other canalsabout canal menulinks and booksblog
mapbutton
 
Wigan top Lock | Red Rock | Adlington | Botany Bay | Walton Summit Branch
 

City of Liverpool

 

Dock Link

 

Stanley Dock Branch

 

Liverpool
0-3 miles

 

Bootle to Melling
3-12 miles

 

Maghull to Burscough
12- 24 miles

 

Rufford Branch

 

Burscough to Wigan
24 - 34 miles

 

Wigan
34 - 37 miles

 

Leigh Branch

 

Former Lancaster Canal South
37-47miles

 

Johnson's Hillock to Cherry Tree
47 - 54 miles

 

Blackburn
54-59 miles


Towpath Treks


 The Leeds & Liverpool Canal

Lancaster Canal South Section

The Leeds & Liverpool Canal between Wigan Top Lock and Johnson's Hillock Locks was originally the southern section of the Lancaster Canal.

 

City of Leeds

 

Leeds
127.25 miles

 

Shipley to Leeds
115 -125 miles

 

Stockbridge to Shipley
109 -115 miles

 

Skipton to Stockbidge
99 - 109 miles

 

Gargrave to Skipton
93 -99 miles

 

Greenberfield to Gargrave
87 - 93 miles

 

Foulridge to Greenberfield
82-87 miles

 

Burnley Lane to Foulridge Tunnel
75 -82 miles

 

Burnley
71-75 miles

 

Rishton, Church and Hapton
59 - 71 miles


Click on the photographs to see a larger image and more information
Leeds Liverpool Canal Wigan Wigan Top Lock
At the top of the Wigan flight of locks is a T-Junction. To the right of the locks is a bridge and the end of the old Lancaster Canal South Part. To the left is the canal up to Johnsons Hillock Locks. At the junction there are BW facilities for boaters.
Monk Bridge #59 Monk Bridge #59 Wigan Top Lock BW Sanitary Station
View from Monk Hall Bridge #59 looking east Looking from Monk Hall Bridge towards the junction of the Lancaster Canal South and the Leeds & Liverpool Canal Junction of Leeds & Liverpool Canal (on right) with the Lancaster Canal. Monk Hall Bridge #59 straight ahead. BWB facilities, shower, toilet, water, refuse and waste disposal. BWB key needed for these facilities.  
Canal at Wigan #59B Shedfield Bridge Leeds Liverpool Canal Milepost LLCCo Stone
Looking towards the end of the former Lancaster Canal section Shedfield Bridge #59B Milepost
 LPool 38 Miles
 Leeds 89¼ Miles
Leeds & Liverpool Canal Company Boundary Stone
Bench Mark Masons Mark Haigh Park Bridge #60 Sennicar Bridge #61
Benchmark Masons Mark From Haigh Park Bridge #60 Sennicar Bridge #61
Leeds Liverpool Canal Milepost Pendlebury Row Pendlebury Bridge #61 Canal at Red Rock

