The Sankey Canal connects St Helens with the River Mersey. It was opened in 1757, subsequently extended to Widnes, and was the first canal of the Industrial Revolution built in Great Britain. Built to carry coal from the St Helens coalfield to the River Mersey, it helped drive the rapid growth of St Helens and Widnes, attracting collieries, glassworks, and chemical industries along its banks.
Since the 1980s, The Sankey Canal Restoration Society (SCRS) have worked tirelessly to restore and reimagine the canal and its surroundings. Most of the canal corridor is accessible on foot and by cycle using well-surfaced towpaths including the Sankey Valley Trail (St Helens to Sankey Bridges) and the Trans Pennine Trail (Sankey Bridges to Widnes).
Starting at 'The Hotties' in St Helens town centre, the trail follows the canal and Sankey Brook through Newton and towards Warrington before heading alongside the river Mersey to Spike Island near Widnes. Points of interest include:
- The Glass Cone House at the World of Glass Museum
- The Old Double Lock at Blackbrook, the first lock staircase in England
- Sankey Viaduct also know as 'Nine Arches'
- Old Bewsey Hall
https://scrs.uk/
https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2023/nov/15/meresyside-canal-towpath-20-mile-walk-industrial-revolution-merseyside
