- Bluebell Cottage Circular Walk
Welcome to Discover Cheshire - whether you are walking, cycling or riding in our county, this is the website which will help you enjoy this beautiful area even more.
It is an ‘insider’s guide’ that uses interactive maps to provide comprehensive details of a wide range of routes, country parks, other open spaces and places to visit. If you want to walk, cycle or ride, the site provides full route directions as well as maps, to print out and take with you.
And using the on-screen mapping you can access all the information you need to help you plan your day out – being able to highlight all the top attractions, quality graded places to stay, pubs and restaurants, and other facilities within a short distance of your chosen route.
For those interested in learning more about what makes Cheshire such a special place, we suggest a number of places to visit that help tell the story of this historic and fascinating county. These include museums, castles and stately homes.



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Explore the stunning countryside of the Weaver Valley, passing through a shady wood filled with bluebells and wood anemones in spring. Enjoy the wonderful views of the surrounding farmland and the River Weaver itself, look out for lapwings that nest in the area. Marvel at the engineering of Dutton Locks and return via the tranquillity of Trent & Mersey Canal.
The 1.5 acre Bluebell Cottage Gardens is a delight from spring to autumn with a huge range of planting, both familiar and rare. Adjacent is Lodge Lane Nursery, an RHS partner nursery specialising in hardy herbaceous perennials, with a typical stock of over 1500 varieties.
Together with the 3 acre wildflower meadow and 2 acre bluebell woods, the gardens offer an ideal half day out for garden lovers and non-gardeners alike. Refreshments are available in the nursery and there is plenty of seating throughout the gardens.
For further information about Bluebell Cottage Gardens, including opening times, go to www.lodgelanenursery.co.uk
|
Grade |
Easy |
|
Distance |
4km/2.5miles |
|
Time |
1 hour |
|
Start |
Garden car park on Lodge Lane (nursery patrons only) |
|
Map |
OS Explorer 267 |
|
Terrain |
Unsurfaced or semi-surfaced tracks/towpaths and one minor road. Some terrain will be muddy in winter. Two sections of this route have gradients greater than 1:6 but not for more than 50m. The remainder is fairly level (not more than 1:15). |
|
Barriers |
2 stiles, 5 bridle gates |
|
Toilets |
Available in the gardens (£3 admission – RHS members and children free) including accessible toilet |
|
Contact |
Phoenix House, Clough Road |
1. Take the public footpath opposite the entrance to car park into the woods.
2. Cross wood and concrete foot bridge.
3. Cross stile and turn left onto Delamere Way.
4. Pass through a wooden bridle gate to your left and follow the bridleway diagonally across the field.
5. Pass through a wooden bridle gate and continue along Delamere Way, which becomes gravel surface passing a rookery to your right.
6. Bear left, passing through a metal bridle gate and cross foot bridge. Continue along the track towards Dutton Locks towards Northwich. The track becomes tarmac after Dutton Locks.
7. Turn left and cross bridge over River Weaver.
8. Take the next bridleway to your left, signposted for Dutton, through a metal bridle gate and up a green lane. Gradient climbs gradually approaching the Trent & Mersey Canal.
9. Pass through a wooden bridle gate, then cross stile immediately to your right, descend short slope, then turn left along towpath passing under a bridge.
10. Pass under a canal bridge and continue along towpath.
11. At the third bridge turn left onto Lodge Lane and return to car park.
|
Grade |
Easy |
|
Distance |
4km/2.5miles |
|
Time |
1 hour |
|
Start |
Garden car park on Lodge Lane (nursery patrons only) |
|
Map |
OS Explorer 267 |
|
Terrain |
Unsurfaced or semi-surfaced tracks/towpaths and one minor road. Some terrain will be muddy in winter. Two sections of this route have gradients greater than 1:6 but not for more than 50m. The remainder is fairly level (not more than 1:15). |
|
Barriers |
2 stiles, 5 bridle gates |
|
Toilets |
Available in the gardens (£3 admission – RHS members and children free) including accessible toilet |
|
Contact |
Phoenix House, Clough Road |








