(S/E) From the car park, cross the road and turn right, following the pavement downhill. Cross the end of Delamere Road and keep on along the road, passing a fishing lake on the left. Ignore a left-hand turn as you pass a bench at the entrance to Ashton Hayes.
(1) After a short permissive path parallel to the road on the left (signposted “Pedestrian Route”), cross the road carefully and go through a kissing gate on the other side into a field. Follow the path parallel to the stream, passing through another kissing gate and along a fenced path below Ashton church. A short track leads out to the road. Cross and follow the driveway for Peel Hall to the right of the house opposite. When the driveway curves left to the house, follow the track ahead, which also bends to the left.
(2) Level with the farm, turn right along a track with a hedge to the right. Follow this track for half a mile, then turn right and left through a gap and follow the left-hand edge of the next field. Turn right at the far end of the field, then cross a stile on your left-hand side and follow the hedge to the buildings of Swinford Mill Farm, where you join a driveway.
(3) Take a few steps to the left, then turn right through farm buildings to a bridge over the stream. Skirt to the right of more buildings with the stream on your right, then pass through a kissing gate into a field. Turn half-right and cross to a gateway, then turn left to a ladder stile at the foot of the railway embankment. Cross the railway carefully to another stile, then head for the far right-hand corner of the next field. Cross another stile then turn right and left through a gateway. Walk up the next field then join a track that leads out to the road.
(4) Go through a kissing gate opposite and cross a series of fields, passing between a series of white-tipped posts. Cross a double stile and footbridge over a ditch, then head left of a tree-lined pond to a step stile. Follow the right-hand edge of the next field to another double stile and footbridge. Cross the last field to a stile by a gate into the road.
(5) Turn right and pass under an old railway arch to reach a cluster of farmhouses and cottages. Turn left at the road junction and walk up Cob Hall Lane. When the road swings sharply to the right, take the right-hand entrance ahead of you, keeping right at the next fork.
(6) Immediately beyond a stable building, go through a gate on your right and follow a short footpath to meet a track. Turn right and follow this track, shortly ignoring a footpath on the left, to pass a series of fishing ponds en route to Manley Old Hall (if access to this permitted route is unavailable, retrace your steps to the road and follow Sugar Lane to point (7)). At Manley Old Hall, turn right and follow the metalled driveway out to the road.
(7) Go through a kissing gate opposite and walk along the bottom of the field to a stile at the far end. Follow the narrow footpath beyond, crossing two more stiles to emerge beside a bungalow on Moss Lane.
(8) Turn right and follow the road to a T-junction; cross over and turn left along the pavement.
(9) Just before a converted chapel, leave the road through a metal gate on the right beside a ladder stile. Follow a gravelled path along the bottom edge of the field, then turn left at the end to another gate by a stile in the far corner. Cross two paddocks to reach a gate into a driveway, where you turn left.
(10) At the end of the drive, turn right along the road for a few yards before turning left into the driveway to Rose Bank Farm. When the drive swings right into the farm, follow the fenced footpath across the field ahead of you. On reaching the B5393, turn right and walk back to the Goshawk.(S/E)
