Old Pale & Eddisbury Hillfort

A rewarding walk with wide views and a visit to a well-preserved Iron Age fort. Some modest climbs, and occasional mud after rain.

Technical sheet

15788902
Creation:
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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 4.86 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 1h 35 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Easy

  • ⚐
    Return to departure point: Yes
  • ↗
    Vertical gain: + 77 m
  • ↘
    Vertical drop: - 71 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 171 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 121 m

Description of the walk

Start : Gresty’s Waste car park, along A54. Grid ref. SJ 540 686

(S/E) Facing the Gresty’s Waste car park entrance, walk left to the corner of the car park nearest the main road (A54), and follow a short path linking to the Sandstone Trail. A gap in the fence on your right gives access to the road: cross carefully and follow the Sandstone Trail beyond, passing between Kelsall Lodge on your right and a small stone building on the left. Follow the Sandstone Trail, keeping straight on at a crossing path (signposted Kelsall to the left and Stoney Lane to the right).

(1) Not long after passing a sculpture of a two-headed wild boar, at a crossroads by a post numbered "Delamere Forest 2", turn right. Ignoring two grassy paths to the right, follow the main path through a gap in the hedge and then up the bank. Follow the path along the top of the bank then ignore a crossing track as you pass below the masts and covered reservoir. Bear left by a bench to a viewpoint with a topograph and stones indicating the counties visible. Take a track to the right (between the stones for Derbyshire and Staffordshire) and follow it downhill, with the masts still on your right. Bear left at the footpath junction at Delamere Forest waymark post 7.

(2) When you reach the woodland edge, go through the gap in the hedge then turn immediately right, with the wood on your left and the hedge on your right. Follow the woodland edge until you reach a surfaced farm track.

(3) Turn left. Walk downhill for 200 yards, then turn right off the road, through a gate. Turn immediately right (before the bench) and follow the right-hand edge of the field, uphill. At the top of the hill, squeeze between three stakes in the fence to the right of a gate and climb the steep bank on the right to the obvious earthwork of Eddisbury Hillfort.

Follow between the ramparts until you reach the reconstructed eastern entrance; here, drop down between low rock outcrops towards the fenced grassy track you left earlier. At an interpretation panel set in a large rock, negotiate the stile and emerge into the road.

(4) Turn right and follow the road past Old Pale Cottages. When the road swings left (with the entrance to Old Pale Farm on your right), take the footpath through the kissing gate straight ahead. Follow this footpath for ¾ mile along the field edge, passing the bottom of a dry valley at a kissing gate partway along.

In the far corner, go through a third kissing gate and follow the fence ahead, with a paddock on your left. Beyond a stile, follow the path through the woods until you rejoin the Sandstone Trail. Turn left and walk the short distance back to Kelsall Lodge and Gresty’s Waste.(S/E)

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 121 m - Gresty’s Waste car park entrance
  2. 1 : km 0.61 - alt. 153 m - Sculpture
  3. 2 : km 1.7 - alt. 153 m - Woodland edge
  4. 3 : km 2.1 - alt. 146 m - Metalled farm track
  5. 4 : km 2.97 - alt. 135 m - Eddisbury Hill
  6. S/E : km 4.86 - alt. 121 m - Gresty’s Waste car park entrance

Practical information

Reviews and comments

3.8 / 5
Based on 2 reviews

Reliability of the description
3.5 / 5
Clarity of route map
4 / 5
Route interest
4 / 5
Walks from the Door
Walks from the Door

I've updated the directions in line with recent comments and a repeat visit. Thanks for the feedback.

fmje
fmje

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of walk : Jul 15, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Busy trail : Yes

A really nice walk with outstanding hill views of the surrounding countryside. We had not visited Old Pale or Eddisbury Hillfort before although we have lived in the area for 25 years. Point D/A was clear. At point 1 after the wild boar sculpture as others have said there is no longer a signpost saying Alternative Sandstone trail. We were also a little confused at the gap in the hedge but we did find the bank and after walking beyond that got back on track. We thought we would see the masts before we did, there was a walk up an incline to Old Pale . The rest was pretty clear. At 2, We saw 2 metal gates rather than a metal track. After rain there was a fair bit of mud as we turned off right at the woodland Edge at point 2 so i would recommend walking boots or not going after heavy rain. There are a number of mountain bikers who can churn up the mud too. Over all though we really enjoyed it for a change of scenery

Delphinium
Delphinium ★

Hello to both of you,

Auntiemousey, as you just walked the route could you suggest any description to help Dave by any chances ?

Have a great day

Walks from the Door
Walks from the Door
• Last modified:

Hi Auntiemousey,

I've corrected the left/right error in step 4 (thanks) and I'll check the other comments when I'm next in the area. It's been several years since I checked and wrote up the route so things may have changed on the ground.

Regards
Dave, Walks from the Door

Delphinium
Delphinium ★

Hello Auntiemousey,
Thank you for contributing by sharing useful feedback. I just contacted the author to see how the description could be improved.
Enjoy your walks 🙌🏼

Auntiemousey
Auntiemousey

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of walk : May 25, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Clarity of route map : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

At point 1,there is a post on the left with way markers but nothing that says 'Sandstone Trail alternative route'.

At point 3 this needs more description as I shortly came to a very steep path and had to retrace steps back to the fenced grassy path. Therefore I only came upon the reconstructed eastern entrance on the right of the path. There is no longer a stile by the interpretation panel but three stakes to negotiate as at the start of this path.

At point 4 after passing Old Pale cottages, the road swings LEFT not right but the kissing gate is very obvious.

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