Burscough to Leeds

[Burgiesburnin]

I have walked the section from Burscough towards Wigan and on to Leeds several times. It has not previously occurred to me to walk towards Liverpool. I have always just considered this section best avoided due to the potential for "conflict"

 

I know that you can come across trouble anywhere but would going towards Liveool to be looking for trouble and be best avoided?

 

 

Am I right or am I being unfair to the locals?

Edited April 27, 2012 by Burgiesburnin

[Alway Swilby]

I have walked the section from Burscough towards Wigan and on to Leeds several times. It has not previously occurred to me to walk towards Liverpool. I have always just considered this section best avoided due to the potential for "conflict"

 

I know that you can come across trouble anywhere but would going towards Liveool to be looking for trouble and be best avoided?

 

 

Am I right or am I being unfair to the locals?

We're going to do it on a boat in May. I'll let you know if we survive :-)

[Burgiesburnin]

We're going to do it on a boat in May. I'll let you know if we survive :-)

 

 

 

Great, please do. I hope that Liverpool have a good end to the season under King Kenny, if so, the locals will be kind to you I am sure.

[MartinClark]

I have walked the section from Burscough towards Wigan and on to Leeds several times. It has not previously occurred to me to walk towards Liverpool. I have always just considered this section best avoided due to the potential for "conflict"

 

I know that you can come across trouble anywhere but would going towards Liveool to be looking for trouble and be best avoided?

 

I think I have probably walked all or most of the route between Burscough and Liverpool. I have walked the last few miles, from Litherland, through Bootle, to Liverpool several times.

 

I didn't have any problems anywhere. This was during the daytime, mind you, and I should imagine it can become livelier in the evening, if the two cars in the water at the same place were anything to go by.

 

I don't think you should expect any more problems walking into Liverpool than you would find if you were walking into Birmingham, Leeds, Manchester, or any other large urban area.

[Pluto]

I have led L&LC Society walks in the Liverpool area on several occasions, as well as walking there by myself, and have never had any trouble. In the 1970s there were some problems, which accounts for this sections reputation, but things have improved greatly since then. Today, it is not really any different to other town or city canal lengths.

[cotswoldsman]

I have walked the section from Burscough towards Wigan and on to Leeds several times. It has not previously occurred to me to walk towards Liverpool. I have always just considered this section best avoided due to the potential for "conflict"

 

I know that you can come across trouble anywhere but would going towards Liveool to be looking for trouble and be best avoided?

 

 

Am I right or am I being unfair to the locals?

 

I did have to read your post twice to ensure I had read it properly!!!! I can't believe anyone would be concerned walking into Liverpool on the towpath. I have done the trip four times on my boat and have found the locals to be nothing but friendly as I have found in all major cities.

[Guest]

Great, please do. I hope that Liverpool have a good end to the season under King Kenny, if so, the locals will be kind to you I am sure.

 

Cough

 

It may have escaped your notice but there are two premiership teams in Liverpool,

 

(and those Everton fans are the ones to watch....or so I've heard...on the grapevine....or at least that's what I've been told)

[TheWilk]

Absolutely, if I hear you mention King Kenny I'll push you in myself!

 

The Burscough - Maghull stretch is really very rural and beautiful. Very nice on a sunny day. Am I right in thinking it includes the cutting where digging for the L&L began or is that in the other direction?

 

Once you hit Maghull it gets very urban very quickly. It's no better or worse than other urban canals although being a dead end and the fact you need a BW escort means you'll be lucky to see a boat (not impossible in the summer months though). There's good and bad points to this, I amused myself last time I cruised it by photographing all the graffiti which documents exactly who is the local grass, snitch or paedo But there's also some impressive history along the way and there's been a bit of an effort to put up information signs so it can be quite interesting. The locks on Vauxhall Road have been really well refurbished. Once you're there you're only another half an hour away from the Pier Head and that is REALLY impressive.

 

The only parts I'd avoid (or at least walk very quickly through) would be after dark: Litherland Tesco and Bootle New Strand. But in the daytime they'll be no bother at all.

[cotswoldsman]

 

The Burscough - Maghull stretch is really very rural and beautiful. Very nice on a sunny day. Am I right in thinking it includes the cutting where digging for the L&L began or is that in the other direction?

 

 

 

It was started at Halsall not far from Haskayne. There is a statue to commemorate the event

 

[MartinClark]

It's no better or worse than other urban canals although being a dead end and the fact you need a BW escort means you'll be lucky to see a boat

 

I think the use of the term "BW escort" is misleading and might help perpetuate the myth that this is a no-go area. BW staff do not "escort" boats through this section - they come along and open two swing bridges where busy main roads cross, then the next time you see them is when they come to work you through the locks.

[cotswoldsman]

I think the use of the term "BW escort" is misleading and might help perpetuate the myth that this is a no-go area. BW staff do not "escort" boats through this section - they come along and open two swing bridges where busy main roads cross, then the next time you see them is when they come to work you through the locks.

 

Good point.

[TheWilk]

yes, you're right, it just means boats can't roam freely on that stretch and travel in convoy.

[Burgiesburnin]

I did have to read your post twice to ensure I had read it properly!!!! I can't believe anyone would be concerned walking into Liverpool on the towpath. I have done the trip four times on my boat and have found the locals to be nothing but friendly as I have found in all major cities.

 

 

That's great, now I know then.

[smudge837]

I live 1 mile from litherland Tesco, my boys and I often cycle the canal route. It is a cracking run from Wigan. ring o bells is a very good stop over.

 

cheers Smudge

[Burgiesburnin]

I live 1 mile from litherland Tesco, my boys and I often cycle the canal route. It is a cracking run from Wigan. ring o bells is a very good stop over.

 

cheers Smudge

 

 

Great and thanks for that. A couple of years ago we would always park at the Bells and go from there. It seemed to change hands a lot and was often closed though. The started to park at The Pier and although that also seemed to change hands a lot it was always open.

[Burgiesburnin]

Cough

 

It may have escaped your notice but there are two premiership teams in Liverpool,

 

(and those Everton fans are the ones to watch....or so I've heard...on the grapevine....or at least that's what I've been told)

 

 

But Everton are having a much better season than dareds.

[CanalWalker]

I have never had any problems between Liverpool and Wigan, in fact never had any problems on any of the 127 miles of the canal. Plenty of signs that the towpath is used for drinking, but I assume that is well past my bedtime.