A walk along the Leeds Liverpool Canal in Wigan

Hello friends. Early this morning we took a stroll along the canal before the weather got too hot for Syd the dog. The Leeds Liverpool canal covers 127 miles and crosses the Pennines. There are a total of 91 locks along the main line. Construction began in 1770 and the canal was completed in 1816. 

The Wigan section of the canal was one of the first to be built such was the importance of the area due to the amount of coal being brought up from underground. In its day the Wigan coalfield was the most productive coalfield in the world and much of that coal needed to be carried to the docks at Liverpool. The construction of the canal allowed the coal to be loaded on to canal barges and shipped across the country ready for export to fuel the British empire and the industrial revolution. So come with me and Syd along our local stretch of the canal and lets see what we can find.

We start behind the DW stadium. The stadium seats 25,000 people and was opened in 1999. It is the home ground for both Wigan Warriors Rugby League club and Wigan Athletic Football club.

Moving towards Wigan town centre. Syd often has to wait for me to catch up with her.

A little watering hole to keep Syd cool and refreshed.

The first of many bridges on the walk.

The Wigan Pier complex in the distance.

The Orwell pub which is named after George Orwell (Eric Blair) who famously wrote about the area in his book 'The Road to Wigan Pier'

This is the last remaining pier at Wigan. Here the coal would have been loaded onto the waiting barges.

A statue of a 'Pit Brow Lass.' Many of the women of Wigan were employed in the coal industry. They worked above ground sorting coal.

One can feel the energy in this place. During the industrial revolution this place would have been a hive of activity.

Some local history about life on the canal.

Leaving the pier complex behind as we head under another bridge.

Here are landing stages for narrowboat owners.

A canal lock filling up for the next narrowboat on the canal.

Modern offices and apartments constructed by the canal side.

We've watched these ducks grow up over the last few months.

A new bridge built in 2006.

Underneath an older bridge approaching a flight of locks.

This flight of locks is one of the best examples in the country. It is known as top locks and is a flight of 23 broad beam locks that lower the canal by 50 metres.

Many more locks to climb up for the narrowboats.

Taller locks take longer to fill and often have basin areas nearby to allow narrowboats to queue up to use the locks.

Here the depth of the lock can be seen. It takes all day for a narrowboat to navigate this stretch of locks.

Thanks for coming along on our tour of this section of the Leeds Liverpool canal. I hope you found it interesting.

Have a wonderful day friends.

STEEMONKEY🐒