Date walked: 29th January 2016

Distance: around 8 miles

Map used (but not much): OS Explorer 275: Liverpool

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Our habit is to take a two-week holiday in the winter somewhere in Britain. Anne doesn’t really like leaving the country. We have been choosing cities, mostly, as they provide plenty of places to eat and things to do and see, though Anne would probably be satisfied by one trip to the cathedral and for the rest of the time to sit (or lie) and read. I am more restless and invariably do some walking.

Several people told us that Liverpool was a good base for such a holiday. Of course being winter, we know that the weather may suit Anne rather than me for our chosen activities. We had the most magical two weeks in Whitby a few years back when it was knee-deep in snow in town and waist deep in the countryside. In Liverpool, the winds blew at near gale-force for most of the time, rattling our windows overlooking the Mersey day and night.

In the C18th canals began to transform industry, people and places. Their scale of engineering was so great that when their function was largely displaced in the C19th by railways they were mostly  abandoned – the cost of either filling them in or finding a new use for them was just too expensive. In the C20th we found a new use for them as places to play about in boats. Paths at their side that would have been previously used by horses dragging barges have become footpaths and cycleways.

I love everything about canals.  When I walk by a canal I feel that I am in an open air museum. Whether in the open countryside or in the middle of cities, canals remain places where bird populations and other wildlife make their homes. Canals offer an endlessly fascinating glimpse into the back gardens and back streets of our towns and cities.

The first section of the canal was opened in 1773. It took 50 years to complete.  The canal competed successfully with the railways throughout the 19th century and remained open through the 20th century.

With one or two exceptions I am going to take a different approach in this post and just present a picture story of my walk. I knew very little of what I was looking at and remain as ignorant. This for me only added to the pleasure of the experience; I am hoping that you might feel the same way.

Photographed from the Leeds Liverpool canal between Vauxhall in Liverpool and Aintree, by Charles Hawes

On the 16th November 2015 a 16-year-old boy called Lewis Dunne was murdered on the canal path – shot in what reports suggest was some kind of local feud.

Memorial to Lewis Dunne, photographed from the Leeds Liverpool canal between Vauxhall in Liverpool and Aintree, by Charles Hawes

Memorial to Lewis Dunne, photographed from the Leeds Liverpool canal between Vauxhall in Liverpool and Aintree, by Charles Hawes

 

Photographed from the Leeds Liverpool canal between Vauxhall in Liverpool and Aintree, by Charles Hawes

This is the series of 5 locks that take the canal to reach the city centre and to allow it to link to the River Mersey.

Photographed from the Leeds Liverpool canal between Vauxhall in Liverpool and Aintree, by Charles Hawes

The building on the left is the Stanley Dock tobacco warehouse.

Photographed from the Leeds Liverpool canal between Vauxhall in Liverpool and Aintree, by Charles Hawes

It is said to be the world’s largest brick-built warehouse.

Photographed from the Leeds Liverpool canal between Vauxhall in Liverpool and Aintree, by Charles Hawes

There are plans to convert it into apartments and shops and many other smaller warehouses have been in recent years.

Photographed from the Leeds Liverpool canal between Vauxhall in Liverpool and Aintree, by Charles Hawes

Back to the canal…..

Photographed from the Leeds Liverpool canal between Vauxhall in Liverpool and Aintree, by Charles Hawes

Photographed from the Leeds Liverpool canal between Vauxhall in Liverpool and Aintree, by Charles Hawes

Photographed from the Leeds Liverpool canal between Vauxhall in Liverpool and Aintree, by Charles Hawes

Photographed from the Leeds Liverpool canal between Vauxhall in Liverpool and Aintree, by Charles Hawes

Photographed from the Leeds Liverpool canal between Vauxhall in Liverpool and Aintree, by Charles Hawes

Photographed from the Leeds Liverpool canal between Vauxhall in Liverpool and Aintree, by Charles Hawes

Photographed from the Leeds Liverpool canal between Vauxhall in Liverpool and Aintree, by Charles Hawes

Photographed from the Leeds Liverpool canal between Vauxhall in Liverpool and Aintree, by Charles Hawes

Photographed from the Leeds Liverpool canal between Vauxhall in Liverpool and Aintree, by Charles Hawes

Photographed from the Leeds Liverpool canal between Vauxhall in Liverpool and Aintree, by Charles Hawes

Photographed from the Leeds Liverpool canal between Vauxhall in Liverpool and Aintree, by Charles Hawes

Photographed from the Leeds Liverpool canal between Vauxhall in Liverpool and Aintree, by Charles Hawes

Photographed from the Leeds Liverpool canal between Vauxhall in Liverpool and Aintree, by Charles Hawes

Photographed from the Leeds Liverpool canal between Vauxhall in Liverpool and Aintree, by Charles Hawes

Photographed from the Leeds Liverpool canal between Vauxhall in Liverpool and Aintree, by Charles Hawes

Photographed from the Leeds Liverpool canal between Vauxhall in Liverpool and Aintree, by Charles Hawes

Photographed from the Leeds Liverpool canal between Vauxhall in Liverpool and Aintree, by Charles Hawes

Photographed from the Leeds Liverpool canal between Vauxhall in Liverpool and Aintree, by Charles Hawes

Photographed from the Leeds Liverpool canal between Vauxhall in Liverpool and Aintree, by Charles Hawes

