The UK Government has formally designated the Mersey Valley Way as the country’s first National River Walk, creating a 13-mile (21-kilometre) continuous riverside route between Stockport and Manchester. The project, led by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) and delivered by the Mersey Rivers Trust, is the pilot for a nationwide programme of nine national river walks, one in each English region.
The scheme is designed to tackle a long-standing structural problem in England: although the country has more than 1,500 rivers, most riverbanks are fragmented, privately owned or physically inaccessible. The new designation gives the Mersey corridor a national status comparable to long-distance coastal paths and national trails, unlocking funding, maintenance and guaranteed public access. This is reported by The WP Times.
Where the route runs
The Mersey Valley Way follows the River Mersey through Greater Manchester, starting in Stockport and continuing into Manchester, linking suburban neighbourhoods, former industrial land, wetlands and riverside parks. The corridor runs through one of the most densely populated river valleys in northern England. More than three million people live within one hour of the route, and it connects directly to the Greater Manchester Bee Network of trams, trains, cycling routes and buses.
This makes it the most urban and socially accessible of all the river walks planned under the Government’s programme.
What exactly is being built
Unlike traditional footpaths, the Mersey Valley Way is being created as multi-use public infrastructure. Defra confirmed that the project includes:
- National-standard waymarking and signage
- Upgrading existing riverside paths
- Step-free access for wheelchairs, mobility scooters and prams
- Dedicated sections for cyclists and horse riders
- New river viewpoints, rest areas and access points
The aim is to make the river corridor usable for daily walking, jogging, commuting, family outings and leisure cycling, not just for long-distance hikers.
Timeline and rollout
- 26 December 2025 — Defra formally launches the Mersey Valley Way as the first National River Walk.
- Early 2026 — Physical upgrades, branding and accessibility improvements continue along the corridor.
- February 2026 — The official Mersey Valley Way logo will be announced, following a design competition involving more than 50 local schools and youth groups.
- Later in 2026 — The Government will open competitive bidding for the next national river walks in other regions.
While many sections of the Mersey path already exist, national status brings dedicated funding, uniform signage and long-term maintenance, turning a patchwork of local paths into a single protected route.
The project is being led on the ground by the Mersey Rivers Trust, one of the UK’s main river restoration organisations. Its strategy and development director, John Sanders, said the route’s accessibility by public transport was central to its design, adding that the walk would give millions of people a realistic way to spend time in nature without owning a car.
Environmental programme
Alongside access improvements, the Mersey Valley Way will be used as a nature recovery corridor. Planned activities include:
- Tree and hedgerow planting
- Restoration of ponds and wetlands
- Removal of invasive plant species
- Installation of bird, bat and insect habitats
- Guided walks and volunteer conservation days
This means the route functions not only as a leisure trail, but also as a managed ecological spine running through Greater Manchester.
Cost and public access
The Mersey Valley Way is being established as a fully open public route, with no entry charges for walkers, cyclists or other users. Unlike many private trails or visitor attractions, the river walk forms part of England’s public access infrastructure, meaning it can be used freely at any time without tickets or permits.
Defra has confirmed that government funding for the project is being delivered through its partnership with the Mersey Rivers Trust, covering path upgrades, national signage, step-free access improvements and environmental restoration along the corridor. The aim is to secure long-term maintenance and consistent standards rather than leaving the route dependent on short-term local budgets.
How Londoners can reach it
The Mersey Valley Way has been designed to be easily reachable from outside the North West, including from London. Fast Avanti West Coast trains operate multiple services per hour from London Euston to Manchester Piccadilly, with journey times of just over two hours. From Piccadilly, local trains, trams and buses on the Greater Manchester Bee Network connect directly to Stockport and several access points along the Mersey corridor.
This means Britain’s first National River Walk can realistically be used not only by local residents but also by London-based visitors planning weekend walking, cycling or nature breaks.
Political context and criticism
The launch fulfils a central manifesto commitment to create nine National River Walks, one for each English region. Ministers say the programme is intended to reverse decades of limited access to rivers and to embed nature into everyday urban life.
However, campaigners from groups such as Right to Roam argue that the policy remains too cautious. They say that without new laws granting the public a statutory right of responsible access to rivers and riverbanks, future routes will continue to depend on lengthy negotiations with hundreds of private landowners, slowing down the pace of national expansion.
For the first time, an English river has been formally converted into national public infrastructure — managed, funded and branded in the same way as coastal paths and national trails. If the Mersey Valley Way succeeds in increasing outdoor activity, public health, riverside tourism and ecological restoration, it will become the template for how England’s rivers are reopened to the public, shaping access policy and environmental planning for the next decade.
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