Partington walk 3: Bollin Valley Way to Warburton

Overview

The somewhat isolated community of Partington may not be an obvious location for walking, but there are at least three worthwhile routes worth exploring around the village.

It is not widely known, for example, that Partington sits at one end of the 25-mile (40-km) Bollin Valley Way. The section from Partington to Warburton is particularly scenic, being one of the very few locations where you can walk along the banks of the famous Manchester Ship Canal. What’s more, the bridleway provides walkers with a lovely traffic-free route from Partington to the tiny village of Warburton. Here, it is well worth pausing or picknicking at Warburton Old Church (St Werburgh’s) – one of the very few Grade I-listed churches in Greater Manchester – before taking the return walk to Partington.

The downloadable map shows the relevant section of the Bollin Valley Way and some nearby paths.

Accessibility and facilities

To the best of our knowledge, the route is not suitable for wheelchairs or pushchairs.

There are no public toilets on the route but the centre of Partington with its shops and other services is nearby. Approximately 0. 6 miles / 1 km east of Warburton Church (along Paddock Lane) is the Saracen’s Head pub.

How to get there

The easiest place to start the walk in Partington is on Lock Lane just north of Forest Gate Academy. This is given as the main start point on this page. The end point is given as Warburton Old Church, but most people are likely to use the route as a there-and-back walk (giving a total distance of 3.2 miles / 5.1 km)

To work out how to get to and from the walk start point, simply click the Google Maps link on this page. Then click ‘Directions’ and enter your postcode or location in the relevant field. For public transport options, click on the train icon.

Alternatively, input the postcode(s) shown on this page into the TfGM journey planner at https://my.tfgm.com/#/planner/