Walks you can reach from Bidston by train

Path loop around Hawarden village passing the church, the Gladstone Library and the grounds of Hawarden Castle.

Woodland: a quarter under tree cover.

Hawarden Church: Parish church in the centre of Hawarden, typically open to visitors.

Gladstone's Library: Founded in 1902 by Prime Minister W.E. Gladstone; the UK's only residential library and a unique literary institution.

Hawarden Castle grounds: Parkland surrounding Hawarden Castle, William Gladstone's family seat; the public can enter via the main gate.

Time: 1h–1h30

Walk details: Transport for Wales (tips, photos and turn-by-turn directions).

Mostly pavement village loop with a steep climb to Caergwrle Castle and a crossing of the River Alyn on a historic packhorse bridge.

Caergwrle Castle: A 13th-century hilltop castle ruin built in 1278-82 by Dafydd ap Gruffudd, said to be the last castle built by a native Welsh prince.

Caergwrle Packhorse Bridge: Historic narrow bridge over the River Alyn with V-shaped niches in the walls for pedestrians to stand clear of packhorses.

Time: 1h–1h30

Warnings: Follows a busy road for half of the walk. Steep climb to the castle.

Walk details: Transport for Wales (tips, photos and turn-by-turn directions).

Walk details: Rail Rambles.

Flat pavement and hard-surfaced route through Alyn Waters Country Park, with riverside paths and a weir.

Alyn Waters Country Park: Wrexham's largest country park, with woodland, meadows and the River Alyn running through it.

Time: 1h30–3h

1 lunch spot: Alyn Waters Visitor Centre Café

Walk details: Transport for Wales (tips, photos and turn-by-turn directions).

Beautiful views over the Wales and Hilbre Island. A flat, easy and very accessible coastal walk, mostly on wide concrete or paved seawall and promenade with extensive beach and sea views. A section between the Old Gunsite and Leasowe Lighthouse is unsealed and stony and blown sand can impede wheels in a couple of places. Easy to return on Merseyrail. Refreshments and toilets at Derby Pool, the Green Hut and in Hoylake.

Coastal: almost all along the coast.

Time: 3h–5h30

1 lunch spot: the Green Hut

Warnings: Watch out for cyclists, as the shared cycle and walking paths are confusing and hard to avoid. Blown sand can impede progress in places.

Walk details: Slow Ways.

Coast path most of the way.

Walk details: Railwalks.

A route of two halves: suburban pavements and housing estates out of Ellesmere Port, then the lovely off-road Wirral Way (a former railway multi-user track) and including a wooded section cut through red sandstone bedrock. Some of the Wirral Way can be wet and muddy underfoot. Slopes of up to 16 degrees on the brook crossing.

Time: 3h30–7h

End-of-walk reward: Cafe and toilets at the restored Hadlow Road Station on the Wirral Way; shopping areas at both station ends.

Warnings: Badgers Rake Lane has no pavement and a tricky dog's-leg bend. The busy A550 crossing has traffic lights.

Walk details: Slow Ways.

Great views. A varied rural route through pretty Wirral villages, scenic views over the Dee Estuary to the Welsh hills, a mix of terrains — well-paved sections, field paths, farm tracks, the tarmac Millennium Greenway and quiet unpaved lanes uphill into Burton. Some boggy and muddy sections around Shotwick Hall Farm and the farm track between Shotwick and Deeside; the marshes flood at high spring tides. Links with cycle and walking routes from Shotton and the Wirral Way at Neston; the navigation around the two Shotton stations is well described in the successor route.

Time: 4h–7h30

Lunch: Food and toilet options on the route: convenience stores in Neston and Shotton, pubs in Little Neston and Shotton, and cafes in Denhall and Puddington.

Warnings: Several sections along roads with no pavements, including blind corners between Denhall and Burton (light traffic). Field crossings can be very muddy. The marshes flood at high spring tides. Field-path terrain makes it foot-only.

Walk details: Slow Ways.

Urban walking at each end with lovely Wirral countryside in the middle, crossing fields and a variety of gates. The paths between the towns tend to be narrow and rough and some can be muddy with nettles and brambles encroaching in summer and autumn. Foot only.

Time: 3h–6h

Warnings: Some road junctions are difficult to cross, especially for slower walkers. Paths between the towns are narrow and rough, can be muddy, and have nettles and brambles encroaching in summer and autumn.

Walk details: Slow Ways.