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Ashley Rail Trail Route

Ashley Railway Station, WA14 2RQ

Grade: Easy
Distance: 3 3/4 miles/6 km
Time: 1 3/4 to 2 hours
Start: Ashley Railway Station | what3words: ///draw.bags.tables

Map: OS Explorer 268
Terrain: Almost flat, surfaced tracks and unsurfaced footpaths
Barriers: 0 stiles, 3 kissing gates
Toilets: None on route, but available for patrons of the Greyhound Pub.

Open Monday to Saturday 11.30am - 11pm
Food served 12 noon - 2.30pm and 6.00pm - 9.00pm
(Please note that no food will be served on Monday or Tuesday evenings)
Sunday 12 noon - 10.30pm Food served 12 noon - 7.00pm

This route forms one of the Knutsford Rail Walks leaflet which is a collection of local walks from railway stations in the Knutsford Local Area Partnership. The leaflet was developed by members of the partnership and the Mid Cheshire Rail Users' Association.

Terrain: The walk is almost flat and is on surfaced tracks except between Ryecroft Farm and Birkin Farm, which are on clearly marked footpaths.

Barriers: 0 stiles, 3 kissing gates

Toilets: There are no facilities on the route, but toilets are available to patrons of the Greyhound pub.

The village of Ashley lies very close to both the M56 motorway and Manchester Ringway Airport, but retains a rural charm whilst serving a strong farming community. The walk is mainly level and offers contrasts of the rural and the major transport links which pass through and over this corner of Cheshire.

Directions

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Route Waypoints

Proceed from the station up to the road at the top and turn right into Ashley Road. After approximately 100 yards, passing the church on your right, turn right on a sharp bend, through a gate onto a surfaced farm track heading north.
After a short distance, the track crosses the M56 via a bridge. Continue along this track, passing Ashley Hall Farm on your left. Shortly after the farm, the track becomes tarmac and eventually meets Ashley Road. Continue straight on along Ashley Road before taking the first turn left into Ashley Mill Lane.
In approximately 150 yards there is a fork where you take the lane on the left, signposted for Ryecroft Farm. Follow this road for nearly a mile until Ryecroft Farm is almost reached. There is a lone oak tree about half way with a conveniently placed picnic table beneath it which makes for an excellent refreshment stop!
Turn left through a kissing gate, just before the farm buildings, to follow the hedge line towards the M56, then after a short distance turn left again through another kissing gate. The path then heads parallel to the motorway with woodland to your right, until it turns right and the motorway is crossed by an over bridge.
After crossing the bridge immediately turn left onto the Bollin Valley Way footpath, which follows the motorway for about a fifth of a mile and then turns right following a field boundary. Follow the path beside the hedge which will eventually curve round to the left. Keep following this until a surfaced road is reached via a kissing gate and carry on straight ahead to pass Birkin Farm on your right. Follow this road which winds its way until the station entrance is found on your left.

Ashley, Cheshire