As you might have noticed, I mentioned yesterday about our wandering in the village where I grew up. So I thought it would only be fair to share the beauty of the Willaston Mill Lane wander with you as it is so stunningly autumnal. And that’s not just because I am hugely biased!
Willaston Mill Lane
Willaston Mill Lane has been a place for adventures in my life for as long as I can remember. From cycling with friends, picking berries from the hedgerow and wandering with Jit on our breaks on the Wirral. Every time we visit it changes that little bit, so it is lovely to walk time and time again. Autumn, however, is possibly my favourite time of year to wander around there. Especially when it has been dry and there are crispy leaves to rustle your feet through. Why is that so incredibly satisfying?
The walk around Willaston Mill Lane is around 3 miles and we add the additional half mile for starting at my parents’ house. I love to take the route both ways to see the light from different angles. The sun rising in the morning and setting over the fields in the evening.
One of my favourites
As well as the memories and good feelings that come from walking the Willaston Mill Lane circular walk, there is plenty of history for that added bit of interest. Oh and lanes and paths to wander if you fancy taking a detour.
We tend to meander our way to Mill Lane so that we can nosey at the mahoosive houses that are around there and then discuss how we could live in just one of the rooms in it. One of those conversations that happen time and time again – you know the sort! There are quite a few unadopted streets in the village with areas of pot holes and cobbles. It is a nice mix, but something to watch out for when it is dark and wet! We have inadvertently sploshed through many a puddle on a dark winter walk.
Fields, fields, fields
One thing that Willaston is not short of is fields. Well, the whole Wirral is full of them actually. It is nice to be able to wander through houses as well as see sheep grazing in fields. Rather than the dogs barking at gates or pulling at leads on the walk into Manchester of a morning. (It’s not that bad really, but it illustrates the point!)
The sheep leaning forwards was actually eating!
Willaston Mill
Among the many historic cottages and houses, you will find one of the icons of Willason village. The Grade 2 listed windmill. Cue Jit and I having another regular conversation along the lines of how col it would be to stay in the mill if it were an Airbnb, how hard it must be to get furniture to fit and how much we like it. We’re not repetitive at all, I promise! Anyway, the Mill was built in 1805 and used to mill flour from local wheat. It has since been converted to residence – which is where the Airbnb conversation comes from, if you were curious.
Easy walking
The Willaston Mill Lane walk is pretty easy-going with only the notorious Mill Lane Hill in the middle. We’re pretty used to it now, but back when I was younger, the Mill Lane Hill would be tough going! Steep-ish in one direction and slow and long in the other, so your legs get a workout whichever direction you take. I posted about our wanders over on my Instagram and my friend that I used to cycle round remembered the hill well!
Luckily you have some nice scenery to keep you distracted while doing your hills.
The route taking you out onto Birkenhead Road takes you past some lovely open fields with housed overlooking them. We always imagine what it would be like to live somewhere with such great green views, but at the same time ponder whether we could live without the city amenities we have become accustomed to i.e. Chinese, Asian and Polish supermarkets, culture and hustle.
To be honest, I think we could adapt to anywhere so long as we could get outside walking. We do thoroughly enjoy the countryside walks and Willaston Mill Lane is a perfect one for getting your miles in for the day in all-weather. Being hard surface roads, you can get out even when it is too wet on the Wirral Way. And if you’re around there at Christmas, you’ll be likely to see us out and about so please do say hello!
Somehow my city walk this evening doesn’t seem quite the same, so I’m going to switch it up to walk down the canal instead.
What do you think of the Willaston Mill Lane Walk? Is it a walk that you would enjoy too?
Do you have a favourite wander near you?
Let me know in the comments below.