Canal heritage trail at Sefton
SEFTON’S fascinating canal history has been unlocked in a heritage trail created by volunteers from the Canal & River Trust.
The trail follows the route of the 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 the Canal & River Trust 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, and was launched recently with a special guided walk.
The trust plans to add QR codes along the trail over the next few months, making it easier to access the website links.
This is just one of a number of activities planned by the trust through its Community Roots programme, which is supported by players of People’s Postcode Lottery.
Sefton community roots co-ordinator 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.”
A virtual map of the Sefton Canal Heritage Trail archive can be seen at https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/