my leads to another private drive. Turn right, onto this the field. Start: The Old Baths car park off Boathouse Lane, the steps onto the old slipway which is at the end of Distance: About 3 miles. 2 - 3 hours. predecessors for their hard work in earlier years. drive and then immediately left. 12 Cross the private drive past the old stile and a Parkgate. Cottage Lane. 8 Walk past the school and turn left soon after into Parking: Brimstage Craft Centre, with its shops and Distance: Approximately 3 miles. 2 - 4 hours. The four cycle routes have been developed by 7 Continue past a farm and a school and into Thornton kissing gate. 3 The Ropewalk. This is a perfectly straight path once used facilities. The Old Baths car park off Boathouse Lane, Turn right and walk up Cottage Lane. This passes our Cycling Officer Amanda Keenan. Hough Village. Take time to look around this historic Parking: by ropemakers to stretch out their ropes. Buses and Trains: Buses stop at the Brimstage end of 13 Walk along the field with the hedge on your left, and over the Wirral Way. and picturesque village (see picture). Parkgate (turn off the road at the ‘Boathouse Inn’). 9 Information for wheelchair users Talbot Avenue, 5 minutes from the start. Heswall Railway into another field with the hedge on your right. When you reach a crossroads of tracks, turn right Thornton Hough was originally known as Toritone and Buses and Trains: Bus stops are located nearby on 3a Shortly after passing the entrance to the golf club you Wheelchair users and people with access difficulties Station is just over 1 mile away. along Little Lane. You can now see the estuary ahead. owned by Roger de Thornton. After his daughter married The Parade, Parkgate. The nearest railway station is reach a crossroads junction. Turn right into the cobbled should note that most of the Country Parks listed 14 Head for the road over four stiles. This leads straight onto the seafront of Parkgate next to 1 From Brimstage Craft Centre, climb over the stile at Richard de Hough the village was renamed. Detailed approximately 1 mile away at Neston. Gayton Farm Road, bear right onto the track which below have suitable paths and facilities. The routes Brimstage Village was originally called Brunstath and the ice-cream shops! the back of the car park and walk straight across the field village history booklets are on sale at the Post Office. descends through trees, past the old historic Gayton Well on this leaflet are primarily rural paths and access dates back some 1000 years. 1 Start from the car park and follow the path with the 10 to the stile at the other side. within the bank on the left. When this track was a route to Turn right out of Little Lane onto The Parade where can be difficult in places, albeit some ‘Access for all’ 8 From the end of the footpath cross over this main 15 At Brimstage Road turn left and then left again at Dee Estuary on your left. This is an excellent vantage point Chester it was probably an old watering hole for cattle and you are able to rest on the seats, enjoy an ice- cream and routes are currently being planned. 2 Climb this stile and turn left, walking along the road road and turn left and walk along Thornton Common the sign to Brimstage Craft Centre to return to the start. for bird-watching, especially at high tide. Pass by the track horses. Continue past the fields on the left and the golf take in the views. Parkgate is an old and interesting place. Road on the pavement provided. After about 300 metres on your right which leads to the Wirral Way then pass These routes make use of the Wirral Public Rights Of to Talbot Avenue, and turn left onto the bridleway. At Brimstage Hall the oldest part is the medieval tower, course on the right. It can be muddy here. You have During the 18th century, before the river silted up, Parkgate just before the cottages turn left onto the footpath. through a gap in the wall and follow the sea wall path Way (PROW) network. The newly updated Definitive 3 When the bridleway turns left you will see a stile but the house was built sometime between 1175 and 1350. gained about a hundred feet since leaving the sea wall was a busy passenger port for boats to Dublin. More for about half a mile. Map and Statement is now available on the Council straight in front of you, climb over the stile and a short 9 The footpath turns right behind the cottages and A leaflet about the history is available from the hall. and have the views over the Dee to show for it. information about the history of Parkgate can be found on the information panel by the seats. website. walk will take you to another stile. through a gate. The fence of the house will be on your The shops and café are open most days. 1a If you prefer a shorter walk, you have the option of 4 Pass through the gap by the old gate and follow the There are also plans to produce a Public Access Routes 4 This stile leads into a field and the footpath cuts right. Continue across 3 fields in total. taking the public footpath across the golf course. This path through a ‘tunnel’ of trees. 11 Continue by walking with the seafront on your left, map which will give information of all PROW’s also crosses the Wirral Way and continues across the past the Boathouse Inn and return to the car park. across the field to a kissing gate. Looking right up the 10 At the bridleway, turn left. 4a The short cut path from across the golf course at 1a Permission Rutes and off road cycle tracks. private drive you can just see Thornton Manor, built about joins in from the right. Continue on the path through the When using multi purpose routes, please give 1840. This became the home of William Hesketh Lever, trees until it brings you out onto the golf course itself. consideration to all users. Please be considerate to founder of the Lever soap factory at Port Sunlight . Keep left along the line of the hedge for about 100 others and read the Countryside Code and Cycle metres, to the gate. Safety information on this leaflet. 5 Continue straight across the undulating field to the On behalf of Wirral Council may I wish you a next gate, over the footbridge and tree-lined stream. The pleasant and enjoyable time walking and cycling path rises up to the lane passing Backwood Hall Farm the Wirral Countryside . Why not walk or cycle the and stables. Continue ahead, along the track with open Wirral Circular Trail visit www.visitwirral.com for fields either side, for a third of a mile to Boathouse Lane. more details. Robin Tutchings, Public Rights of Way Officer. 6 Cross this fast busy road with care to Wood Lane March 2013. opposite. This is also part of NCN 56 cycle route. Entrance to private drive of Thornton Manor The picturesque village of Thornton Hough Deeside Estuary footpath Enjoy an ice-cream at Parkgate Cover image: The view across the the River Dee to North Wales from Dungeon Wood. Useful contacts WALK 1 Brimstage & Thornton Hough map WALK 2 Parkgate & Gayton map

