Heswall on the Wirral, just off the A540, faces south towards Wales over the Dee Estuary. As your start point for this four-and-a-half mile, two-hour walk is a supermarket, a picnic is a must, particularly as there's a tempting detour to be made in the direction of Wirral Country Park.

Heswall is a surprisingly varied area, with walks through lanes that sit deep between hedgerows of hawthorn, blackthorn and bramble. Look out for nesting birds such as whitethroat in the summer, and later for winter residents, and visitors such as fieldfare, redwing and waxwing.

A walk here will also take you through areas of low heathland, where you might see a short-eared owl, as well as lizards and small mammals such as stoats.

There are hidden dells and waterfalls to discover along the way in the Dungeon, Heswall's steep-sided, stream valley - watch your footing on the slippery stones.

Boats bob at moorings on Heswall's long coastal strip, renowned by birdwatchers for the variety and sheer abundance of its waders. Heswall Fields, owned by The National Trust, is a superb stopping-off point. The tide rises very rapidly over mudflats here, sending the feeding waders and ducks up the channels close in to the shore. The close-up views of the birds are unparalleled and vast numbers of waders choose the area as a wintering ground. Redshank, curlew and black-tailed godwit are among the most numerous. You may even see a hen harrier or a peregrine falcon, trying its luck among the flocks of waders.

The Route

Distance: 4.5 miles
Time needed: 2.5 hours

Start at Tesco in Heswall. Walk out of the back of the car park to the left of the building onto the footpath down the hill.

Cross the road and follow the footpath down into Heswall Dales. At the fork, keep left, with the boundary fence on your left.

Turn left at the end of Bushway on to Pipers Lane, then right into Delavor Road, over the bridge and follow the road. Go straight along Broad Lane.

Near the end of the lane before the gate of the large white house, go over the stile on your right and cross the field.

Bear left and go through a kissing gate, then a pinch gap onto Heswall Fields (owned by The National Trust).

Bear right and head for the National Trust sign in the far right-hand corner and walk up the path to meet the Wirral Way. Ignore the cycle/bridle path. Take the next left, the Wirral Way footpath. Here, for a longer walk, you can carry on up the Wirral Way to Wirral Country Park, returning the same way. Otherwise, head for the Dungeon, on the right. Follow the path until you see a small bridge on your left. Cross it and walk up the steep steps, then bear right along the edge of the dell. Pass the waterfall to meet the path that runs between Thurstaston and Heswall. Turn right.

Follow the path to Oldfield Farm and straight on past the farm.At Oldfield Road, continue along until you reach the entrance track to Heswall Dales on your right.

Walk down the track and bear left, then through a pinch gap. Carry straight on along the main path, past two pinch gaps, turn right, then soon left. You will meet the original path that brought you down from Tesco.

heswall walk map