British Waterways (External link) who look after the canals in this country, are very conscious of looking after their heritage. Improvements and maintenance are carried out with the surrounding environment in mind.
Most canals have towpaths that were used by horses, to pull the boats. Today the towpaths provide waterside walks (external link) and cycle routes (external link) through the countryside and towns.
The Leeds-Liverpool Canal (external link) and the Bridgewater Canal (external link) both run through the borough of Wigan and the Greenheart Regional Park which is traversed by some 23km of canal together with a developing network of recreational corridors and greenways linking countryside and historic urban areas with significant new major gateway developments and exciting ecological projects.
