With strong winds and possible heavy showers in the weather forecast, today’s walk from Hale Village to the bank of the Mersey had ominous overtones to it. Undaunted, eleven of us set off from Maghull to meet another five at Hale. The Maghull contingent took the train to Cressington via Liverpool Central and then the 82A bus to Hale Village. The bus journey was interesting, taking us through Garston and Speke with a stop at John Lennon Airport. We met up with those who driven direct to Hale at the Wellington pub, where the staff opened up for us to use their “facilities”. We then set off on the walk through Hale Park and into a small wood. The footpath took us through the wood and then back along its edge, skirting a field. The path then left the wood and led us over open fields down to the Mersey. Here we turned left and followed the path along the river bank to Hale Head Lighthouse. The wheat fields to our left were flanked by displays of beautiful wildflowers. Our worries about the weather had long since disappeared and we were having to take off coats in the warm sunshine. We had great views across the Mersey to Ellesmere Port and the Welsh Hills. An oil tanker – MV Aleyna Mercan – was docked at the Stanlow terminal and Moel Fama could be picked out on the horizon. The original lighthouse was replaced by the current one in 1906 but it was decommissioned in 1958 and sold as a private residence. The lighthouse keeper’s cottage was demolished and replaced with a bungalow and there is no longer public access. It’s possible to get down to the shore here, but the “steps” looked slippery and none of us braved them. We carried on along the river bank path following the curve of the river. A pathway had been trodden to the river’s edge and some of us went to have a look. This was the point where a ford existed across to Cheshire (Hale being the most southerly point in Lancashire at the time). Hale Ford was a strategic crossing during the Civil War in the 17th Century and was used for transport until the railway bridge was opened in 1868. The sight of a small church (Christ Church, Weston Point) across the river, dwarfed by industrial buildings seemed incongruous. Leaving the Mersey, we followed Within Way back to the village with Easyjet and Ryanair flights and light aircraft passing overhead. At the end of the lane we saw the statue of The Childe Of Hale (John Middleton) who is alleged to have been nine feet three inches tall. We visited his grave in St Mary’s Church Cemetery and passed the cottage he lived in before arriving back at the Wellington pub for our well earned meals. The forecast rain arrived during our meal – perfect timing!
Thanks to Del for helping me with the recce (and organising the weather!)