Wigan, en spændende by med en stolt industriel fortid, findes et stykke vest for Manchester. Wigan har i lang tid været kendt som et kulmine-område. Den første mine blev grundlagt i 1450, og i storhedstiden var her 1000 miner indenfor en 5 kilometers radius af Wigans bymidte. I løbet af den industrielle revolution, resulterede Wigans formidable netværk af kanaler i et dramatisk økonomisk boom og derved en stor stigning i befolkningstallet. En af byens mest kendte lokationer er Wigan Pier, som er et vigtigt stop for handel på Leeds-Liverpool kanalen, der blev udødeliggjort af George Orwell i bogen ”The Road to Wigan Pier”. Bogen fokuserede især på de forfærdelige arbejds-og leveforhold for de, som arbejdede i kulminer i 1930´erne. Wigan Pier kan stadig besøges i dag. Idag er kulminerne væk og i løbet af de sidste par år er store områder, der tidligere bar præg af minedriften, blevet renset og forvandlet til moderne bebyggelser. Byen er derudover idag fyldt med smukke grønne områder.  Du skal endelig ikke tro at Wigan er en grå industriby – tværtimod er her blevet gjort en stor indsats for at modernisere byens udtryk – og her findes mange spændende attraktioner. Eksempler på attraktioner kunne være: Haydock Park Racecourse – Tag et par timer på væddeløbsbanen. Turnpike Gallery – Galleriet specialiserer sig i nutidig kunst fra hele verden. Trencherfield Mill Engine – Se en af de største damp-motorer, der nogensinde har drevet en mølle. Astley Green Colliery Museum - Besøg områdets sidste tilbageværende kulmine-struktur.

One of the unique experiences of a boating holiday in the United Kingdom is to sail through some of the many canal tunnels taking you under the hilly British landscape. The oldest and longest of these tunnels is the Standedge Tunnel which runs for almost 5 km between Marsden and Diggle in Northern England. As one of the 7 wonders of the British waterways it is a very special experience when the ground opens and sort of swallows your boat. This leads to trip through the undergrounds of the hills down to almost 200 m beneath the surface before the tunnel spits both the boat and crew out under the blue sky again 5 km later. It took almost 17 years to build the tunnel before it was finished in 1811. It was in operation until 1944 where it closed due to decay. In the beginning of this millennium it was restored and opened for tourists to sail through. Please note that you must book your passage through the tunnel in advance.

In Northern England you will spend most of your time sailing through the precious and peaceful nature. But you can also experience the vibrant and colourful big city life in Leeds, one of England’s largest cities. Here both you and your crew can find something to your taste. Whether that is shopping, all kinds of museums or the multitude of other cultural experiences for all ages, you can find it in Leeds. The city grew large on the strength of a comprehensive textile industry. This led to the construction of a lot of factories for different purposes in the making of clothes from the end of the 18th century and onwards. This way Leeds have been a centre of shopping for many years. There is plenty of restaurant and pubs for you to check out when you need a drink and something to eat after an eventful day in Leeds. Go to the Granary Wharf area if you want to enjoy your refreshments on the riverbank.  

From the base in Reedley you can sail on the gorgeous Leeds & Liverpool Canal through the varied landscapes of Northern England and into the village of Bingley. The village is home to the oldest of the 7 wonders of the British waterways, The Bingley Five-Rise Locks, which opened way back in 1774. This system of locks is a so-called stair lock. This means that the lower gates of the top lock are the upper gates of the next lock. Through almost 250 years these locks have helped raise or lower boats the 18 meters between top and bottom. An ascent through the locks takes between 45 minutes and an hour to complete, while a descent can be done in about 20 to 30 minutes. It is a very special experience to sail through the steep locks and the reward on the side is about 25 kilometres of lock-free sailing through the landscape.

A trip through Burnley will be a very exciting experience when you float along on the Leeds & Liverpool Canal aboard your narrowboat. The city grew at rapid rate during the industrialization where it became a centre for the production of cotton cloth. The large mills and factories were powered by hydropower and you can delve into the history of the city in the area known as Weavers’ Triangle. Another highlight of sailing through Burnley is the Burnley Embankment, which leads the Leeds & Liverpool Canal through the city centre and across the Calder valley. The embankment was built to avoid building a series of locks which would slow the boats transport good to and from the city. On the tallest spots it runs some 18 meters above the buildings below. The Burnley Embankment is 1 of the 7 wonders of the British waterways.