The Oakmere Way - A 12 Miler From Sandiway to Old Pale and Back

It’s a beautiful summer morning, the birds are singing and the sun is shining, a perfect day for a run. Today I’m starting from Kennel Lane in Sandiway and our route takes us down the Oakmere Way to Delamere Forest. I pointed out the start of the Oakmere way a few weeks back when we ran the Whitegate Way and today we do start and end with a short section on the Whitegate Way. The Oakmere way heads down a wooded track then along the side of the sand quarry coming out near Delamere Station. From here I couldn’t resist running up my favourite hill for the view at Old Pale before letting my feet take me which ever way the wanted on the way back.

Route Options

You could either do this as a there and back again (return the way you came out) in which case the whole route would be off road or you can do what I did and come back via the road to make a circular route. Alternatively if you want a shorter route, end at the Abbey Arms pub at Oakmere, the 82 bus runs about once an hour and you can hop on back to Sandiway, it stops near Cockpit lane / The Blue Cap close to the starting point. If you time it right you’ll have time for a drink at the pub 😉

The Route

Starting from Kennel lane we follow it to its end and straight on along the track until we reach the Whitegate Way. Cross the bridge turn left and then left onto the path towards Cuddington. Follow the track until you reach the Oakmere Way Fingerpost on your left after 2 miles. Turn left and follow the track which heads through some woods and then crosses Stoneyford lane and alongside the Sand Quarry. At the far side of the quarry turn right (note the left turn brings you to the Chester Road not far from Stoneyford lane/Hogshead lane you could potentially come back that way). Continue down the track past the new housing development in what was the Marley Tiles Works coming out on Station Road opposite Delamere Station. Cross the road and head down the road towards the main visitors centre and then turn left on the track which heads directly up to the radio transmitter at the top of Old Pale. About half way up I turned right into the woods if you prefer you could just continue straight on up the track turning right at the top. I headed into the woods then turned left, right at the T and then left at the main track that comes out at the stones at the top of Old Pale. Enjoy the view, its stunning views of North Wales, Liverpool, Warrington, Manchester, Macclesfield, Northwich to name but a few.

At this point you could just retrace your steps, I just let my feet carry me on a largely road route. I headed back down the track we came up turning right at the first track which brings us to the main track we came up. I turned left and then after a short distance turned right on the grassy track that follows the edge of a field, turn right along the edge and then at a meeting of the ways turn left which drops you down coming out on the Old Roman Road, turn left and you come out on the bend at Eddisbury Hill. Go straight on until you reach Station Road then turn right. At the end of the road by the Abbey Arms turn left and follow the Chester Road through Oakmere. When you reach the junction with Stoneyford lane and Hogshead Lane you have a choice, turn left and rejoin the Oakmere way or go straight on down the dip and up to where the road crosses the Whitegate Way where you can rejoin it or turn right on Hogshead Lane, I chose the later today. Head down the lane to the end on the A49 Tarporley Road where you turn left past Nunsmere Hall then at the bridge turn right to rejoin the Whitegate Way head down the steps and turn left. At the next bridge turn right and get off the path over the bridge and retrace your steps back to Kennel Lane.