Start: Car park at the end of Hill road close to the entrance. From Preston City Centre follow signs for A59 Liverpool. As you ascend Penwortham Hill turn left onto Hill Road.

 

Factfile: Distance: 6k or 4 miles
               Time: 1 ½ to 2 ½ hours
               Summary: Mainly easy. Prepare for mud.
               Map: OS Explorer 286 Blackpool & Preston

Map by kind permission of the Blackpool Gazette

Directions: The route described finishes in the park but after the build up above you may wish to explore it before setting off. The route proper commences by walking down Valley Road, opposite the entrance of the park.

As you reach the lower section of this unadopted road bear right onto a footbridge that takes you over the Penwortham by-pass.

Keep ahead until you come to Leyland Road.

Here turn right, cross the road (carefully - it tends to be busy) and continue to a sharp bend  close to Penwortham Old Bridge.

This was the original bridge superseded by two newer ones down river. At this point you have a choice. Either to cross the bridge and continue on the Preston side of the Ribble, or to remain south of it. It makes little difference in time - just the minute or so it takes you to cross the river. For those electing to cross on the far side and keep ahead with the river on your right.

 (No direction for those of you who decide to stay in South Ribble - it's easily worked out.) Walk upstream for 1200m ¾ of a mile, passing beneath the huge bridge carrying the West Coast railway line over the river.

 Beyond this you will be in two of Preston's parks - first Miller Park and then Avenham Park, soon to be featured in a winter walk. Until earlier this year the riverside of Miller Park had a magnificent avenue of Horse Chestnut trees along its length. Unfortunately struck by disease the local authority (Preston) was forced to remove them.

At the distinctively white Old Tram Bridge cross the river back to Penwortham.

Keep on the tree lined Old Tram Road for over a kilometre (15mins).

The curious name refers to the track laid down to connect the Leeds- Liverpool Canal at Walton Summit to Preston Centre and the basin of the Lancaster Canal. As the way emerges from the woods turn sharp right onto a tarmac path leading up over an embankment.

Here you are entering Preston Junction Nature Reserve.

For first time visitors this area may come as a surprise - a secret wilderness. Once this area would have been black with the soot of locomotives and nearby mills. Now it is area rich in plant and bird  life. Crossing the embankment you are treated with a good viewpoint for Preston and its more prominent buildings.

Bear right on a path that drops to  a farm track and then turn left.

Once there were two rail bridges here. As you near the remains of the second take a footpath on the right that will once again place you on a raised embankment.

 Turn right. The path leads under the main West Coast line

 and then following a slope on the left to Leyland Road, Lower Penwortham.

 The contrast between this scene and what went before couldn't be more pronounced. Turn right. Continue along Leyland Road until just before the Methodist church on the left.

 Here turn left onto a pedestrian/cycle track.

This leads up a gentle ascent close to the by pass. When you reach a footbridge take the steps on the left to cross the by pass.

 The car park is straight on pass Penwortham Burial Ground but by continuing for 300m you can enter Hurst Grange Park at its furthest corner which will allow you to explore this prize winning amenity.