MilePost
LPool 39 Miles 
Leeds 88¼ Miles

The Douglas Valley
Formerly Pendlebury Row canal cottages
Pendlebury Bridge #61 Canal at Red Rock
Canal at Red Rock Red Rock Bridge #63
Car parking by Red Rock Bridge #63 Red Rock Bridge #63 TV Mast on the hill Aqueduct over disused Railway Line
Leeds Liverpool Canal Milepost Leeds Liverpool Canal Arley Bridge #64 Arley Hall
MilePost
 LPOOL 40 Miles
 LEEDS 87¼ Miles
Wooded Canal Arley Bridge #64 The moated Arley Hall
Canal Reflections Weavers Bridge #65 Sheep by the Canal Leeds Liverpool Canal Milepost
Reflections on the canal Weavers Bridge #65 Sheep by the canal MilePost
 LPool 41 Miles
 Leeds 86¼ Miles
Canal Reflections Waterhouse Bridge #67 Waterhouse Bridge #67 Waterhouse Bridge #67
Canal Reflections Waterhouse Bridge #67 Waterhouse Bridge #67 View from Waterhouse Bridge #67
Adlington
Adlington was a coal mining town for many years. Ellerbeck Colliery was owned by the Adlington Coal Company. There is a large marina by White Bear Bridge.
Red House Bridge #68 Red House Bridge #68 Leeds Liverpool Canal Milepost The Bridge
Red House Bridge #68 Red House Bridge #68 MilePost
 LPool 42 Miles
 Leeds 85¼ Miles
The Bridge
Adlington
Adlington Marina White Bear Marina    
White Bear Marina Adlington White Bear Marina Adlington    
Leeds Liverpool Canal Leeds Liverpool Canal Milepost
Canal Reflections Looking towards Rawlinson Bridge #71 MilePost
 LPool 43 Miles
 Leeds 84¼ Miles
Boat Hire
Railway Embankment Idle Bridge #72 Chorley Rd #72a Giles Bridge #73
the old railway embankment from Ellerbeck Colliery Idle Bridge #72 Chorley Rd #72a  Giles Bridge #73
Leeds Liverpool Canal Milepost Leeds Liverpool Canal Milepost Bridge #74A Bridge #74A
milepost L'Pool 44 Miles
Leeds 83¼ Miles
#74A #74A
Bridge #74A Barracks Bridge #75 Barracks Bridge #75 Cowling Bridge
#74A Barracks Bridge #75 Barracks Bridge #75 Cowling Bridge #75A
Aqueduct Crosse Hall Bridge #76
L'Pool 45 Miles
Leeds 82¼ Miles
Aqueduct Aqueduct Crosse Hall Bridge #76
Workhouse Bridge From Street Bridge #77A Bagganley Bridge #78
Workhouse Bridge
#77
Froom Street Bridge #77A Bagganley Bridge
#78
L'Pool 46 Miles
Leeds 81¼ Miles
Botany Bay
Formerly known as Knowley Moss this area gained its new name with the coming of the canal. The area was a base for the navvies building the Lancaster Canal, locals likened it to the Botany Bay penal colony in Australia. After the canals construction mills were developed here. The Blackburn Railway viaduct which once crossed the canal here was demolished in 1968.
Lock and Quay Botany Bay Botany Bay Botany Bay
Lock & Quay
Botany Bay
Botany Bay Botany Bay Boatyard Botany Bay
Leeds Liverpool Canal Milepost Johnsons Hillock Malthouse Farm  
MilePost
 LPool 47 Miles
 Leeds 80¼ Miles
Johnsons Hillock The Malthouse Farm
Walton Summit Branch

The original plan was for the north and south sections of the Lancaster Canal to be linked with an aqueduct over the River Ribble. This proved to be too expensive and an alternative was found. Instead of the stone aqueduct a wooden bridge was built in 1803 to link the two sections of canal via a network of tramroads. At Walton Summit the barges would stop at quaysides and their loads would be transfered to the tramway which would take the cargo down to the bridge and over to the Lancaster Canal.

The branch canal between the junction with the Leeds & Liverpool Canal and the Summit terminus originally had a 259 yard tunnel which, following a collapse, is now two shorter tunnels with a cutting between them. The branch was last used in the 1930s and fell into disrepair. The building of the M61 and a housing estate has wiped out most of the canal but there are still parts of the canal remaining. The tunnel entrance, a culvert under the canal and some bridges remain.

Canal Junction Walton Summit Branch Walton Summit Branch End of the Walton Summit Branch
The Junction with the Walton Summit Branch From the Junction Bridge The end of the canal seen from above The end of the canal
Canal Pub
Formerly the Navigation Inn The line of the canal Culvert Canal Cutting
Walton Summit Tunnel Walton Summit Tunnel Moss Bridge, Walton Summit Branch Moss Bridge
Inside the Tunnel Tunnel Entrance Moss Bridge Moss Bridge
Moss Bridge, Walton Summit Branch Moss Bridge, Walton Summit Branch Bridge, Walton Summit Branch Summit Bridge, Walton Summit Branch
Moss Bridge Former Canal Basin Former Bridge Summit Bridge
Leeds Liverpool Canal  Johnsons Hillock
 

 

   

copyright © 20015 www.towpathtreks.co.uk last updated: 06-Jul-2011