Sankey Valley Park

Sankey Valley follows the course of England's first canal, Sankey Canal, and stretches for 15 mi from St Helens through Warrington to Widnes. With the advent of the railways began the long decline of the canals but the stretch of the Sankey canal that now occupies Sankey Valley Park remained open until 1963. Today the local authorities of Warrington, St Helens and Halton along with the Sankey Canal Restoration Society, are developing the Sankey Canal Trail as a 15 mi greenway either side of the park, whilst working towards the restoration of a navigation route. On the western side of the park lies Bewsey Old Hall. Before the Hall was built, a monastic grange existed on the site. A hall was…

The park is largely linear, following a stretch of Sankey Brook and the old Sankey Canal. In several places the park opens up into open, lawned areas and features such as a hedge maze, a meadow, mature woodland and a wetland nature reserve. One main asphalt footpath stretches the length of the park whilst several narrower paths split from the main path in the wider spaces of the park. The central section of the park is family orientated with children's play features and picnic areas. A ranger service operated by Warrington Borough Council used to patrol the park, but this has since been disbanded. Angling is permitted in certain parts of the park; for Stanners Pool and St Helens Canal…