Take a stroll down memory lane during walking festival
During May, Wirral residents are invited to get moving with the Wirral Walking Festival, an annual event highlighting a range of interactive walks and activities across the borough.
From sauntering strolls to hardy hikes, there’s something for everyone to enjoy during the programme of events co-ordinated by Wirral Council’s Active Wirral Wellbeing Team.
Major features in this annual series are the Oxton History Walks which offer residents and visitors the chance to delve into a wealth of local stories, salacious and otherwise, while enjoying the fresh air and getting moving.
We caught up with Paul Smith, one of the Oxton History Society’s walk leaders, to learn a bit more about what walkers can expect on one of the groups’ history walks during the festival.
Paul, 71, lives in Oxton. He’d always had an interest in history so when he retired, joining the Oxton History Society was a natural next step.
Paul said:
Back when I started the group had two routes, now we have five, one of which is dedicated to the women of Oxton. I became a walk leader and organiser of our yearly calendar, coordinating dates for our walks in all seasons.
Teeming with titbits, the walks cover everything from the geology of Oxton and Wirral, to more recent history including architecture, street names and local pubs.
Paul jokes:
I always like to start with the Ice Age onwards! We talk about local geology and how it shaped our towns, then we speed up and get to how the village developed.
We have lots of interesting street names that usually interest people. Price’s lane was named after Thomas Price, who lived in the village and was the local cow keeper. Fairclough Lane was named after a Mr Fairclough, a local builder.
And there’s a whole host of streets that link back to the Earl of Shrewsbury who used to own the village of Oxton – locals will be familiar with Shrewsbury, Chetwynd, Alton, Ingestre, Wexford and Beresford Roads – all to do with his titles.
Attendees may also hear about some of the more dishonourable tales including two murders, and pubs that only served men.
Paul said:
Up to the late 60s if you were visiting the Queen's Arms pub as a woman, you couldn’t order a pint, only a half served in a ‘ladies’ glass – and you definitely couldn’t order it yourself as they only served men. It sounds ridiculous now but thankfully times have really changed!
Walks begin at a meeting point in or around Oxton. They’re accessible to anyone who is old enough and able enough to walk and can manage on some uneven pavements and unmade roads.
Paul said:
The walks are around two miles long but we stop to chat a lot about historic features and stories and show old photos so, we take a leisurely pace which means that they are suitable for most abilities.
There are five walks from the Oxton History Society taking place during the Wirral Walking Festival 2025. Spaces are available on all walks, taking place on the following dates:
- Saturday 3 May – Oxton History Walk – West
- Saturday 10 May – Oxton History Walk – Williamson
- Saturday 17 May – Oxton History Walk – Women of Oxton
- Saturday 24 May – Oxton History Walk – Arno
- Saturday 31 May – Oxton History Walk – East
If you’re interested in joining a walk, booking is essential. Email oxtonbooks@yahoo.co.uk or call 07734558411 to reserve your space. All of these walks are free, but donations are welcome.
Timings, meeting points and details on how to book any of the events during the festival can be accessed via the full programme, available at: Wirral Walking Festival 2025 | Visit Wirral.
