New Sefton Canal trail launched

Sefton’s fascinating canal history has been unlocked in a new heritage trail created by our volunteers.

About the trail

The trail follows the route of the 200-year-old Leeds & Liverpool Canal from Litherland to Bootle, a distance of just under two miles. Participants can complete the trail in about 45 minutes by linking into local history information and old photos on our website, via their phones as they move along the canal.

The historical research was a lockdown project produced over the last two years by two local history enthusiasts, Rachel Rick and Marian McQueen. Our two volunteers will be passing on their knowledge first hand when they launch the trail with a special 90 minute guided walk on Saturday 26 March, starting from Litherland at 10am. The walk is free but places need to be booked in advance.

We plan to add QR codes along the trail over the next few months, making it easier to access the website links.

Restoring some balance

Our Sefton community roots coordinator Sam Marine said: “Our two volunteers have done a brilliant job in researching the fascinating history of the canal in this area. There has been a huge amount written about Liverpool over the years, but this length through Sefton is sometimes overlooked in favour of its more famous big city neighbour.

“We are delighted to restore some balance by creating this trail and we hope it will give people a reason to come out and get a fresh perspective on their local waterway. Thanks to players of People's Postcode Lottery this spring, the Canal & River Trust will also have a range of activities for local residents to engage in, including our popular Let's Walk, Let's Cycle and Let's Paddle sessions. Research shows that people feel happier and healthier by water, so we'd love to help them make new discoveries on their doorstep.”

The Sefton Canal Heritage Trail archive can be seen via our story maps website.