As the Leeds and Liverpool canal celebrates its 200th birthday we thought we’d share 16 amazing photos of life on the cut.

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During the peak of its working life the Leeds and Liverpool canal was not a desirable place for people to spend leisure time. The transportation of cargo from coal mines to the mills left huge plumes of smoke and grime. The dye works of Yorkshire and Lancashire were said to be polluting the surrounding rivers and drains with so much dye that the water would run a different colour every day.

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Nowadays, the canal is a hotspot for pleasure seekers from all over Europe – attracting nearly one fifth of all visitors to UK canals.

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