Chester>Mickle Trafford>Wirral.......traffic free route wanted please

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Dave7

Legendary Member
Location
Cheshire
I have been told there is a traffic free route going from Chester & through the wirral and it can be picked up at Mickle Trafford.
I have looked on the Sustrans site and googled it but can only find routes that are mixed road/paths.
Is any-one familiar with the route I'm searching for ?
If so can you give me some help/directions please.
Thanks
 
Only one I can think of which is largely traffic free is to head into chester from mickle trafford along the greenway and then pick up the canal path and head up towards the zoo (coming off just before). You can then head up the wirral way, after a bit of weaving, on largely traffic free paths, but I can't remember if its 100% traffic free.

Green and Brown on:
http://www.itravelsmart.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/Brown-A-W.pdf
from
http://www.itravelsmart.co.uk/travel-smart/cycle/
Then head onto the wirral way?

There are more direct routes on not too busy roads
 
^^^ I was just about to edit my post to say that. Not been on the marsh tracks yet, but will try and drag the kids over this summer.
 
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Dave7

Dave7

Legendary Member
Location
Cheshire
Yes, you pick the cycle route up at Mickle Trafford and it is traffic free until you get to Deeside industrial estate. A bit of traffic through here, well sign posted, then onto the Burton marsh cycle path.
http://www.sustrans.org.uk/ncn/map/route/chester-railway-path
http://www.sustrans.org.uk/ncn/map/route/route-568
John

Thanks.
TBH I did find that link but I cannot see any route highlighted. Lots of purple & green lines but I can't see anything to indicate a route.
Once I pick it up at Mickle Trafford is it quite clear/sign posted ??
Why do I head for Deeside...........is that not the Chester direction as against the Burton/Wirral direction ?
 
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john59

Guru
Location
Wirral
Thanks.
TBH I did find that link but I cannot see any route highlighted. Lots of purple & green lines but I can't see anything to indicate a route.
Once I pick it up at Mickle Trafford is it quite clear/sign posted ??
Why do I head for Deeside...........is that not the Chester direction as against the Burton/Wirral direction ?

At Mickle Trafford it is clearly signposted all the way to the Deeside Industrial Park. The only problem you may have is the turning on to the Industrial Park, but you'll know if you've missed the turning as you'll come to Hawarden bridge.

You need to cut through the Deeside Industrial Park to link up with the Burton marsh route.

If you play this Strava Flyby link you'll see the route from Mickle Trafford. http://labs.strava.com/flyby/viewer/#290394249
 
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Dave7

Dave7

Legendary Member
Location
Cheshire
Many thanks for the help....................I am trying this tomorrow (Tuesday).........Mickle Trafford to West Kirby and back.
 
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Dave7

Dave7

Legendary Member
Location
Cheshire
Cafe stops!

Net's Cafe, Burton.

Meadow Lea Cafe, Mickle Trafford.

John
I am thinking.........
Parkgate (fish & chips)........followed by
Parkgate (Ice cream).......if not too cold.
 

ianbarton

Veteran
Yes, you pick the cycle route up at Mickle Trafford and it is traffic free until you get to Deeside industrial estate. A bit of traffic through here, well sign posted, then onto the Burton marsh cycle path.

John
Part of the industrial estate has a cycle path. The rest is generally very quiet, especially at weekends. There may be some path diversions, as they are doing work on the flood defences. These are well signposted and may have finished now, as it's a couple of months since I went that way. When you get into Neston there is a short section on quiet roads until you get tot the start of the Wirral Way.

Pay close attention to the signs on the Wirral Way, as there is the cycle/pedestrian way and a bridleway. There is also a Sustrans route that comes back through the centre of the Wirral from Wallesey. Not really recommended as it goes through several very non scenic housing estates.
 
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Dave7

Dave7

Legendary Member
Location
Cheshire
Part of the industrial estate has a cycle path. The rest is generally very quiet, especially at weekends. There may be some path diversions, as they are doing work on the flood defences. These are well signposted and may have finished now, as it's a couple of months since I went that way. When you get into Neston there is a short section on quiet roads until you get tot the start of the Wirral Way.

Pay close attention to the signs on the Wirral Way, as there is the cycle/pedestrian way and a bridleway. There is also a Sustrans route that comes back through the centre of the Wirral from Wallesey. Not really recommended as it goes through several very non scenic housing estates.
So.............the signs I should look for are Wirral Way ???
 

ianbarton

Veteran
So.............the signs I should look for are Wirral Way ???
Yes, but make sure they have the cycle symbol on them. The only place where you can really go wrong is just the far side of Neston. The track emerges onto a road (The Parade) where you need to turn right onto the road for a few hundred yards and rejoin the Wirral Way by turning left onto it (signposted). Where you emerge onto The Parade the signposts point both ways to the Wirral Way. If you turn left you will soon find yourself cycling along a muddy track parallel to the river - this is one of the pedestrian options. If in doubt just follow the blue Sustrans route 568 (56) signs.
 
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Dave7

Dave7

Legendary Member
Location
Cheshire
Yes, you pick the cycle route up at Mickle Trafford and it is traffic free until you get to Deeside industrial estate. A bit of traffic through here, well sign posted, then onto the Burton marsh cycle path.
John

Part of the industrial estate has a cycle path. The rest is generally very quiet, especially at weekends. There may be some path diversions, as they are doing work on the flood defences.

Thanks (and to others) for the help.
Did it yeserday. It was a very strong, cold, strength sapping wind on the way out so we made it as far as Heswall (37 mile round trip).
We started at a farm shop in Mickle Trafford. Had to ask/clarify directions a couple of times but it was fine.
Plenty of cyclists about........especially on the way back at 1800 hrs............made me think week-end would be VERY busy-- although Ian says it is very quiet ???
Fish & chips at Parkgate.......yummy :smile:
I look forward to doing it in better weather when I hope to make it to New Brighton & back.........should be 60-70 miles in total.
 

john59

Guru
Location
Wirral
I was down on the Burton marsh section yesterday morning and it was certainly windy.I'm glad you enjoyed the ride!

John
 

ianbarton

Veteran
Thanks (and to others) for the help..
Plenty of cyclists about........especially on the way back at 1800 hrs............made me think week-end would be VERY busy-- although Ian says it is very quiet ???
Fish & chips at Parkgate.......yummy :smile:
I look forward to doing it in better weather when I hope to make it to New Brighton & back.........should be 60-70 miles in total.

In my experience once you get past the first few miles near to Chester it is generally fairly quiet. The Wirral Way between Neston and Wallasey is best avoided at weekends and Bank Holidays, unless you like disentangling dogs and children from between your spokes. The section along the sea from from Hoylake has an excellent triple lane system, marked out in lanes for bikes, pedestrians and some mysterious third type of transport. However, you will usually find pedestrians texting while listening on headphones wandering along the cycle lane, when there is a clearly marked pedestrian lane next to it! At non busy times it is a lovely ride.
 
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