Best walks to or from Westhoughton

Blackrod Station to Westhoughton Station

A mostly good walk let down in places by poor path maintenance, with industrial-estate streets, a narrow and quite busy lane and a faint footpath that is hard to find. Crosses a busy road near Westhoughton.

8km.

From Westhoughton, the busy Church Street is best crossed at a zebra crossing south of the railway bridge. Part of Long Lane is narrow and busy with traffic, so take care.

Documented by Slow Ways — download GPX route

Hindley Station to Westhoughton Station

pleasant open countryside with far-reaching views. A pleasant route making full use of the path through delightful Borsdane Wood, emerging from an industrial estate into open countryside with far-reaching views, on waymarked and well-defined tracks. Very muddy in places; a steep set of steps down into the wood. Goes through Borsdane Wood and forms part of the Community Rail Trail between Wigan and Bolton.

Tough: steep ascents. 5km.

A steep set of steps leads down into Borsdane Wood.

Documented by Slow Ways — download GPX route

Westhoughton Station to Atherton Station

Easy: 5km, moderate ascents.

Documented by Slow Ways — download GPX route

Westhoughton Station to Lostock Station

A short, direct but quite pavement-heavy route using footpaths and roads alongside the railway and with one earthen footpath that is muddy and narrow in places and runs around horse fields. Slightly uphill in parts. A worthwhile short detour onto the Rumworth Dam, with a narrow muddy path and kissing gate.

Easy: 3km, moderate ascents.

One footpath has a narrow, muddy section and a kissing gate.

Documented by Slow Ways — download GPX route