After travelling through extremely attractive fields and woodland for a considerable distance, and then passing over a green lane connecting Guilden Sutton Lane with the A56 Warrington Road, our route along the course of the old railway is abruptly blocked by a stout metal fence bearing a sign declaring 'bridge closed'.

This iron bridge, currently badly neglected with much of its wooden decking missing, carried the Mickle Trafford railway over the (still functioning) line connecting Chester with Helsby, Frodsham and Runcorn, which can be seen in the photograph on the right- and which we will meet again shortly at the end of our stroll....

Just after passing under this derelict bridge, the line sends off a branch to Delamere and Northwich.