Running for 127 miles (203km) from the port city of Liverpool to Leeds, the Leeds & Liverpool Canal is Britain's longest canal and the most successful of the trans-Pennine canals. Built between 1770 and 1816, the canal was constructed in three phases. The stretch between Liverpool and Leigh was intended as the southern section of the Lancaster Canal with a link proposed through Preston. Boats of up to 72 feet (22m) can use that part of the canal whereas boats are limited to a length of 62 feet (19m) on the remainder of the canal. Maximum beam is 14 feet 2 inches (4.37m). The Leeds & Liverpool Short Boat was designed specifically for the canal and several examples can be seen some of which are used as residential boats but one, Kennet is preserved as a working boat.
The canal has two tunnels at Gannow and Foulridge and boasts two of the Seven Wonders of the Waterways, the Burnley Embankment and the Bingley Five Rise Locks.
In 2009 a new link was built re-linking the canal to the River Mersey via Stanley and Albert Docks.