When I walked the Sandstone Trail as teenager I did it south to north. I didn’t remember arriving in Frodsham and it became clear why when reading the guidebook. The trail has been extended by about a mile at each end to link up to towns with stations. Coming down off Overton Hill I was wandering through some woodland which leads off to Beacon Hill, the old end of the trail. The extension is a good thing. I distinctly remember arriving at Beacon Hill to discover nothing there.

Once out of the woods I came across Austerson Old Hall. How old the old hall is varies depending on who you listen to with the 15th, 16th and 17th centuries being mentioned. An architect, Jim Brotherhood, bought the remains of the hall and rebuilt it 30 miles away. This sounds exactly like one of those TV programmes my mum watches with Geordie George. Except this was in the 1970’s. A man ahead of his time.

The view out over Alvanley was pretty good. Cows were evident throughout the trail.