Shall we let you into a secret?

Bulkeley Hill, with its soft woodland and peaceful views, is our favourite Sandstone Trail walk.

Moving over red sandy lanes, stretching fields and ancient forest, it unites all the best features of Cheshire's countryside, and, although a bit further from Frodsham, is a must for all keen walkers.

There is parking available at the end of the Cheshire Candle Workshops car park on Barracks Lane in Burwardsley.

• Leave the Cheshire Candle Workshops car park and take the first right off Barracks Lane onto Sarra Lane, which cuts behind a house and towards a crossroads of sorts.

• Cross over onto Rock Lane, and follow it up and behind The Pheasant Inn. After about 300 metres, the road forks. Keep to the right and follow the lane up until it becomes a woodland track.

• When the path begins to dip downwards and you see a pine tree plantation on one side, turn right to head towards the Peckforton Estate.

Further down the original footpath lies The Elephant Track. This cobbled lane is an old packhorse and salters' way, which provided a shortcut between Cheshire's 'wiches' (salt towns) and the bridges over the River Dee to Wales.

• As you approach a gate signposted 'Peckforton Estate', turn right again onto a narrow footpath. At this time of year, this route is likely to be very boggy, so make you're not wearing your best shoes!

• This path eventually opens out onto an area of thinner, lighter woodland, where the path becomes vague, giving you a chance to explore.

• Reaching the boundary of the forest, look out for some stone steps down into a shadowy sunken pathway.

• Once down the steps, turn left. The path skirts the edge of several fields before reaching the road, where you should turn left once again.

• Passing in front of an old gatehouse, you will see two entrances into the forest: one descending, one ascending.

Take the latter towards the National Trust's Bulkeley Hill – being sure to look behind you for lovely views over to Wales and Liverpool in the distance – and start climbing.

• There are a couple of well trodden footpaths up to the top of the Hill, so you can choose whichever takes your fancy.

• As you near the top, you might catch snatches of fields and meandering lanes peeking through the trees. Then, suddenly, the view will open out to reveal the eastern expanses of the Cheshire Plain, reaching towards the Peak District, Cannock Chase and the Pennines.

• The path then traces the southern spine of the Mid Cheshire Ridge before tumbling steeply down to the field level once again.

While you walk, you might notice a tank sitting to your right. This is Bulkeley Hill Reservoir, which was constructed using 'Cheshire's Steepest Railway', a narrow gauge rope-hauled track whose remains lie to your left.

• As the ground levels and the trees begin to fall away, bear right onto a straight path across a maize field.

• At the edge of this, you will reach another small crossroads, where you should turn right to leave the Sandstone Trail and join a pleasant dirt track lane.

• Treating you to great rolling views out to Liverpool as you go, this path will eventually return to the gatehouse marking the entrance to Bulkeley Hill Wood.

• Instead of retracing your steps back across the fields and woods, walk down Fowlers Bench Lane.

• When the road bends sharply to the right, follow it, climbing up a gentle hill and back to the first crossroads of the walk.

• Turn left onto Sarra Lane and head back to Cheshire Candle Workshops and your car.

If you enjoyed this Weekend Walk, you might want to try another!

Beeston Castle

Peckforton