Canal & River Trust – Explorers: Burnley Trail

What will students see and do?

Connecting the cities of Liverpool and Leeds together, the Leeds and Liverpool Canal is the longest canal in Britain built as a single waterway, and the Burnley Trail is a three-mile walk alongside it.

The trail travels from Gannow Tunnel to Bank Hall Colliery, taking in historical sites and discovering more about the fascinating canal, such as how it cost five times more than the original budget that famous canal engineer James Brindley estimated and how it took 46 years to complete, finally opening in 1816.

The walk follows the towpath to Burnley Wharf, a site that was rife with working narrowboats carrying cotton and coal 200 years ago. There were many cotton mills in the area and Burnley Wharf housed a number of warehouses. After Finsley Gate, you reach the ‘Straight Mile’, an embankment built an amazing 18m above the town. Continue along the towpath to discover the Yorkshire Street Aqueduct and Thompson Park – a wonderful spot for wildlife – followed by the Bank Hall Colliery. From there, you can circle back to the beginning or arrange a pickup.

Details of risk assessment

Pre-visits to the Burnley Trail and example risk assessments to make your own are available on request.

The Canal & River Trust also asks that you ensure the leader of each separate group in your party carries a list of the pupils in their group.

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