Green Walks in England North-west (south)

White Nancy (Waterloo memorial) above Bollington (Gritstone Trail)

This area comprises that part of the region roughly within and to the south of the Manchester-Merseyside metropolitan corridor, covered by postcode areas BL, CH, CW, L, M, OL, SK, WA and WN, plus the PR8 and PR9 postcode districts in the vicinity of Southport.

Neighbouring regions are

Note also some of the most convenient hubs for multi-day walking on different routes.

Routes

  • Baker Way
    A 21km route between Chester and Delamere, commemorating Jack Baker (1910-81), a local footpath officer and conservator (and also sometime Chairman of Offa’s Dyke Association).
  • Bolton Rotary Way
    A walk of 82km around Bolton.
  • Brontë Way
    A 70km walk between Oakwell Hall (Birstall) and Gawthorpe Hall (Padiham), connecting locations associated with the Brontë family.
  • Bury Village Link
    A 28km walk linking the villages in the more rural north and west of Bury borough.
  • Cheshire Ring Canal Walk
    A 157km circuit of canal towpaths in and to the south of Manchester.
  • Etherow and Goyt Valley Way
    A 25km route between Hadfield and Stockport.
  • Fred Perry Way
    A 22km walk through the borough of Stockport, commemorating tennis player Fred Perry (1901–95), who was born in Stockport.
  • Gritstone Trail
    A 56km walk between Disley and Kidsgrove.
  • Irwell Sculpture Trail
    A 53km walk between Salford and the source of the River Irwell north of Bacup.
  • Ladybrook Valley Interest Trail
    A 20km walk from Lyme Hall to Cheadle.
  • Longster Trail
    A 19km walk between Helsby Hill and the outskirts of Chester.
  • Middlewood Way
    A 16km walk on the trackbed of a former railway between Marple and Macclesfield.
  • Midshires Way
    A 361km walk between Princes Risborough and Stockport.
  • Pendle Way
    A 71km circuit of Pendle District, including the summit of Pendle Hill.
  • Pennine Bridleway
    A walk (or ride) of 593km between Middleton Top and Cote Moor.
  • Pennine Way
    A walk of 422km between Edale and Kirk Yetholm; this National Trail does not qualify as a Green Walk. In addition to the 45km gap between Byrness (sketchy bus service) and Kirk Yetholm, buses connect with different settlements from the next access point in many areas.
  • Rochdale Way
    A 72km walk round the borough of Rochdale.
  • Salford Trail
    A walk of 80km in the borough of Salford.
  • Sandstone Trail
    A 55km route between Frodsham and Whitchurch.
  • Staffordshire Way
    A walk of 165km between Kinver and Kidsgrove.
  • Tameside Trail
    A 58km walk around the borough of Tameside.
  • Transpennine Trail
    A 346km walk between Southport and Hornsea.
  • Two Saints Way
    A walk of 149km between Lichfield and Chester.
  • Wirral Way
    A 20km railbed walk between West Kirby and Hooton.

Hubs

Some places lend themselves to being hubs, where you may pitch up for a few days’ car-free walking, fanning out on a different route (or part of a route) each day. The hub becomes a walking-place for recreation at walking pace. Hubs in this area include

  • Bury
    Bury is a convenient local hub for the area north of Manchester, with good transport links throughout.
  • Chester
    Chester is a natural hub for the many walks in the area. It also offers access to the north-eastern corner of Wales.
  • Liverpool
    Liverpool is the pre-eminent hub for the west and central parts of the area, its public transport links spanning the landscape.
  • Manchester
    Manchester is the pre-eminent hub for the east and central parts of the area. Its public transport links span the landscape, and its tentacles reach into and across the Pennines, and to the northern part of the Peak District.
  • Stockport
    Stockport is a good local (and well-documented) hub for the borough and its surrounding areas, offering fast access to the Peak District and to the hills and flatland to the south.

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