Afoot and light-hearted I take to the open road,
Healthy, free, the world before me,
The long brown path before me leading wherever I choose.
Henceforth I ask not good-fortune, I myself am good-fortune,
Henceforth I whimper no more, postpone no more, need nothing,
Done with indoor complaints, libraries, querulous criticisms,
Strong and content I travel the open road.
- Walt Whitman, ‘Song of the Open Road’
Introduction
The Leeds and Liverpool Canal is the longest canal in Northern England at 127 miles. It passes through 91 locks with a summit level of 487 feet. The towpath offers a great long distance walk, from the banks of the Mersey in Liverpool through superb scenery to the very centre of Leeds. In March 2009, with the opening of the canal link at Liverpool’s Pier Head, I decided to attempt the walk.
Stages
- Stage 1: Liverpool to Bootle
- Stage 2: Aintree to Downholland
- Stage 3: Downholland to Halsall
- Stage 4: Halsall to Parbold
- Stage 5: Parbold to Wigan top lock
- Stage 6: Wigan to Blackburn
- Stage 7: Blackburn to Clayton-le-Moors
- Stage 8: Accrington, Burnley and Nelson
- Stage 9: Nelson to East Marton
- Stage 10: East Marton to Skipton
- Stage 11: Skipton to Saltaire
- Stage 12: Saltaire to Leeds
- Envoi
Links
- Liverpool Canal Link website
- Liverpool canal link: a virtual journey
- Leeds & Liverpool canal: Pennine Waterways
- Canal Link route: Pennine Waterways
- Towpath treks: blog of one who has decided to walk or cycle the length of the Leeds – Liverpool Cana
- Walking along the Leeds & Liverpool Canal
- The Leeds & Liverpool Canal in photographs: an online journal in words and photos documenting our walk along the Leeds & Liverpool Canal.
[...] Canal walks [...]