A major new 200-mile walking and cycling trail linking some of the North West’s most spectacular landscapes and heritage sites has been given the green light – and it will cross into Warrington thanks to lottery funding.
The LCR Ringway will create a huge circular route connecting communities across the Liverpool City Region with countryside, coastline, canals, waterways and historic sites – with a small section of the route extending into the borough of Warrington.
The ambitious project has secured £245,000 from The National Lottery Heritage Fund, thanks to National Lottery players, with additional funding coming from the Peak and Northern Footpaths Society.
The route will link all six Liverpool City Region local authority areas – Liverpool, Knowsley, St Helens, Sefton, Wirral and Halton – as well as parts of west Cheshire and west Lancashire and the Warrington section.
Starting beneath Liverpool’s iconic Liver Building at the Pier Head, the trail will eventually make its way around the region before finishing at Hamilton Square in Birkenhead.
It will be divided into 20 stages, with the start and finish of each stage connected to public transport. Stage 16 will include the Bridgewater Canal in Warrington.
That means walkers and cyclists will be able to tackle individual sections of the route rather than having to take on the entire 200 miles.
The project team hopes work will be completed in time for Stage 2 of the 2027 Tour de France, which arrives in the Liverpool City Region on Saturday, July 3.
Green waymarkers will identify the walking route, while brown signs will mark the cycling sections.
Wherever possible, the Ringway will use existing footpaths, cycle routes, parks and open-access land.
For Warrington residents, the project could provide another opportunity to explore the wider region on foot or by bike while also linking the town into a much larger network of walking and cycling routes.
The trail is designed to showcase the extraordinary variety of landscapes across the Liverpool City Region and west Cheshire, from open countryside and farmland to woodland, coastline, canals and estuaries.
Among the major heritage attractions along the wider route will be the Sankey Canal, described as the world’s oldest modern canal, dating back to 1757.
Other highlights include Stanley Lock Flight, Stanley Dock Tobacco Warehouse, Maghull Hall Swing Bridge, Leasowe Lighthouse, the World of Glass Museum in St Helens and the National Waterways Museum at Ellesmere Port.
The route will also take in some of the region’s best-known natural landscapes.
These include Crosby Beach, Ainsdale Sands National Nature Reserve, Fulwood Way, Spike Island in Widnes, Frodsham Marshes and the coastal landscapes around Leasowe and Moreton.
Parks and nature reserves featured on the route include Sankey Valley Country Park, Rimrose Valley Country Park, Thurstaston Common, Brookvale Local Nature Reserve and Waterloo Seafront Gardens.
Cultural attractions will include Speke Hall, Shakespeare North Playhouse, Southport Pier, Strawberry Field, Everton’s new waterfront stadium, Eureka and the ancient Calder Stones at Calderstones Park.
Communities to help shape the route
A year-long programme of community engagement will also form part of the project.
Local people will be encouraged to share stories, memories and histories connected to the route, with communities helping develop shorter local trails, maps, audio-visual resources and digital content.
Volunteers will also be recruited as ‘stage guardians’, helping with waymarking, community events, storytelling and the long-term management of the trail.
Simon O’Brien, Liverpool City Region Cycling and Walking Commissioner, said the project would demonstrate “just how much there is to discover on our doorstep”.
He said the combination of public transport links, accessible information and clear waymarking should ensure the trail was not simply aimed at experienced walkers and cyclists.
“Crucially, this isn’t just a trail for experienced walkers and cyclists,” he said.
He added that the project could support healthier communities, encourage active travel and allow residents and visitors to experience the heritage and landscapes across the region.
Lindsay Beaton, chair of CPRE Lancashire, Liverpool City Region and Greater Manchester, said the project followed the success of the GM Ringway walking trail.
She said the North West was fortunate to have a “wealth of heritage and natural beauty” on its doorstep and argued that the new route could benefit local economies while promoting health and wellbeing.
The National Lottery Heritage Fund said the project would celebrate both the natural and built heritage of the region while encouraging people to get outdoors.
Once fully established, it is expected that thousands of people will walk or cycle sections of the LCR Ringway every year.
And for Warrington, its inclusion means the town will form part of a major new regional network connecting communities, heritage and the countryside across the North West.
