Netherton to Crosby Marine Park

About

This new combined cycling and walking route starts at the Aldrins Lane swing bridge on the Leeds–Liverpool Canal and proceeds westwards along the canal towpath to link up with the tarmac pathway through Rimrose Valley Park. The route then crosses the Liverpool–Southport railway between Seaforth and Waterloo stations to finish on the banks of the Mersey at Crosby swimming pool.

We start at the Aldrins Lane swing bridge to follow the towpath for the next two km (1.25 miles) through the suburban housing estates of Netherton and Buckley Hill. The place name Netherton, comes from the Old English ‘nether’ (lower) and ‘tun’ (hamlet), being first listed as such in 1576 and was probably done so to separate it from the other local tuns, such as Thorntun, Seftun and Hightun.

On reaching the overbridge at Gorsey Lane with the Cooksons Bridge pub to the right, we enter into Rimrose Valley, with its more open surroundings and greenery. The valley was formed 1.6 million years ago and always being liable to flooding was never settled or farmed extensively. During the 20th century much of the land was used for tipping and some areas were also used for allotments and recreation grounds.

It now forms part of the chain of nature reserves and amenity sites administered by the Sefton Coast & Countryside Service and the Brookvale Local Nature Reserve was set up in the wettest and wildest part of the valley to further enhance the wildlife value for residents and visitors.

We turn right as the canal bends to the left after 250 metres to join the main pathway through the Rimrose Valley Park. After 1.5 km (0.95 miles) at the highest point, known as Whabbs Tip, most of northern Liverpool and Bootle is laid out before you. The panorama includes both cathedrals, St. John’s Beacon and the Royal Seaforth docks, complete with container cranes and its modern ‘windmills’.

As you drop down towards the entrance to the Park at Beach Road, look out for some steps to your right just before the notice board. This narrow pathway has recently been surfaced and crosses the lowest point of the valley between allotments on your left and football pitches to your right, turn to reach the railway line and emerge onto Cambridge Road.

After 350 metres Cambridge Road crosses the busy A565 at traffic lights before reaching the large car park at Crosby Marine Park in a further 250 metres, where you can connect with the Sefton Coastal Walk. To complete this interesting journey from Netherton, continue through the car park on to the newly constructed cycle track along the southern edge of the marine lake and then turn right onto the promenade. The route then continues to Crosby Leisure centre.

An alternative route to see some of Bootle’s industrial past, is to continue along the Leeds-Liverpool canal towpath at the footbridge over the canal just before Beach Rd. The canal passes under Princess Way, which is the main link road to the Port of Liverpool, replacing the old Litherland swing bridge and then a replacement footbridge.

Try to imagine the scene 100 years ago, when both banks of the canal were crammed full of industrial wharves, sugar refineries, tanneries and the like. Huge numbers of horse-powered and steam barges jostled to pass through the swing bridge, no doubt causing severe disruption to road traffic. In 1934 a new lift bridge was installed which was removed in the 1970s, when the new road bridge was built.

Currently this New Opportunities Route along the Leeds–Liverpool Canal towpath ends 800 metres further on at the Pennington Road overbridge, where there is easy access to both Hawthorne Road and Linacre Road/Stanley Road.