Walks you can reach from Warrington Central by train

Irlam Station to Urmston Station (Lancashire)

9m direct from Warrington Central.

A foot-only route mixing pavement, a wooded earthen path through Linear Park alongside the railway, farm tracks and field paths. Some muddy areas, dips and climbs and plus steps and a footbridge over the locks and Manchester Ship Canal. Amended to divert away from now-blocked access to the Manchester Ship Canal; passes the art installations in Station Park.

Easy: 7km, gentle ascents.

Documented by Slow Ways — download GPX route

Urmston Station to Eccles Station (Lancashire)

15m direct from Warrington Central.

A mostly road-based walk rather than off-road and good for a summer day.

Easy: 5km, gentle ascents.

Lunch: Shops along the way for refreshments.

Documented by Slow Ways — download GPX route

Liverpool Lime Street Station to Liverpool South Parkway Station (Lancashire)

15m direct from Warrington Central.

A mostly gorgeous route. A mostly flat, well-surfaced route, the bulk of it along a wide paved promenade beside the River Mersey estuary with gorgeous views and plus a short city-centre section and quiet suburban streets with Triassic red-sandstone walls. Fully paved with only short ramps and a brief cobbled section near Albert Dock; suitable for all wheels.

Easy: 11km, gentle ascents.

Lunch: A pub and cafe with toilets at Otterspool roughly halfway; little else on the route, so get coffee and snacks in town.

Documented by Slow Ways — download GPX route

Manchester Oxford Road Station to Levenshulme Station (Lancashire)

15m direct from Warrington Central.

A direct urban route mostly on pavements through residential streets, passing interesting architecture and small parks and avoiding the busiest roads. Mostly flat and easy underfoot. Passes the Victoria Baths and Elizabeth Gaskell's house, and near the Alan Turing statue and Chinatown Arch; good bus links and shops en route.

6km.

Lunch: Lots of places to stop along the way.

Documented by Slow Ways — download GPX route

Salford Crescent Station to Manchester Oxford Road Station (Lancashire)

15m direct from Warrington Central.

A largely off-road, well-paved city walk through Peel Park and a lengthy stretch following the River Irwell, before climbing into central Manchester via ginnels, squares and pedestrianised streets. Surfaces are tarmac or tightly packed throughout and but several flights of steps make it a foot-only route. Heron and cormorant can be seen along the Irwell. Peel Park is claimed to be the world's first public park.

0km.

Multiple flights of steps. Some passages (notably the gated, glass-atrium passage near the Central Library) are closed at night, so it's best done in daylight. Continual city-centre building works can impede progress.

Documented by Slow Ways — download GPX route

Manchester Oxford Road Station to Gorton Station (Lancashire)

15m direct from Warrington Central.

An urban canal-side walk following the Rochdale and Ashton canals out of the city centre, then a green cycleway. Towpath is largely flat and paved and but some sections are cobbled and there are steps at the canal access. Passes the Etihad Campus and Co-op Live Arena; the later cycleway follows the course of the former Stockport Branch Canal.

Easy: 7km, moderate ascents.

There are steps from Oxford Street down to the canal. The path where the route leaves Lees Street by Gorton station can be very overgrown; a minor diversion via Beeth Street and Barrass Street is better.

Documented by Slow Ways — download GPX route

Liverpool Lime Street Station to Prescot Station (Lancashire)

30m direct from Warrington Central.

A long urban route that swerves the busier highways of the direct route for quieter residential roads, parks and footpaths. Begins on well-paved major roads with good crossings, then takes in residential streets, parks, a disused-railway cutting and a footpath alongside a river. Entirely hard-surfaced and well-paved and but tiring for the feet. Passes through Newsham Park and along the Liverpool Loop Line on the West Derby cutting, a quiet disused railway carved from stone. Shops at both ends and along the route.

16km.

The first mile or so is a busy main road on a slightly uphill slog, and crossing the motorway and roundabout near Prescot is not easy. Some sections have high kerbs and no ramps, and there are steps from Newsham Park onto Lister Drive.

Lunch: Opportunities to buy food and coffee at the dual carriageway about a third of the way along, and more shops near halfway and a pub near a main road.

Documented by Slow Ways — download GPX route

Birkenhead Central Station to Liverpool Lime Street Station (Cheshire)

30m direct from Warrington Central.

fab views of the Liverpool skyline. A short, accessible city-centre and waterfront walk through Liverpool's wide, pedestrianised shopping streets to Pier Head, crossing the Mersey by ferry and then along functional roads through Birkenhead. Fully accessible apart from one avoidable flight of stairs near Lime Street and some kerbs on the Birkenhead side. Crosses the Mersey by ferry (a combined bus/train/boat Saveaway ticket can be cheaper off-peak); a riverside path from Woodside, open dawn to dusk, may be a better alternative to the Birkenhead road walk. Both ferry ports have full facilities.

Easy: 4km, moderate ascents.

The route requires the Mersey Ferry — check timetables in advance, as services and terminals can be closed. A flight of stairs soon after Lime Street can be avoided via the slope. Busy road crossings on the Birkenhead side.

Documented by Slow Ways — download GPX route

Bootle New Strand Station to Liverpool Lime Street Station (Lancashire)

30m direct from Warrington Central.

A direct, easy-to-follow route, about half along the Leeds & Liverpool Canal towpath with well-made paths, interesting bridges and former industry and half urban through mainly residential streets into the city centre. Light-controlled crossings make the urban half safe; one section away from the canal has stairs with a short wheel detour.

Easy: 6km, moderate ascents.

Documented by Slow Ways — download GPX route