The Woolston Eyes Circular - approx 4 1/2 miles

Woolston Park
Click here for a map of this trail 

(1) Through Woolston Park from the Ranger Centre, turn right between two black bollards down a tarmac path towards Spittle brook. Keep to the left as paths branch off to the right. Continue on along this tarmac path following the brook past a play slide on your left. When you come to a road (Green Lane) cross over and continue alongside the brook. (The brook is home to several pairs of mallard, swans and moorhens. Keen eyed walkers may spot a little grebe or even a glimpse of an elusive kingfisher). When you come to the dual carriageway you are at the end of Woolston Park. Turn Right over the brook o just beyond the next lamppost. The kerb drops here. Cross over the road taking great care. (Cars can he travelling at great speed).
(2) Along New Cut Canal you should meet a shale path on the other side which curves round to the left joining up with he brook again. Follow the path to the the left over a wooden footbridge. You are now at the New Cut canal. The brook flows out to the Mersey at this point also. Follow the signs for Weir Lane. (The New Cut canal was built in 1821 to improve the journey of boats over the river Mersey Navigation. Which often struggled to get round all the meanders without getting grounded on low tides). Follow the canal crossing over the road which goes to the tip. On your right you can see Grey Mist an old industrial pool now used by local anglers and wildlife. Cross over another road with warehouses either side and continue on along the canal, following the signs for Weir Lane. You will meet a small path crossing yours from housing to some more warehouses. Ignore it and continue onwards. The view starts to open up as you walk on further, with Woolston Eyes to your right and a park on your left. A sign tells you that there is a 1/3 of a mile to Weir Lane. You can see a white house in the distance this is the old lock keepers cottage. To the right of it a red brick house can be seen. This was the weir keepers house. Sadly both houses are being allowed to ruin. If you stand quietly at this point you should be able to hear the strange sucking sounds of the new weir beyond the trees to your right.
(3) Woolston Eyes. Continue on towards the white house until you reach the road (Weir Lane). Follow the road round to the right, following the sign to Latchford. Cross over the River Mersey on the old weir, up the bank towards a bird hide on the horizon, this is Woolston eyes. From the top of the bank looking down at the river you get a good view of the new weir and Warrington further afield. To continue leave the hide and walk along the path at the top of the bank towards the motorway. The path is easily followed all the way round but as you approach the ship canal it is best if you take the path down to the canal side to avoid disturbing bird life on the top. Follow the canal path, past the pumping station where silt dredged up from the canal was pumped onto the eyes. Carry on until a path branches off to the right. Take this path back up around the eyes. Retrace your steps back down the bank and across the weir.
(4) Along the Mersey.  At the white house turn right along the River Mersey following the sign to Rixton Clay Pits. You will go over a hump then pass two kissing gates on your left. Take the next path to your left to a picnic area.
(5) To the Grange.  From the picnic area follow the track round to your left past the stables. You will come out at Martinscroft Green, head towards the cenotaph in the left hand corner. This is also the junction of Weir Lane and Manchester Road. Cross over the main road at the silver birch to the left of the junction and take the little path directly in front of you. Follow it until you come out onto a road opposite “Whitworths”. Cross over the road and follow the path to the left of this building past an electricity pylon. Follow the footpath past Safeways, Rivington Court and Stuarts. At Textron you will need to cross over the road to continue on the footpath. On your right you will see a strange shaped building, This is Barclays Bank designed so that helicopters cannot land on its roof. At the junction turn left past Marks and Spencers, then left again between two black bollards back into Woolston Park.
(6) Homeward bound. Back in the park again turn immediately right and follow the tarmac path past a play area. Continue in the same direction. As the path surface changes to red shale. Go past another play area on your right. Keep to the left as paths branch off to the right. Pass the jubilee rose garden to your right. Through the brown gate and you are back in the car park at the back of the Ranger Centre.