It is hard to imagine anyone in the UK not having heard of Wigan - forever immortalised in the George Orwell novel ‘The Road to Wigan Pier’ and home to the world-famous Wigan Warriors Rugby League Team. There’s Uncle Joe’s cooking their mintballs on open fires since 1898 – the now long gone Wigan Casino leaving behind a love in the town of Northern Soul and dancing the night away – literally all night. One-time home of banjo playing comedian George Formby and acting legend Ian McKellen not to mention musicians Richard Ashcroft and the Verve.
A town with a history of coal mining and sporting glory, but still probably best known across the North West of England as the town of pie lovers. Since 1992 Wigan has hosted the annual World Pie Eating Championship where you can try and finish your traditional meat and tatty pie (or since 2006 a vegeterian pie) in the fastest time to win!
A town with a history of coal mining and sporting glory, but still probably best known across the North West of England as the town of pie lovers. Since 1992 Wigan has hosted the annual World Pie Eating Championship where you can try and finish your traditional meat and tatty pie (or since 2006 a vegeterian pie) in the fastest time to win!
map and guide notes
Click on the map below to open up the interactive version to accompany our guide notes.
START/FINISH - The Wigan Pier walk begins and ends outside Wigan North Western railway station – we leave it up to you how you arrive at that point. The town has ample parking and a good bus service. Leave the station and walk left underneath the railway bridge. As you leave the bridge to your left are some converted railway arches which depending on the time of day may or may not make a good photograph! (or you could even call for a drink in Camra Regional pub winner 2017 - Wigan Central). When ready cross at the traffic lights and continue past the small retail park (very small!) to your left. You will shortly arrive at a gated entrance to apartments and the Trencherfield Mill. Go through the gates and explore the site.
POINT 1 - Trencherfield Mill was built in 1907 and opened as a cotton mill in 1908. The site was chosen due to the proximity of the Leeds Liverpool Canal and in its heyday employed over 1000 people. The site is currently a mixture of apartments and office buildings but the mill still contains the original steam engine – over 100 years old and still in working order. Photo opportunities are endless on the site from the three strange heads watching you high up on the building to the indestructible propeller in the car park, remnants of the industrial museum which used to be on the site and the small dock area leading off from the Leeds Liverpool canal.
POINT 1 - Trencherfield Mill was built in 1907 and opened as a cotton mill in 1908. The site was chosen due to the proximity of the Leeds Liverpool Canal and in its heyday employed over 1000 people. The site is currently a mixture of apartments and office buildings but the mill still contains the original steam engine – over 100 years old and still in working order. Photo opportunities are endless on the site from the three strange heads watching you high up on the building to the indestructible propeller in the car park, remnants of the industrial museum which used to be on the site and the small dock area leading off from the Leeds Liverpool canal.
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POINT 2 - When you are ready to continue the walk make your way to the canal path at the far end of the mill. It is time to take the road to Wigan Pier.
Turn right on the canal path after taking time to photograph the canal from different angles on the pathway and the small bridge. As you walk towards the road bridge you see the sheer size and scale of Trencherfield Mill to your right. Built to employ over 1000 workers in the cotton trade the mill has also included retail outlets, apartments and arts venues. It has even been used as a film location - BBC drama Clocking Off was filmed inside the mill back in the early 2000’s. This section of the walk has a photo opportunity at every step from the period terrace houses on the canal side and the canal locks, Trencherfield Mill and the view towards the buildings around ‘Wigan Pier’. POINT 3 - As you come out from underneath the bridge into the Wigan Pier Quarter you will probably make the mistake most people do of thinking that the buildings you are looking at are in fact Wigan Pier. Surprisingly they are not but it’s just a short walk now until we reach the pier. At this point you need to cross to the other side of the canal and we do this by going up the slope towards the statue of the ‘Bargee’. Until August 2017 this would have been high on our list of photo tips but sadly someone decided to vandalise this piece of art and took its hat and part of his head off. Standing beside the ‘Bargee’ offers you some more great photo opportunities looking down towards the real ‘Wigan Pier’. Bet you still can’t see it! The buildings and warehouses are mostly in disrepair but make particularly stunning photographs. Try to take some in black and white and look out for the reflections in the canal on sunny days. It is hard to take a bad photograph of the views in this area. Try to take some crouched down along the canal side but make sure you don’t fall in! 2019 saw the start of a huge regeneration scheme for the Wigan Pier Quarter which may improve the exterior conditions of the buildings. |
POINT 4 - We now begin our final stretch of the road to Wigan pier as we walk away from the bridge. A very short distance will bring you to another statue of a pit brow lass leaning against the wall. If you look towards the canal you are now officially at the ‘pier’ marked by a plaque on the wall. Try not to be too underwhelmed at this point as you may have been expecting something much bigger than the coal wagon tippler in front of you. This is the world famous (butt of many jokes) Wigan Pier and it isn’t even the original coal 'tippler', which was removed and replaced with a reconstruction. Tipplers were used by the pit brow lasses to load coal from the Wigan coalfield onto barges to be taken across the country via the Leeds Liverpool canal. Once again though the whole area is a photographers dream in all seasons, particularly on a day when the canal is full of reflections, and you will be able to brag to all your friends that you have visited and photographed the famous Wigan Pier!
