Log No 191. Wed 27th Nov 2013 - Liverpool to Runcorn, 18 miles (2948 miles walked)

My camper was parked only 5 minutes from the railway station and with the service to Liverpool being every 20 minutes I was in no hurry and I got to Liverpool for 08.30.

It was a damp start to the day with drizzle but as the bit of wind was behind me it wasn't really noticeable.

I got to the docks just as the Mersey Passenger Ferry was leaving.

Today was a complete contrast to coming into Liverpool yesterday with no industrial activity and everywhere accessible and clean.

Away from the centre there were some redeveloped work units but with a walkway round the outside it was all very low key.

The rain didn't amount to anything and dried up after an hour.

The walkway continued through Otterspool as far as the houses near Cressington Railway Station.

I had to come inland back onto the main road, the A561, for half an hour before I could get back to the river after Garston.

The Mersey Way was a hardcore path as far as the Liverpool John Lennon Airport at which point I had to drop down the bank onto the grassy shore.

The path, such as it was, was wet snd muddy in places and just past Oglet I went up onto the minor road and into Hale.

Hale is a conservation village with a lot of houses having thatched roofs.

An information board says the most well known person from the village was John Middleton 1578-1623 who was 9'3" and was known as the "Childe of Hale".

Coming out of Hale the Trans Pennine Trail took me back to the riverside at Hale Bank.

The Trail was also a cycleway so it was an easy route, crossing a stream before getting to Widnes.

The Trail continued on this side of the Mersey but I crossed over into Runcorn on the Runcorn-Widnes Bridge.

This distinctive bridge crosses the Mersey at the same point as the railway bridge.

Today was much more leisurely, it was only 18 miles walking back to the camper and I was going to be staying here a second night.