Wirral Way overall rating:
(Colour explanation: blue = good, yellow indicates some warning, and red indicates issues to be aware of)
The Wirral Way forms part of the longer Wirral Circular Trail but this is by far the most popular section, being almost completely traffic free. It follows the route of a disused railway, from West Kirby to Hooton, and offers great views across the Dee Estuary to Wales, over a distance of 12.3 miles.
This route can also join up with the Burton Marsh Greenway.
Surface of the Wirral Way
The surface starts off as smooth tar over the first 7.5 miles. After that, it’s unsealed, and varies from bumpy compacted gravel, with potentially very muddy places.
After Hadlow Station, the route was upgraded, and now has a decent surface, along with a tarred zig-zag route to get you up to Hooton Road.
Bikes
You can use any bike along the first 7.5 miles. If you’re going to continue onwards to Hadlow Station and beyond, I recommend a gravel bike, a mountain bike, or a sturdy hybrid.
Toilets
There are toilets at West Kirby train station, at the Whistle Stop Café, in Parkgate (off the trail) and at Hadlow Station.
Refreshments
Effectively, you’re limited to the Whistle Stop Café.
Child friendliness
I give this route 5/10 for family-friendliness, overall, but the first 7 miles are 8/10.
Boosting that rating further, there’s an indoor play park by the Whistle Stop Café.
Ratings
Points of Interest
Enjoy some spectacular views over the estuary from the Whistle Stop Café. There’s also a great beach nearby, in Thurstaton Country Park.
The old Hadlow Station is run by volunteers, and has been restored to what it would have been like in 1956.
There’s a café in the old Station Master’s house, but that’s closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.
Routes in Cheshire
- The Shropshire Union Canal cycle route
- Chester Millennium Greenway
- The Wirral Way traffic-free cycle route
- Trans Pennine Trail – Altrincham to Warrington
- Peak Forest & Ashton Canals
- Middlewood Way Traffic-Free Cycle Route
Barriers
There are no A-frame barriers along this route. There are several bollards, but they shouldn’t impede a trike, cargo bike or trailer.
There is a spring-loaded gate shortly before Hadlow Station, and people who cannot dismount will struggle to open it.
Social safety
Some parts of the route can be isolated.
Hilliness
The route is mostly flat, with the single biggest climb having a gradient of just over 2%.
Safety from traffic
Though mostly traffic-free, there are still some on-road segments, and road crossings where especially younger kids will need to be kept safe.
Forecast for the Wirral Way
What the Wirral Way looks like
Getting to the Wirral Way
The route as shown on the map below starts at West Kirby station, so you can easily get to the start car-free, by taking your bike on the train. As ever, read my Bikes On Trains guide for useful and helpful tips for taking your bike on the train.
The route ends by the Hooton train station. Both stations have trains every half an hour (do check though, in case of any changes), with direct connections with Liverpool Lime Street Station, on the Merseyrail Wirral Line.
More Routes
To find more routes, click this link.
DayCycle
Most people can easily cycle DayCycle routes in a day, or part of a day. Do have a look at all the other DayCycle routes available on WillCycle.
Interactive map for the Wirral Way
You can download the GPX file from the map below, simply by clicking the GPX button. Hovering over the elevation profile will show the elevation for that point along the route, in both metres and feet. It will also show the gradient.
And finally…
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As someone who lives on the Wirral I think that’s a really well done summary. I also think the grading is probably accurate. The southern end is muddy gong if the weather’s been wet but rarely unmanageable on a gravel or mountain bike.
Thanks for the feedback, Sean. It’s much appreciated 🙂
Trains are every 15 mins from West kirby weekdays, every 30 mins sundays, and about every 10 mins from Hooton to hamilton square change trains here to get back to west kirby.
Trains from Hooton also go back to Chester and Ellesmere port,
Route from Hadlow rd to Hooton is currently closed for the route to be widened and resurfaced, aproximately 10 weeks,
Bikes go free on merseyrail trains as well, first and last door designated cycle spaces for 3 bikes
There is a very steep diversion down the bank and up again near the A540 road leahurst vets college,due to a bridge missing geting replaced in December 2024
Thanks for this information, Paul. Much appreciated.
Route between Hadlow Road and Hooton has been completed, complete with new surface, dedicated alternative route for horses and now a tarmac path to zig zag back up to the road level at Hooton.
Further works are at Leahurst by the bridge at Leahurst during June and signs say footpath access will be restricted.
Thank you very much for this update. I will go update the route guide.