POINT 5 - We are now going to carry on down the canal path, which will eventually lead us to the DW stadium - home to Wigan Warriors and Wigan Athletic. You will know when you have reached it as it is very big! The stadium is part of a large retail area which includes cafes and toilets if you need a rest and refuelling. This stretch of the Leeds Liverpool Canal has a very good path as it is a heavily used route particularly on match days. As you make your way along the path if offers you a wide contrast of photography from wildlife to industrial and again, on a sunny day with still waters, beautiful reflections. You will walk underneath several interesting bridges (we love our bridges!) and eventually reach the Pagefield Bridge, no 49B, used by many a sports fan to take them home after the game. You will now be able to see the DW stadium in the distance. Leave the canal path and walk down Stadium Way towards the stadium. (if you visit on match day just follow the crowds!)
POINT 6 - As you walk this part of the route you will reach another bridge (again we really love our bridges!), which takes you across the River Douglas. Look left to see views of Trencherfield Mill in the distance and right towards the stadium car parks. Both make interesting shots.
POINT 7 - You will now be able to see the stadium. It's worthwhile to walk around the stadium and see what shots you can get. Shots of the stands make very interesting black and white photographs and again match days offer a multitude of opportunities. When you reach the front of the stadium you will find a statue of one of Wigan's most famous businessman and sportsman Dave Whelan, holding the FA cup won by Wigan Athletic back in 2013 with a still almost unbelievable victory over Manchester City. Across Loire Drive you will be able to see the entrance to the Robin Park retail site if you feel like a break or even some shopping. Again this offers the opportunity for some interesting shots of buildings, but sadly no bridges (not for long though!). When you are ready retrace your route back to Pagefield Bridge, which we are now going to cross. Follow the path which will bring you to a semi circular road surrounded by industrial buildings.
POINT 5 - We are now going to carry on down the canal path, which will eventually lead us to the DW stadium - home to Wigan Warriors and Wigan Athletic. You will know when you have reached it as it is very big! The stadium is part of a large retail area which includes cafes and toilets if you need a rest and refuelling. This stretch of the Leeds Liverpool Canal has a very good path as it is a heavily used route particularly on match days. As you make your way along the path if offers you a wide contrast of photography from wildlife to industrial and again, on a sunny day with still waters, beautiful reflections. You will walk underneath several interesting bridges (we love our bridges!) and eventually reach the Pagefield Bridge, no 49B, used by many a sports fan to take them home after the game. You will now be able to see the DW stadium in the distance. Leave the canal path and walk down Stadium Way towards the stadium. (if you visit on match day just follow the crowds!)
POINT 6 - As you walk this part of the route you will reach another bridge (again we really love our bridges!), which takes you across the River Douglas. Look left to see views of Trencherfield Mill in the distance and right towards the stadium car parks. Both make interesting shots.
POINT 7 - You will now be able to see the stadium. It's worthwhile to walk around the stadium and see what shots you can get. Shots of the stands make very interesting black and white photographs and again match days offer a multitude of opportunities. When you reach the front of the stadium you will find a statue of one of Wigan's most famous businessman and sportsman Dave Whelan, holding the FA cup won by Wigan Athletic back in 2013 with a still almost unbelievable victory over Manchester City. Across Loire Drive you will be able to see the entrance to the Robin Park retail site if you feel like a break or even some shopping. Again this offers the opportunity for some interesting shots of buildings, but sadly no bridges (not for long though!). When you are ready retrace your route back to Pagefield Bridge, which we are now going to cross. Follow the path which will bring you to a semi circular road surrounded by industrial buildings.
POINT 8 - Turn left onto Miry Lane and walk underneath the tiny bridge carrying the railway. Continue to walk until you reach the main road, Frog Lane.
POINT 9 - Turn right onto Frog Lane which will take us back into Wigan town centre. This part of the route may initially look very ordinary and, as the road is a busy main route through the town, it will be noisy and probably full of cars. It is sometimes easy to miss great photographic opportunities as you walk along such roads, but if you take time to look around you will find ruined buildings, rubble with nature creeping back, but please take care with the traffic. Continue to walk towards the railway bridge, if you are lucky it is a fantastic shot with a train crossing it, take care crossing the very busy junction towards the bridge and then walk to the next set of traffic lights past the Deanery High School on your left.
