A stroll along the River Dee and a passage through a dramatic archway under a disused railway track are two of the standouts this month as we start off at Cross Lanes.
“Pre-Amble”
The walk takes you east of Cross Lanes towards the Dee and then north and west before heading south back to your starting point. It covers about four miles, and you should be able to complete it in under two hours, as the route is all fairly flat and easy to follow. The absence of hills means the total ascent is only 134 feet (80 metres), with its highest point being 135 feet (91 metres).
The route seemed reasonably dog-friendly, as I only walked through one field containing livestock. Most of the access was over stiles, some of which you would have to lift your dog over. There was a stretch along a country lane where you would need to keep your dog on a lead.
Starting Point
I started by the Co-op on Bedwell Road, Cross Lanes (LL13 0TR; what3words.com/hindering.resists.winners).
Take the A525 out of Wrexham. Take the second exit off the large roundabout leading to the Industrial Estate on the left, just after Marchwiel. Pass Cross Lanes Activity Centre on your right and take the next left at the traffic lights. The Co-op is on your left after about 100 yards.
Disclaimer
Important: Your safety is our top priority. Before attempting any of our walks, you must read and understand the disclaimer at love-wrexham.com/walk-disclaimer.
Always remember to read ahead of your current position in the walk directions in case we mention an upcoming potential hazard.
Walk Directions
Co-op at Cross Lanes
Stand with your back to the Co-op, facing the B5130. Walk to your left as far as The Paddock and cross over the road to hop over the stile in the hedgerow opposite. Follow the right-hand hedgerow and tree line. There is a stile in the fence ahead, but the wooden gate is lying on its side on the ground so you can just walk through the gap. Walk to the left of the pond with all the bullrushes (1) ahead of you and walk through the open gateway in the hedgerow ahead.
Walk along the middle of the next field and walk through another gap ahead. Head towards the left corner of this field and hop over the stile. It’s a tight fit under the vegetation that has formed a natural arch just on the other side of the stile (2). Also, be careful of the metal cable on the right supporting the electricity pole as you step off the stile.
Pickhill Lane
Once through the archway, head diagonally left and exit this next field over another stile. Head diagonally left across the small overgrown area and climb over another stile onto Pickhill Lane. Opposite, you’ll see the large industrial complex of Maelor Foods. Turn right and then almost immediately left, just by the bright green wall (3).
Walk a few yards down a path with the green wall on your left. Just when you think you’ve reached the end, you’ll see the path continues to your right and narrows even more. You’ll have the high green metal fence of Maelor Foods to your left and a low hedgerow to your right. Follow the green metal fence around to the left after about five minutes.
A minute or so later, you’ll pass an electricity pole with a yellow arrow waymarker. Once past that, turn right down the wooden steps cut into the bank. Follow the path as it continues down the slope to the right and then to the left (4).
The River Dee
Walk past the black plastic-covered bales of hay on your left. Carry straight on for a few yards, turn right through an open gateway and then left along a track leading down to some kind of water pumping station. Turn left before you reach it and follow the tracks in the grass through a gateway. Walk past the two blue vertical tubes in the grass on your left and a green corrugated metal shed on your right (5).
The River Dee is on your right. Leave the track as it turns sharp left, walk straight on and hop over the stile (look out for a white sign saying “Private Fishing”) into a very large field (6).
Walk diagonally left heading for the archway under the disused railway line, roughly parallel to the pylon and the solitary oak tree (7).
See also our walk for December 2024, which also took you past the disused railway, but about a quarter of a mile to your right, just over the River Dee.
Three Oaks in a Row
Walk through one of the archways. I had to walk along the narrow banks to the right to avoid the pools of water. Head slightly diagonally right when you enter the next field and head for the three oak trees in a row (see feature image on page 52). The metal gate to exit the field is by the third oak tree.
Turn right once you’re through the gate and follow the right-hand hedgerow. Walk past the white gas pipeline post with an orange band around the top. Hop over the stile ahead. Be careful, as there is a strand of barbed wire across the top wooden rail. Turn left once over the stile and follow the left-hand hedge line.
In the far left-hand corner, turn left through the large metal kissing gate. Walk through the wooded area for a few yards. Turn right through the large wooden gate with the yellow arrow waymarker (see feature image on page 56).
Watery Lane
Walk for a few paces and then turn left onto the track. Walk across the field in front of you and go through the gap in the hedge line ahead. Turn left once through the gap and follow the left-hand hedge line for about 10 minutes.
Go through the metal kissing gate ahead if the open gateway is still flooded and turn left on Watery Lane. Walk a few paces and go over the stile in the hedge line on your right (8). Step over the electric fence cable and turn left once over the stile and walk across the field following the power cables overhead towards the gate to the left of the short bank.
There is a small pond on the other side of the bank. You’ll have to climb over the gate as there is no stile here. I tried to open the gate, but gave up because the undergrowth prevented it. The gate’s a little wobbly to climb over, so please be careful.
Not a Stile, Not a Gate
Walk along the next field, aiming for the top left-hand corner. Climb over the first gate with the breeze blocks in front of it (9) and follow the right-hand hedge line to the gate ahead. Climb over the gate and cross Watery Lane again. Go through the gap on the other side of the lane and into a vast field.
Walk to the right of the first double electricity pole. Look ahead and you’ll see a line of oak trees following the far hedgerow in the right half of the field. The fence to exit the field is just to the left of the leftmost tree in that line (10).
It’s not a stile or a gate, but a curious low fence which you can step or climb over. Once in the next field, continue in the same direction and you’ll see another low fence dead ahead. Again, it’s not a stile and it’s not a gate. I’ve never seen access points like this in any of my Love Wrexham travels.
Maelor Foods (Again)
Cross the fence and the field and go through the metal gate more or less dead ahead. Turn right once on the drive that leads to Pickhill Old Hall on the left. Walk for a few yards past White Gate Cottage. Turn left onto Pickhill Lane and walk along it for about a quarter of a mile. You’ll find yourself back at Maelor Foods.
Retrace your steps back to the Co-op at Cross Lanes. If you are unsure of how to do this, hop over the stile on your right (11).
Head diagonally left for a few yards and cross another stile. Head diagonally left again and duck under the arch of vegetation on the right, just before the electricity pole (12).
Walk across the two fields and through the gaps in the two hedge lines. Head for the left-hand corner of the next field and go through the gap. Follow the left-hand hedge line and hop over the stile onto the A5130. The Co-op is a few yards to your left.
Congratulations! You’ve completed the walk!
We hope you enjoyed reading “The River Dee and a Disused Railway Line”. Click here for more of our walk features.
