Funding secured for new walking and cycling trail for the Liverpool city region

The LCR Ringway will form a looped route connecting all Liverpool City Region’s six local authority areas – Liverpool, Knowsley, St Helens, Sefton, Wirral and Halton – and parts of west Cheshire, Warrington and west Lancashire, taking walkers and cyclists through some of the region’s most distinctive landscapes and heritage sites.

Starting at Liverpool’s Pier Head, beneath the iconic Liver Building, the route will head clockwise through the city region before finishing at Hamilton Square in Birkenhead. The route will be divided into 20 stages, with the start and finish of each stage linked to public transport making it possible for people to explore individual sections without needing to complete the whole route.

Work is due to start on the trail using green waymarking signs for walking and brown ones for cycling, and it will follow existing footpaths, cycle routes, parks and open-access land wherever possible. It is hoped that the work will be completed to coincide with Stage 2 of the 2027 Tour de France which arrives in the Liverpool City Region on Saturday 3 July.

It will be funded through a £245,000 grant from The National Lottery Heritage Fund, which was awarded to The Countryside Charity, CPRE Lancashire, Liverpool City Region and Greater Manchester, with additional funding from the Peak and Northern Footpaths Society (PNFS).

Designed to connect almost two million residents with the natural and cultural heritage on their doorstep, the trail will showcase the unique variety of landscapes found across the

Liverpool City Region and west Cheshire – from open countryside, woodland, parks and farmland to coastline, canals, and estuaries.

The region’s rich industrial heritage will be a major feature of the route, taking in the Sankey Canal (the world’s oldest modern canal, dating from 1757); the Leeds Liverpool Canal, including part of the Eldonian Village to Reedley Marina trail passing the Stanley Lock Flight, a Grade II-listed flight of four canal locks with views across the River Mersey; the Grade II-listed Stanley Dock Tobacco Warehouse (the world’s largest brick warehouse); the Maghull Hall Swing Bridge; the iconic Leasowe Lighthouse on the Wirral; the World of Glass Museum in St Helens, which explores the town’s industrial and social history, and the National Waterways Museum in Ellesmere Port, one of the largest and most complete dock complexes in the UK, telling the story of the growth of the Industrial Revolution.

The region’s incredible natural heritage is celebrated with routes through some of the north’s most beautiful coastal and estuary landscapes, nature reserves and Sites of Special Scientific Interest, including Crosby Beach, where a wide expanse of sand and dunes offers views across to the Wirral and North Wales and is home to Sir Antony Gormley’s life-size cast-iron figures extending for almost two miles along the shore and into the sea; Ainsdale Sands National Nature Reserve; the vast reed beds at Fulwood Way; Spike Island in Widnes; Frodsham Marshes, and the wide sands and coastal paths of Leasowe and Moreton beaches on the Wirral.

Parks and conservation areas along the route include Brookvale Local Nature Reserve, Thurstaston Common, Rimrose Valley Country Park, Waterloo Seafront Gardens, and the Sankey Valley Country Park.

Cultural heritage highlights include the Tudor Speke Hall, Shakespeare North Playhouse in Prescot, Southport Pier (the UK’s second-longest), Strawberry Field near John Lennon’s childhood home, Everton FC’s new waterfront stadium, the Eureka children’s museum on the Wirral and the ancient Neolithic Calder Stones in Calderstones Park.

A year-long community engagement programme will work with local people across the region to explore the stories, histories and memories that the route inspires. These communities will help to devise and develop shorter local trails, maps, audio visual resources, route interpretations and digital content.

The Heritage Fund grant will enable waymarking and a website to be developed so that a wide range of people, including less experienced walkers and cyclists, can enjoy the trail. Once the trail is fully established, it’s estimated that thousands of people will walk or cycle part of the route every year.

A network of volunteer ‘stage guardians’ will be recruited to help waymark the route, get involved in community events, act as stage storytellers, and practically manage the trail long-term.

Simon O’Brien, Liverpool City Region Cycling and Walking commissioner said: “The LCR Ringway is a fantastic opportunity to show people just how much there is to discover on our doorstep. From Liverpool’s iconic waterfront to our coast, countryside, canals and communities, this route will connect people with the places and heritage that make the Liverpool City Region unique.

“Crucially, this isn’t just a trail for experienced walkers and cyclists. By connecting the route with public transport and creating accessible information and waymarking, we can make it easier for more people to enjoy walking and cycling, discover new places and spend time outdoors.

“I’m delighted that National Lottery players are making this possible. The LCR Ringway has the potential to become a lasting asset for the region, supporting healthier communities, encouraging active travel and helping residents and visitors experience the incredible heritage and landscapes right across our city region.”

Lindsay Beaton, chair of CPRE Lancashire, Liverpool City Region and Greater Manchester said: “The LCR Ringway follows on from the success of the GM Ringway, a similar walking trail around the boundary of Greater Manchester. Here in the north-west, we’re fortunate to have a wealth of heritage and natural beauty on our doorstep and we want more people to get out and discover it. We’ve already had an enthusiastic response from residents, community groups and official bodies. This inspiring initiative will get a wider range of people involved in heritage, give the local economy a boost, and promote personal wellbeing. And with its intrinsic focus on active travel and public transport, the route should be easy for local residents to access, as well as being positive for the environment. Thanks to players of the National Lottery, the LCR Ringway walking trail will make Liverpool City Region an even better place to live and visit.”

Helen Featherstone, Director, England, North at The National Lottery Heritage Fund, said: “Landscapes and nature form the bedrock of our heritage. This fantastic project, the LCR Ringway, not only celebrates natural heritage, it includes built heritage sites and heritage attractions across the Liverpool City Region.

“We’re thrilled to support this project thanks to National Lottery players, that will not only connect people with heritage sites of all varieties but will also promote health and wellbeing.”

Kathy McLean, chair of the Peak and Northern Footpaths Society added: “As a charitable organisation we promote the interests of public footpath users and couldn’t do this without our incredible volunteers who work tirelessly to monitor, protect and improve rights of way for the benefit of everyone. Whether footpath users are ramblers, runners, dog walkers or just strollers, we’re here to help and defend their rights. The grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund and our funding will allow us to work with the CPRE to establish this wonderful trail as a long-term asset for the region.”