POINT 10 - At the lights turn right onto Dorning Street and keeping to the right hand side make your way along the street. Now here is where the route gets very interesting! As you continue along the path you will catch your first glimpse, and if you are very lucky smell, of the William Santus toffee works.
POINT 11 - William Santus and Company have been baking their world famous Uncle Joe's Mintballs on the site since 1898. Still in the family, and with their sweets sold around the world, they are one of Wigan's most famous brands. Thanks to the open fires used in the process, the smell coming from their little factory makes your mouth water and you will definitely know when its a mintballs day! As you pass the factory turn to look back and you will see the most photographed view of the factory. It is a much-photographed building and quite difficult to get a good shot of thanks to the angles and continuous traffic (again take care!), but one of our big photography rules is just try. You may be surprised with the results and if instead you are disappointed- who cares! The only way to learn is to photograph anything that interests you and be your own critic! Photography is an art and thus is very subjective. If you love it then in our eyes it is a fantastic - point, click and capture and if you want it on your wall, then hang it there! Continue along the path until you reach the next junction and turn right onto King Street West, which runs alongside the train line from Wigan Wallgate station.
POINT 9 - Turn right onto Frog Lane which will take us back into Wigan town centre. This part of the route may initially look very ordinary and, as the road is a busy main route through the town, it will be noisy and probably full of cars. It is sometimes easy to miss great photographic opportunities as you walk along such roads, but if you take time to look around you will find ruined buildings, rubble with nature creeping back, but please take care with the traffic. Continue to walk towards the railway bridge, if you are lucky it is a fantastic shot with a train crossing it, take care crossing the very busy junction towards the bridge and then walk to the next set of traffic lights past the Deanery High School on your left.
POINT 10 - At the lights turn right onto Dorning Street and keeping to the right hand side make your way along the street. Now here is where the route gets very interesting! As you continue along the path you will catch your first glimpse, and if you are very lucky smell, of the William Santus toffee works.
POINT 11 - William Santus and Company have been baking their world famous Uncle Joe's Mintballs on the site since 1898. Still in the family, and with their sweets sold around the world, they are one of Wigan's most famous brands. Thanks to the open fires used in the process, the smell coming from their little factory makes your mouth water and you will definitely know when its a mintballs day! As you pass the factory turn to look back and you will see the most photographed view of the factory. It is a much-photographed building and quite difficult to get a good shot of thanks to the angles and continuous traffic (again take care!), but one of our big photography rules is just try. You may be surprised with the results and if instead you are disappointed- who cares! The only way to learn is to photograph anything that interests you and be your own critic! Photography is an art and thus is very subjective. If you love it then in our eyes it is a fantastic - point, click and capture and if you want it on your wall, then hang it there! Continue along the path until you reach the next junction and turn right onto King Street West, which runs alongside the train line from Wigan Wallgate station.
POINT 12 - As you turn the corner leading onto King Street West you will pass an old building currently used as a nightclub. The nightclub itself offers many a photo possibility from peeling posters to red brickwork and on one occasion even an old damaged piano! The walls immediately before it have a hidden surprise of small gaps in the brickwork – almost like little windows looking out onto nature behind – untidy nature, but again very good photographic material. As you make your way along the path turn to your left and you will see an archway and some stairs. If you climb these stairs you will see Wigan Parish Church. The view from the top of the stairs makes a lovely photograph portrait or landscape. Continue to walk along King Street West as we approach the end of the walk.
POINT 13 - As you reach the traffic lights at the top of King Street West you will find yourself at the second of Wigan's railway stations - Wigan Wallgate, which has stood on this site since 1896 and still contains some features from that time. Just across the road you will be able to see Wigan North Western station and the start of our route.
After a 5k walk and the excitement of a visit to Wigan Pier, the only thing that remains is to call into one of the local shops and buy yourself a packet of Uncle Joe's Mintballs! Don't forget to share your photos and tips on our Facebook page.
POINT 13 - As you reach the traffic lights at the top of King Street West you will find yourself at the second of Wigan's railway stations - Wigan Wallgate, which has stood on this site since 1896 and still contains some features from that time. Just across the road you will be able to see Wigan North Western station and the start of our route.
After a 5k walk and the excitement of a visit to Wigan Pier, the only thing that remains is to call into one of the local shops and buy yourself a packet of Uncle Joe's Mintballs! Don't forget to share your photos and tips on our Facebook page.
Gallery
FIRST PUBLISHED 2nd June 2019