Photographed from the Leeds Liverpool canal between Vauxhall in Liverpool and Aintree, by Charles Hawes

Photographed from the Leeds Liverpool canal between Vauxhall in Liverpool and Aintree, by Charles Hawes

Photographed from the Leeds Liverpool canal between Vauxhall in Liverpool and Aintree, by Charles Hawes

Photographed from the Leeds Liverpool canal between Vauxhall in Liverpool and Aintree, by Charles Hawes

Photographed from the Leeds Liverpool canal between Vauxhall in Liverpool and Aintree, by Charles Hawes

Photographed from the Leeds Liverpool canal between Vauxhall in Liverpool and Aintree, by Charles Hawes

Photographed from the Leeds Liverpool canal between Vauxhall in Liverpool and Aintree, by Charles Hawes

Photographed from the Leeds Liverpool canal between Vauxhall in Liverpool and Aintree, by Charles Hawes

Photographed from the Leeds Liverpool canal between Vauxhall in Liverpool and Aintree, by Charles Hawes

Photographed from the Leeds Liverpool canal between Vauxhall in Liverpool and Aintree, by Charles Hawes

Photographed from the Leeds Liverpool canal between Vauxhall in Liverpool and Aintree, by Charles Hawes

Photographed from the Leeds Liverpool canal between Vauxhall in Liverpool and Aintree, by Charles Hawes

Photographed from the Leeds Liverpool canal between Vauxhall in Liverpool and Aintree, by Charles Hawes

Photographed from the Leeds Liverpool canal between Vauxhall in Liverpool and Aintree, by Charles Hawes

Photographed from the Leeds Liverpool canal between Vauxhall in Liverpool and Aintree, by Charles Hawes

Photographed from the Leeds Liverpool canal between Vauxhall in Liverpool and Aintree, by Charles Hawes

Photographed from the Leeds Liverpool canal between Vauxhall in Liverpool and Aintree, by Charles Hawes

Photographed from the Leeds Liverpool canal between Vauxhall in Liverpool and Aintree, by Charles Hawes

Photographed from the Leeds Liverpool canal between Vauxhall in Liverpool and Aintree, by Charles Hawes

Photographed from the Leeds Liverpool canal between Vauxhall in Liverpool and Aintree, by Charles Hawes

Photographed from the Leeds Liverpool canal between Vauxhall in Liverpool and Aintree, by Charles Hawes

Photographed from the Leeds Liverpool canal between Vauxhall in Liverpool and Aintree, by Charles Hawes

Photographed from the Leeds Liverpool canal between Vauxhall in Liverpool and Aintree, by Charles Hawes

Photographed from the Leeds Liverpool canal between Vauxhall in Liverpool and Aintree, by Charles Hawes

Photographed from the Leeds Liverpool canal between Vauxhall in Liverpool and Aintree, by Charles Hawes

Photographed from the Leeds Liverpool canal between Vauxhall in Liverpool and Aintree, by Charles Hawes

Photographed from the Leeds Liverpool canal between Vauxhall in Liverpool and Aintree, by Charles Hawes

Photographed from the Leeds Liverpool canal between Vauxhall in Liverpool and Aintree, by Charles Hawes

Photographed from the Leeds Liverpool canal between Vauxhall in Liverpool and Aintree, by Charles Hawes

Photographed from the Leeds Liverpool canal between Vauxhall in Liverpool and Aintree, by Charles Hawes

Photographed from the Leeds Liverpool canal between Vauxhall in Liverpool and Aintree, by Charles Hawes

Photographed from the Leeds Liverpool canal between Vauxhall in Liverpool and Aintree, by Charles Hawes

Photographed from the Leeds Liverpool canal between Vauxhall in Liverpool and Aintree, by Charles Hawes

Photographed from the Leeds Liverpool canal between Vauxhall in Liverpool and Aintree, by Charles Hawes

Photographed from the Leeds Liverpool canal between Vauxhall in Liverpool and Aintree, by Charles Hawes

Photographed from the Leeds Liverpool canal between Vauxhall in Liverpool and Aintree, by Charles Hawes

Photographed from the Leeds Liverpool canal between Vauxhall in Liverpool and Aintree, by Charles Hawes

Photographed from the Leeds Liverpool canal between Vauxhall in Liverpool and Aintree, by Charles Hawes

Photographed from the Leeds Liverpool canal between Vauxhall in Liverpool and Aintree, by Charles Hawes

Photographed from the Leeds Liverpool canal between Vauxhall in Liverpool and Aintree, by Charles Hawes

Photographed from the Leeds Liverpool canal between Vauxhall in Liverpool and Aintree, by Charles Hawes

Photographed from the Leeds Liverpool canal between Vauxhall in Liverpool and Aintree, by Charles Hawes

Photographed from the Leeds Liverpool canal between Vauxhall in Liverpool and Aintree, by Charles Hawes

Photographed from the Leeds Liverpool canal between Vauxhall in Liverpool and Aintree, by Charles Hawes

Photographed from the Leeds Liverpool canal between Vauxhall in Liverpool and Aintree, by Charles Hawes

Photographed from the Leeds Liverpool canal between Vauxhall in Liverpool and Aintree, by Charles Hawes

It was here that I left the canal side. The Aintree Racecourse was just a mile up the road. I followed the road in the opposite direction to get the train back into Liverpool from the Old Roan train station.  I passed this club.  It seems like I have been an oldie for 35 years.

Leeds liverpool canal walk-79

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