A stroll to Hale Lighthouse on the Mersey from the village famous for its giant
John Middleton, the so-called Childe of Hale, was an agricultural worker famed for his incredible height and strength.
He was born in 1578 and was claimed to be nine foot three inches tall, four inches more than the verified record height for a human being, though Guinness World Records calculate a more plausible seven foot nine from a supposedly life-sized impression of his handspan.
Whatever his true height, Middleton was clearly a formidable figure. He became a bodyguard to the sheriff of Lancashire and once beat King James I’s wrestling champion. Middleton’s story didn’t end happily, as his prize – a princely £20 – was stolen during his return to Hale and he died in poverty in his mid-40s.
The tiny thatched cottage where he was said to have slept with his feet through a window survives, as does his final resting place in the nearby graveyard of St Mary’s Church.
Now in Halton, Hale Head was the southernmost point of the traditional county of Lancashire in the days when the Mersey formed the border with Cheshire. It was a favourite haunt of the young Paul McCartney and his brother Mike, who used to cycle here from their home in nearby Speke.
Childhood memories of this countryside inspired Paul’s beautiful song Mother Nature’s Son, from the 'White Album' of 1968. The lighthouse is still a focus for local explorers.
On a bright day its worn red rocks offer sweeping views over the sparkling channels and gleaming mudflats of the Mersey estuary to the industrialised southern bank and the wooded hills above Frodsham and Helsby.
The current white-painted lighthouse was built in 1906 and was a target for Luftwaffe bombers during the Second World War.
It was decommissioned and sold into private ownership in the Fifties as the Upper Mersey silted up and boat traffic declined; a modern bungalow replaced the former keeper’s cottage. The Grade II listed lighthouse was recently repainted and temporarily re-lit in June to celebrate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.
Hale Park is an extensive public area within the former grounds of Hale Hall. The hall was the home of John Middleton’s employer, Sir Gilbert Ireland. Ireland’s grandson (also Sir Gilbert) refurbished the building in 1674 and it was further extended in the early 19th century but abandoned before the Second World War.
The last ruins of the house were demolished in the early 1980s although relics of the estate survive, including the walled garden and the Victorian icehouse where ice from an adjacent pond was hoarded in winter and used to keep food fresh throughout the year in the days before electric refrigeration.
1. From Hale Park walk out between the gateposts to the war memorial at the centre of the village. Turn right and walk down Church End, past the Childe of Hale pub. Ignoring the turning to Church End Mews on the left, continue down the road past John Middleton’s cottage after 100 metres, and shortly after that the sculpture of the giant in front of the Manor House, a former vicarage with an impressive façade that inspired a poem by John Betjeman. Beyond the manor and statue, our route continues down Within Way on the left, but you’ll probably want to continue to the church to see Middleton’s grave.
2. Stroll down Within Way to a barrier beyond the last buildings, and continue along the hedged track beyond. Views to the Silver Jubilee Bridge at Runcorn quickly open up on your left. After a little under half a mile, the track kinks right and left and continues towards the Mersey – ignore a private track off to the right.
3. When you reach a gate overlooking the estuary, turn right, with the foreshore on your left and fields on your right. Follow the path for three-quarters of a mile to the lighthouse. On my reconnaissance walk in July, the wildflower strips planted along the field edges in this section were stunning, and much appreciated by bees and butterflies. We saw Reed Warblers flitting through the reed tops here, and there’s always the chance of something interesting flying by, or out on the mud and sandbanks of the mighty estuary.
4. For a shorter walk, you can turn right at the lighthouse and walk directly back to the village. But our route continues through the gate on the opposite side of the drive, past some interpretation boards. The path continues in a similar vein to that before the lighthouse, with the reedy foreshore on your left and fields on your right. Cross a footbridge after half a mile and continue along the edge of the estuary towards Liverpool Airport.
5. A finger of woodland touches the estuary after a further third of a mile. This is Icehouse Plantation, and it’s where we leave the shore. Turn right after a wooden fingerpost and follow an obvious path inland, within a narrow ribbon of woodland. There are views over the fields on your right back to the lighthouse on occasion.
6. After a quarter of a mile, you pass a couple of ponds; to the right of the second is the old icehouse that gives the wood its name. Shortly afterwards, cross a track into more woodland, and keep left of the old walled garden of Hale Hall. This shady path leads alongside the recreation ground and through a gate to a driveway, where you turn left. Cross Hale Park back to your car.
The Childe of Hale
The Childe of Hale is a checkerboard brick pub in the centre of the village. Licensees Donna Goodyear and Alan Gibbs have been in charge for 30 years – they are, as Donna says laughingly, 'part of the furniture' in this close-knit community. Numerous village groups use the function room for meetings, and the pub boasts its own bowling green, hosting three teams (though guests are welcome).
Donna sums up the Childe of Hale’s ethos as 'family-friendly, food-led'. The food is indeed extremely good value, most mains coming in at under £10 and light bites under £7 with some sandwiches and starters less than a fiver.
The menu tends towards the traditional, with grills, burgers and Sunday roasts featuring prominently but on the day we visited there were katsu curry specials on offer alongside the usual pub favourites.
Perhaps attracted by the prices and the ample parking, the pub is popular with walking groups. Donna strongly advises groups to book in advance to avoid disappointment. Meals can be pre-booked to avoid delays.
There are generally two real ales on offer: regular Greene King IPA and a guest that changes every week or so. Cocktails are also a speciality.
There is an artificial turf garden to the side of the building with outdoor tables for sunny days and plenty of space inside the building, where leather sofas and wood-burning stoves lend a relaxed and comfortable air to the multi-roomed interior. Dogs are welcome anywhere apart from the restaurant areas – owners who wish to eat can do so in the bar areas.
Compass Points
Area of walk: Hale, Halton
Start point: Hale Park car park L24 4EA (entrance opposite Hale Post Office).
Distance: 3½ miles
Time to allow: 2 hours
Map: OS Explorer 275: Liverpool
Refreshments: Childe of Hale facebook.com/childeofhale 0151 425 2954
Practicalities: Level, with no stiles. Paths, especially in the woods, may be muddy after rain. Can be shortened to 3 miles by returning via Lighthouse Road.
