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The Leeds & Liverpool Canal - Overview

The Leeds & Liverpool Canal climbs away from the Lancashire plain into the Pennine hills east of the (Broad) Leigh Branch at Wigan. The main line goes on navigating up the famous Wigan 21 locks, through the once proud 'cotton towns' of Blackburn and Burnley where many of the old mills can still be seen. The
Foulridge summit level goes through some fine moorland scenery over the Pennine Hills, AKA 'the backbone of England'. After disappearing through the mile long Foulridge tunnel the Leeds and Liverpool Canal descends through remote and beautiful countryside to the ancient market town of Skipton, then out again into the fantastic Yorkshire Dales and onwards to the bustling metropolis of Leeds city and the heart of the West Riding of Yorkshire.

Pundits say allow at least a week to get from Liverpool to Leeds, we would say longer if you don't want to knacker yourself or your crew!

We have already mentioned the Leigh Branch but there is a second, Rufford Branch, which links the canal at Burscough with the River Ribble (and the Lancaster Canal) through the sea lock at the port of Tarleton. The 'Millennium' Ribble Link provides a link via the tidal River Ribble to the otherwise unconnected
Lancaster Canal.

• Leeds and Liverpool Canal Wigan to Liverpool and back