We used our Senior Passes to get to Hunts Cross Railway Station...
...and then, after grabbing a bite to eat at the Metro Sandwich Bar...
...walked via Pinfold Road, Macket's Lane and Halewood Road, alongside the golf course...
...to arrive at the Village Green in the centre of Gateacre Village...
The 7.1 mile route that we took can be seen at http://gb.mapometer.com/walking/route_4360572.html
As for the 7 walks (this is number 6) you can download maps and/or the Points of Interest Guide at http://www.bikeright.co.uk/merseyside/7hills/Back to our walk.
Despite its very busy crossroads, the Village Green was a delightful place to visit with the Black Bull Pub...
...the bronze bust of Queen Victoria...
...to mark her Golden Jubilee in 1887 and the hexagonal gazebo...
The sandstone shelter has intricately carved figures on it, including animals...
...mermaids playing instruments...
...and a Liver Bird...
There is also a very large and gruesome gargoyle, which appears to be leaping out from one side...
On the other side of the road was a building that was once a Brewery...
Heading up Gateacre Brow and left up Acrefield Road, we spotted a Vaccery Fence...
...then turned right up Mason Street, passing some beautiful buildings...
...to see the Woolton Picture House.
We must return some time to see inside, as the outside isn't that attractive. The Points of interest pdf, mentioned earlier, provides far more detail.To the left of the Cinema, the backs of the terrace Houses were, in my opinion, far more interesting...
We continued to the junction at the end of the road and turned right into Church Road.
The aim was to locate Eleanor Rigby's Grave...
As you can see, we did.After a wander around St Peter's Church...
...we headed back down the hill past the Church Hall, standing behind the St Peter and; St Paul Centre...
...it was in this building that Paul McCartney was introduced to John Lennon.
At the corner of Church Road and Allerton Road, behind some railings, is the sunken car park...
This was originally a small lake, known as the Lodes Pond, and was once a main water supply to the village.
Cattle, sheep, and horses were brought here, from surrounding fields and farms, to drink, right up until the late 1950s.
We turned right into Allerton Road.
We decided to go up Quarry Street where we explored, as suggested, the streets and alleys...
...and opposite Castle Street we went up some steps and along a public footpath named Mill Stile...
(Chris found this difficult, due to the height of the wall)
We doubled back along Quarry Street and took time to branch off into The Old Quarry...
Returning to Allerton Road we spotted, on the opposite side of the road, the Public Baths...
...that they are hoping to restore, where Paul McCartney and John Lennon...
...both went swimming. At the end of Allerton Road we took a sharp left turn along High Street.
Here we saw even more beautiful buildings...
At Speke Road we turned right...
...past the memorial and continuing round the bend to School Lane; hidden behind high walls on Speke Road, stands Woolton Hall, now all boarded up.
In School Lane, we took the first right again into Ashton Square.
Here we saw the most significant surviving, purpose-built cottages, for the estate-workers. Ashton Square, is actually a narrow terrace in a cul-de-sac and on our visit, the cottages were covered with scaffold.Just a little way up School Lane, past the entrance to Ashton Square and up the hill on the left, we saw the Old Tudor School House...
The stones that make up its walls are almost 12 inches thick, and some are 4 feet long; It is now a preschool nursery.
Continuing round the bend, we entered Camp Hill through the gates on the right to explore the hill and Woolton Woods...
Having enjoyed the view over John Lennon Airport and the River Mersey...
...we headed back to view the Walled gardens...
...and the floral cuckoo clock...
...installed in 1927 by Harry Corlett (1866-1946).
A beautiful, peaceful garden.
It was now time to head home through the woods...
...and park...
...calling in for a refreshing beer and comfort break, we then caught a bus back into Liverpool and then home on the train.
Another enjoyable exploration of Liverpool's 7 Hills. Looking forward to the next four.
P.S. "...the 250 feet-high sandstone Ridge of Camp Hill was the home of the local, Celtic tribespeople, the Brigantes. They fought naked and painted all over with blue woad.
Being attacked by hairy, naked, blue, ancient Scousers must have been terrifying for the invading Romans!"
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