Start: The Smithy Inn, Liverpool Old Road, village centre. [Sat nav: PR4 4GB] From Preston take the A59 towards Southport and Liverpool. At the roundabout on the edge of the village take second exit for village centre. Public transport option: Number 2 service from Preston to Southport passes through the village.

 

Summary: Distance: 10k 6m

                  Time: 2 ½ - 3 ½ hours

                  Summary: Flat. Easy walking.

                  Map: OS Explorer 286 Blackpool & Preston

 

Map by kind permission of the Blackpool Gazette

 

Directions: Return along Liverpool Old Road to the roundabout and turn right into Knoll Lane.

 

 At 750m the lane swings left towards Little Hoole. Here turn right onto a farm track past Hillock Cottages.

 

The track leads down to a large house called Kinnoul. When the track turns right towards the house, keep ahead on grass to pass by derelict farm buildings.

 

In an overgrown corner the path crosses a stile into the next field.

 

Keep ahead with the hedge on your left. After 500m you will arrive on Moss Lane. Turn left. In a little over 100m turn right onto a grassy track.

 

Keep ahead for 500m to reach Wham Lane. Turn left. Walk down to Moss Priory where the lane bends to the left.

 

Keep ahead, entering a yard and follow the path with the boundary on your left. At the field corner the footpath bends to the right.

 

Now alongside a drainage ditch keep ahead for almost 700m to reach Midge Hall Lane on a zigzag bend.

On reaching the road turn immediately right onto a broad farm track. In fact at this point there are two parallel tracks and of the two the one on the left is better in a way that will soon become apparent.

 For almost two kilometres - 30 minutes - maintain the direction of this track. At 1500 the right of way reaches an impediment in the form of a birch plantation given over to paint balling.

 

 Some improvisation may be necessary as you keep to the left of the amenity and thread your way through trees close to the ditch.  As you emerge from the plantation the way ahead is confirmed by a waymarked stile.

 

On reaching a farm track bear left and then after a cattle grid turn right onto a footpath between a fence and a hedge. Keep alert at this next point as it is easy to miss.

 

After crossing a stile into the next field turn immediately and sharply right to cross another stile.

 

Follow the direction of its waymark and turn left. (In fact you have turned right from the previous direction of travel.) With the hedge on your left proceed to the next stile. From here bear slightly right to reach the field boundary. Keep ahead with the hedge on your right to arrive at a metal gate.

Go through and keep ahead now with the hedge on your left. At the next gate keep ahead to enter an enclosed lane marked "Twenty Acre Lane". "Lane" as the nomenclature of this thoroughfare is rather overstating it, but it will lead you onto Carr Lane - a proper lane.

 

 Turn right on reaching Carr Lane. In fact Carr Lane will lead you back into the village. However an alternative off road route is available a short way ahead. (But only try this way after a long period of dry weather as in some places it proved to be almost impassable with treacherous stretches of deep mud when we checked the route) Turn left onto a footpath next to a brick built barn.

 

This leads to a grassy lane and then after 500m open pasture. Keep ahead and after passing through a wide gap in a hedge aim for the houses bearing left on reaching the edge of a garden and then turning right.

 

The track beyond will take you to the corner of Town Lane and Smithy Lane. Turn right and follow Smithy Lane into the village centre.

 

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