Greater Manchester has landed the UK’s first National River Walk. On 27 December 2025, Defra confirmed the 21km Mersey Valley Way, running from Stockport through Manchester to Trafford, as the first of nine new regional routes.

“We are launching the first of nine river walks, boosting opportunities to be in nature and supporting local businesses,” said Access Minister Baroness Hayman of Ullock as the plan was unveiled.

New wayfinding will badge the route, and a logo competition is open to more than 50 local schools and youth groups along the Mersey, with a winner due in February 2026.

Mersey Rivers Trust will lead delivery with partners including Stockport Council, City of Trees, Lancashire Wildlife Trust, The Conservation Volunteers and Groundwork Greater Manchester, supported by Manchester and Trafford councils. “We’re very excited the River Mersey has been selected… Designating the Mersey Valley Way will encourage more people to access nature,” said John Sanders.

Getting there should be simple. TfGM says all local buses and Metrolink trams now sit within the Bee Network with contactless ‘tap and go’ fares, and the first locally branded rail services will begin joining from December 2026. The corridor passes close to Sale Water Park and Didsbury Village Metrolink stops for easy, car‑free access.

Defra says stretches of the riverside path will be rebuilt to meet accessibility standards for wheelchairs and mobility scooters, with safer space for prams; cyclists and horse‑riders are also factored in.

Community days are planned along the way: pond restoration, clearing invasive species, tree planting and fitting bird, bat and insect boxes - the sort of practical tasks local groups excel at.

Officials also point to a lift for local traders as footfall increases along the Mersey corridor through Didsbury, Chorlton, Northenden and Sale, complementing ongoing regeneration.

Reality check: much of the route already exists. The Guardian reports that no entirely new footpaths are being created at this stage; national status brings consistent signage, accessibility upgrades and focused nature‑recovery work.

The scheme sits alongside wider pledges - the Western Forest announced in March, a second forest confirmed for the Oxford‑Cambridge corridor in November, and a competition for a third in early 2026 - with the Environmental Improvement Plan 2025 setting out major funding for tree planting and better access. Future river walks will also be chosen via a 2026 competition.

Access matters. Defra highlights around 30,000 low‑income households in Stockport and evidence that people on lower incomes spend less time outdoors - one reason the Mersey Valley Way has been prioritised.

Campaigners will watch delivery closely. Right to Roam’s Guy Shrubsole called nine river walks “totally inadequate”, while the Environment Agency recorded 450,398 storm‑overflow spills in 2024 nationally. United Utilities says it cut spill counts across the North West by 20% in 2024 and is investing heavily through 2030.

Bids for the next tranche open in 2026. For now, the half‑marathon‑length Mersey Valley Way gives residents and visitors a clearly signed, public‑transport‑friendly river route on the doorstep - with plenty of chances to muck in as a volunteer.