Kelsall – Walking Trails, Landscapes and Historic Buildings

Kelsall lies in a hollow on the south-west-facing steep slope of the Mid Cheshire Ridge. The landscape combines distinctive heights, natural rock outcrops and wide views with historic buildings in the village. When planning a trip, you can choose between various walking trails, landscape experiences and cultural and historical discoveries.

Walking Trails Around Kelsall

The popular public footpath FP9 runs along the Roman road from the corner of Stoney Lane and Eddisbury Hill to Kelsall. Before reaching the village, FP9 crosses the Sandstone Trail, which can be used in both directions for alternative circular walks. This allows different routes to be incorporated into your plans without requiring the same starting point.

A continuous public footpath leads from Kelsall via Kelsborrow Castle to the Boot Inn. A circular walk can then be completed via Willington Lane. For longer walks, the 27 km Eddisbury Way is a good option. It runs from Frodsham via Manley Common to Kelsall, Weetwood Common and Duddon, joining the Sandstone Trail at Burwardsley in the Peckforton Hills. KADRAS has also published a map with a guide to the public rights of way and six circular walks for Kelsall.

Rock Outcrops and Views

Natural rock outcrops can be found at Urchins Kitchen in Primrose Hill Wood and at Hanging Stones on Old Pale. A short climb to Pale Heights opens up a panorama from the Mersey coast across Winter Hill and the Pennines along the central ridge to Shropshire. The view also extends across the Marches to the Clwyds and the Dee.

Another walking route leads via the “39 Steps” to Kels Fort. The descent runs via “Little Switzerland”. These named points give a tour several distinctive stops and make route selection an important part of planning your day.

Historic Places in the Village

Kelsall Hall is a Grade II listed farmhouse dating from the early 18th century. It was extended later in the 18th century before the frontage was remodelled in the early to mid-19th century. The Church of St Phillip is also a Grade II listed building. The church was built in 1860 by T Bower of Nantwich and consists of roughly hewn, light beige sandstone with a slate roof and a red-tiled ridge.

The Kelsall Conservation Area was first designated in 1980, covers only the lower part of the settlement and forms an important entrance to the village. Rookery Farm is the only listed building in this area. Built in the early 17th century, the building is timber-framed and finished with brick and render. To the west of Hollands Lane, the ploughed-out embankment profile of the Roman road is also still visible in a field. A lock-up stands at Weldon House and probably dates from the early to mid-19th century. It is made of roughly hewn, light beige sandstone, is approximately six metres high, has a semicircular ground plan and a flat roof made of solid stone slabs.

The Right Holiday Cottage for Planning Your Trip

If you are looking for a holiday cottage in Kelsall, first consider which experiences should be the focus of your trip. For extended walks, the various route options and the length of the Eddisbury Way are important points of reference. Those wishing to combine landscapes and local history can include the rock outcrops, Pale Heights and historic buildings in their plans. When interests differ within the travel group, it helps to consider the desired balance of active sections, viewpoints and cultural discoveries when choosing the location of your accommodation.

Other Destinations Nearby

For further trip planning, you can also view Cuddington, Macclesfield, Weston, Helsby, Crewe, South Wirral, Alsager and Congleton.

To the higher-level travel overview: Cheshire.