This exhilarating walk over the Frodsham and Helsby Hills, taking in the quiet old village of Alvanley half way round, is about 6½ miles (10½ km) in length with a total ascent of about 900 ft (275 m). The countryside has plenty of variety with hills, woods, agricultural land, dramatic sandstone cliffs and extensive views. At Alvanley is the White Lion pub, where you can find quality food and drink. The going is fairly rough in a few places, where there are steep slopes, rocks or possible mud, so walking boots are strongly recommended.

The relevant Ordnance Survey 1:25000 Explorer map is No. 267. For further information on the locations visited, click on the images. See also ...

Start at the car park near the top of Beacon Hill [1]. The first part of the route follows the Sandstone Trail, a 34 mile (55 km) route south over the high ground of the Central Cheshire Ridge. Turn right out of the car park and a little way down the lane take the clearly signposted path that descends to the left. Cross the golf course straight ahead keeping an eye out for golfers. On reaching the other side, go left and you are at the top of Dunsdale with Jacob's Ladder [2] (see later - not recommended as a route for descent) on the right. Go steeply down the steps ahead into Dunsdale, which is an impressive amphitheatre bounded by sandstone cliffs. At the bottom of Jacob's Ladder, go left signposted Delamere Forest. Cross a small bridge to reach the rocks of Abraham's Leap [3], where you go right up an easy scramble to emerge at the top of Dunsdale.

Follow the path ahead through the trees on Woodhouse Hill to reach a fine cliff-top viewpoint [4] by a bench. Bear left up the hill where you will find the remains of Woodhouse Hill Fort [5], an Iron Age relic, at the top. Follow the path around the left hand edge of the fort. Where the path branches at the start of Snidley Moor Wood, go downhill to the right to emerge eventually on The RidgeWay by a caravan park [6]. Turn left up The RidgeWay and very shortly take the path up the steps to the right signposted Delamere Forest. Descend the hill and go left along the edge of the trees. Cross a bridge and stile and keep to the left hand side of the next field. Cross another stile and keep to the left of the fields to emerge onto Commonside.

Go along Commonside to the right to a clearly signed path on the left just before a white cottage on the right. Go over a stile a short way ahead on the left hand side of the field and head diagonally across the next field to a gate. Go through and again head diagonally across the field on a clear path to a gate. You meet the Longster Trail here and follow it to the left. The way is marked but indistinct. You need to aim for an eventual stile over an electric fence. Finally you emerge on Manley Road and follow it to the right into Alvanley. The White Lion pub [7], which serves excellent food and beers, is on the left, the Church of St. John the Evangelist on the right.

Follow Manley Road and then turn right into Frodsham Road. Go straight through at the crossroads into Tarvin Road. As the road starts to descend you soon come to a path on the left signposted Hill Road and Helsby Hill. Go over a stile and eventually turn right through a gate. Go up to the nearby lane (Hill Road North) and turn left. Follow the lane to its end and then go straight ahead through a gate onto a broad track beside a duck pond. A short way along, turn right signposted Hill Top and proceed directly to the trig point at the top of Helsby Hill with a gradually opening panorama over the Cheshire Plain towards the Welsh hills.

On reaching the top of Helsby Hill [8] at 476 ft (145 m) you suddenly see the full panorama of the Mersey estuary and the Liverpool skyline and the ground seems to vanish ahead. Tread carefully up to the edge of the cliffs and you will see that it doesn't only seem to vanish. Descend by the path to the right, which follows the edge of the cliffs displaying some impressive drops and overhangs. Where the path forks, go steeply down to the left and then keep on ahead. Eventually cross a stile and follow the sign for Hill Road North. To the left, you have a good view of Woodhouse Hill and the first section of the walk. You eventually reach a hard surfaced section and then turn left onto Hill Road North.

At the bottom of Hill Road North, turn left onto Bates Lane. Some way along on the right turn onto a footpath between houses signposted Woodhouses and Frodsham. Go over a stile and straight across the field to another. Cross this and keep straight ahead on a narrow path between hedges and then over a field. A further stile leads to a small bridge over a stream and then a lane rising to Tarvin Road. Go left along Tarvin Road and then immediately right up a lane. At the top, go left through a gate and follow the lower boundary of the woods for some way. Eventually you reach the lower end of Dunsdale. Keep on ahead up the steep path with intermittent steps. Go sharp right at the top along the broad path following the side of the valley, eventually alongside some sheer sandstone cliffs. At the end of the cliffs is the foot of Jacob's Ladder. This is a fairly easy scramble for those used to scrambling. If you are not, don't attempt it, but go up the steps you descended earlier. The hand and foot holds on Jacob's Ladder are severely eroded and there are vertical drops to the left. The trickiest part, however, is near the bottom, so you can safely turn back from here if necessary. Once past this short stretch, the remainder presents no real difficulty, but the rock is still worn and extreme care is needed. Once at the top, by whichever route, retrace your steps to the start.