Exploring Bromborough & Port Sunlight | Run including Port Sunlight River Park & Eastham Country Park

We are on the Wirral today exploring Bromborough, starting near the train station on Allport Road.

There are several options, I’m doing a 10.5 mile circular route but for those who want a shorter route, why not make it a one way route and hop on the train from Port Sunlight back to Bromborough? You could end at Port Sunlight which would be about 4 miles or carry on and do the river park and then loop back to Port Sunlight which would be about 6.5 miles.

Starting from the middle of Bromborough we quickly reach Dibbinsdale, a nature reserve through ancient woodland beside the river Dibbin and through the remains of the grounds of Brotherton Park. The river used to form the boundary between Norse Wirral and Anglo Saxon Mercia in the 10th and 11th Century and I’m told the original bridge was put up by monks from Chester.

We then pick up a disused railway that used to deliver raw materials to the soap factory, we pop out right by the Port Sunlight factory, if you’ve not been its well worth having a walk around and visiting the museum and art gallery.

From Port Sunlight we head down to the River Mersey and have a run around Port Sunlight River Park with some great views across Liverpool and then head down to Bromborough Pool and into Eastham Country Park heading up through Eastham Woods and beside the golf course back into Bromborough

Port Sunlight History

Initially Grocers the Lever family diversified into making high quality soap initially on a site in Warrington. They outgrew the site quickly and so William Lever bought the marshy land at Port Sunlight and built his factory and model village. He believed that decent living conditions made for a healthy and happy workforce and built them homes, land for allotments, a hospital, schools, a concert hall, swimming pool and church.

The Route

Starting from the shops on Allport Road in Bromborough we head past the train station and then right into Dibbinsdale Road. As you drop down the bank there is no footpath so take care. Take the path on your right into Dibbinsdale Nature Reserve. Follow the path down to the river and cross at the stream. Go straight on across the meadow and follow the path to your right in the tree just beyond. I then turned right and down the steps and left up some steps (I could have done straight on which would have brought me to the same place). Turn right down the hill and bear right at the fork. At the bottom of the hill turn right and go through the tunnel underneath the railway and follow the path beside the stream. At the T junction turn right then bear left, the path comes out on Spital Road where we turn left. At the roundabout go straight on onto Bromborough Road and then take the path on your right, join the disused railway and turn left coming out beside the Port Sunlight Factory which is right beside Port Sunlight train Station. Follow the road infront of the factory then turn left into Bridge Street and cross the old stone bridge. Head up to Bolton road and turn right. Turn left into Church Drive just before the pub and then after the church and school turn left into Windy Bank coming out by the museum and art gallery.

Head past the gallery and right into Lower Road and the take the path straight on marked Lodge Lane and then turn right on Pool Bank and immediately left into Lodge Lane. At the end of the road turn left on New Chester Road and then turn right into Elmbank Road. At the end of the road take the path straight on under the underpass and then turn right, now turn left onto the playing field and head straight across. At the far side follow the path taking the next right hand turn for the river park. Head down the steps and up the steps on the far side and turn left. Where the path splits stay left along the waterfront, continue following the path to the car park. Head across the car park and up the road after the bend take the path on the left to Dock Road North. Head down here then bear left into Bolton Road East. At the new Chester Road you could go straight on back into Port Sunlight if you wish, I’m turning left. Turn left into Pool Lane at Bromborough Pool and follow the road to Riverbank road where we turn left. At the end of the road turn right then left into Riverview Road and then at the roundabout take the path on the left back down to the front. Follow the path which takes you into Eastham Country Park. Stay close to the from and then all the way to the quay on Ferry road. I went down the front here and took the path through the wood, scrambled up the bank and turned right back to Ferry road then straight on into Eastham Woods, you might prefer to just head up Ferry road and right into the woods. There are lots of paths in the woods. I’d suggest turning left and following the path to the edge of the woods and then along the edge of the woods up the rise. Near the op take the left Fork which brings you out between the sport grounds and the golf course, we want to get to the far side from where we enter. Follow the path it dog legs right, right again and then turns right between the golf course and field and comes out on the A41 in Bromborough near Christ the King. Turn right then left into Woodyear Road. At the end of the road turn right into Bridle Road and then left at the lights into Allport Road back to our starting point.