Mouldsworth Rail Trail

This walk takes you through the green pastures of Mouldsworth and past the former Mouldsworth Motor Museum. The museum, which is now closed, was housed in the former water softening plant of the West Cheshire Water Board, built in 1937 but eventually rendered unnecessary by the alternative source of Welsh water from Lake Vyrnwy. Download the trail leaflet here.

DISTANCE: 3.5km, allow 1 to 1½ hours
MAP: OS Explorer Map, sheet 267, scale 1: 25,000
GROUND CONDITIONS: The walk is across gently undulating Cheshire pastures with some surfaced lanes and a hill to climb at the end.
STILES: Three
KISSING GATES: One
ACCESS: This particular route is not accessible by wheelchair.
REFRESHMENTS: The Goshawk pub opposite the station offers food and drink.

The route:

1. Starting from: Mouldsworth Station alighting from trains from Delamere or other stations towards Manchester: Leave the platform and walk into the car park and take the steps that lead up from the corner next to the Old Station House onto Station Road opposite the Goshawk Public House. Or: Mouldsworth Station alighting from trains from Chester: Leave the platform and follow the path up to Station Road.

Then: 2. Turn right up the hill on Station Road. After passing the three detached houses on the left ending with ‘Fir Bank’, turn left onto the signposted Public Footpath that crosses the paddock and fields.

3. After a short while the path joins the track that passes in front of ‘Rose Bank Farm’. Don’t enter. Walk down the track away from Rose Bank and continue down the track until you meet Smithy Lane. Turn left here on to Smithy Lane. 

4. Eventually Smithy Lane crosses a bridge over the route of the now disused Mouldsworth to Manley and Helsby Junction line of the Cheshire Lines Committee. The lane now moves out into more open country and eventually slopes gently down past the entrance to Mouldsworth Hall. Soon the entrance to the now closed Mouldsworth Motor Museum will be passed on the left. Having passed the ex-museum, Smithy Lane continues down the hill and curving to the left at the junction with Norton’s Lane becomes Gongar Lane. Gongar Lane then turns to pass back under the Mid Cheshire Line which crosses by a tall stone and brick arch bridge with black iron reinforcing plates.

5. Continue along Gongar Lane past ‘Brook House’ until at the bottom of the hill, just after crossing a small stream called “Ashton Brook”, turn left over the stile onto the signposted public footpath which forms part of the Baker Way, the 13 mile path that runs between the railway stations of Delamere and Chester.

6. Cross another stile and keep the hedge on your left. Up and to the right can be seen the spire of the grade II listed St. John the Evangelist Church, Ashton Hayes.

7. Carry on to and through a tight kissing gate then follow the path as it bears right on a hedge line to a kissing gate that exits onto Church Road. Care!! Fast traffic. Cross the road and turn left onto Church Road.

8. Ahead can be glimpsed the newly planted wood that is being created on the side of the slope. Don’t take Grange Road.

9. Continue on Church Road climbing gradually to a road junction where proceed left.

10. Continue up the steep hill, on the left the small but distinctive shape of Saint Cuthbert-By-The-Forest Catholic Church opened in 1957 can be seen.

11. Soon after in the distance can be seen the sign for Mouldsworth railway station, the end of the walk, but for those with an appetite or thirst then The Goshawk provides an ideal wayside halt. Opposite the pub is the station car park with the Station House now being the home to Whistles Hair and Beauty Salon.