Wirral Public Rights of Way Office t: 0151 606 2480 e: [email protected] www.wirral.gov.uk/walking 3a Gayton Key Key ane L age e Start & Finish Cott Well Lan Wirral Cycling Office 3 ACCESS TO Golf Suggested walk route Brimstage Suggested walk route Club t: 0151 606 2368 WIRRAL WAY Gayton Public Rights of Way: Public Rights of Way: steps House Farm Road e: [email protected] 2 stiles 1 www.wirral.gov.uk/cycling Footpath Footpath 2 Gayton

W 25 well FP I Traveline Bridleway stile Bridleway R Brimstage 15 R t: 0871 200 22 33 Hall & A 4 Byway Byway L 3

Craft Centre W F www.merseytravel.gov.uk Tunnel Permissive Routes: stiles Permissive Routes: A

Y of trees www.merseyferries.co.uk e u Golf Course 4a Footpath n Footpath ve stile Wirral Country Park, Thurstaston A kissing t 14 gate FP2 Bridleway o Bridleway (including the Wirral Way) lb Cyclepath a Cyclepath and part of Wirral Circula kissing t: 0151 648 4371 T B rimstag gate 7 e stream gate FP1 4 FP1 e: [email protected] Public rights of way number R Public rights of way number FP30 B 1a Golf Course 5 Railway station Railway station n trees Royden Park, Thurstaston Common & indblow IRRAL 3 w gate W WEST Arrowe Country Park Residential F Residential HESHIRE

P C F STER P HE stile 2 & C 1 t: 0151 677 7594 Country parks/public open spaces 13 4 Country parks/public open spaces gate gate e: [email protected] seat Rivers/streams Thornton 4 Rivers/streams Backwood North Wirral Coastal Park Manor stile Hall Farm Accessible ponds Accessible ponds t: 0151 678 5488 kissing d BR 12 gate R gate 4 5 7 F

e: [email protected] Bus stops Bus stops P r 2 o steps Car park n kissing Car park Start & Finish 1 Eastham Country Park a gate seat t: 0151 327 1007 Public houses M Public houses 6 stile W Dibbinsdale Local Nature Reserve 56 Cafe Cafe I E R T 11a U R O t: 0151 334 9851 6 stile R Toilets 2 Toilets A gate LE P C The L Y F C Boathouse W Bidston Hill & Tam O’Shanter Urban Farm KIOSK KIOSK ne Kiosk Kiosk Inn A 6 e La t: 0151 653 9332 Y hous 11 Clatterbridge Boat e: [email protected] Viewpoint Viewpoint Boa Hospital thouse L Information stile Information ane

For more Walks and Cycle Trails visit: Picnic site FP4 Picnic site W kissing o gate Farm gate o www.merseysiderightsofway.org FP28 10 d Church Church L stile a stile 7 www.discovercheshire.co.uk n 9 11 vyl P e Be F Smithy 7 Wirral Circular Trail d e an e oa R FP8 L d ok Hill a o r Br

8 Wirral Council boundary a 7 9 Alternative formats are available, P

Old 6

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7 F 4 h please ring 0151 606 2480. Smithy R d B T Brookland a Tho Gayton Sands RSPB s Rd o r R St Georges nton Nature Reserve T C n Disclaimer: Cyclists and walkers using the maps depicted in this leaflet o h FP7 Church m o Grange e mo t n h do so at their own risk. Safe walking and cycling is the responsibility of Rd Farm R 8 g Thornton o i A p Parkgate e e the individual. Wirral Council will not accept responsibility for personal L Thornton All Saints w < Parish Church Hough P5 a injury, loss/or damage to property arising out of the use of these maps. WIRRAL Manor WIRRAL F l k The location of facility symbols on the maps is indicative only. Hotel 0 0.5 1Km W M53 0 0.5 1Km M53 ane o 10 Little L 9 o 0 Approx. 10-15 minutes walk ½ mile d

Playing L Approx. 10-15 minutes walk a 0 ½ mile Field n

e © Crown copyright and database rights 2013 Ordnance Survey 100019803. You are not permitted to copy, sub-license, distribute or sell any of this data to third parties in any form. © Crown copyright and database rights 2013 Ordnance Survey 100019803. You are not permitted to copy, sub-license, distribute or sell any of this data to third parties in any form.