The Ashton and Bryn Circular Walk is approximately 9 miles long and takes you through some of the finest Countryside in Wigan Borough and the Greenheart Regional Park.
You can start the walk at many places as there are several car parks around the walk:- Three Sisters, Ashton Town Centre, Viridor Wood. There are also handy bus stops where the route crosses the A58 and A49. This means that you do not need to do the walk all at once but can do loops of the walk using the bus to return you to your starting point. The whole walk takes about 3 hours at an average pace.
THREE SISTERS TO LANDGATE.
Leave the car park and head right along the main path. Follow the signs for Landgate Lane Bridleway. Exit the Three Sisters and turn left onto a wide farm track, continue over the railway bridge past Landgate Lodges and eventually you will see Landgate school on your left hand side and Landgate estate and play area on your right.
LANDGATE TO ASHTON TOWN CENTRE VIA BROCSTEDES AND NORTH ASHTON.
At the end of Landgate Lane take care crossing Wigan Road [A49]
A public footpath goes along the edge of the industrial estate and round the edge of a field. Once you reach Drummers Lane turn right along the lane and watch for traffic using the lane, but it is usually very quiet. Follow the road over the motorway slip road, past Low Brooks Farm and over the M6 itself. Bearing left, the road becomes Brocstedes Road, you will pass Brocstedes Farm on the right and the entrance to Ashton Athletic Football Club on the left. At the T junction with Booths Brow Road turn left and continue until you reach another T junction, then turn right onto Downall Green Road.
Follow the road southwards past the entrance to Mill Farm, where the road turns sharply right. From here follow the public footpath sign along the farm track, heading towards the railway bridge in the distance. Cross the railway and follow the path as it turns left and runs alongside the M6. The path rises as it travels southwards and soon crosses Low Bank Road , carry on down the steps and along the side of the M6 until you reach a footbridge crossing the motorway, follow the footpath as it leads you into Skitters Wood and eventually comes out onto Winchester Avenue. Turn right along Winchester Avenue and into Townfields. Turn right again and continue until you reach Liverpool Road. Turn left towards Ashton town centre, perhaps resting on a bench in the park on Liverpool Road or going into town for a coffee.
AHTON TOWN CENTRE TO GOLBORNE ROAD VIA ASHTON HEATH.
From the traffic lights on Liverpool Road cross onto Warrington Road and take a left into Heath Road which is the road between the Fleece pub and St Thomas Church. Heath Road leads you to Ashton Heath and you should take the path that runs almost parallel to Heath Road. If you did not take a rest in Ashton you might like to sit on the Heath for a short breather, there are several benches along the path. Take the path that leads to the last house on Heath Road and then the public footpath that runs along the side of these houses. Continue over the double bridges over Millingford Brook and right along the field boundary. The track bears left and becomes a straight farm track following a reclaimed area of wooded land before reaching Golborne Road.
GOLBORNE ROAD TO THREE SISTERS VIA VIRIDOR WOOD.
Turn left onto Golborne Road, passing a bus stop outside a group of houses. Cross the road and follow the public footpath which has a map at its start. Follow the footpath until you pass The Harrow Inn and meet Edge Green Lane. Turn left along the lane and at the next sign follow the Public footpath sign right through a farm yard and along the farm track. Soon you will reach the southern boundary of Viridor Wood and you should follow the path as it bears left and you pass some art works on your right. Keep to the main path as it starts to go downhill and eventually meets Bolton Road [A58]
Turn left towards Ashton and just past Lily Lane farm you should cross the road and take the public footpath near the bus stop. This path will take you back to the Three Sisters and you will have completed the whole circuit. Well done.