Greater Manchester has been given the green light for the UK’s first National River Walk. Announced on 27 December 2025, the 21‑kilometre Mersey Valley Way will link Stockport, Manchester and Trafford-a half‑marathon‑length riverside route and the first of nine promised across England.

Ministers say the scheme will add consistent wayfinding, a new logo chosen via a schools competition due in February, and upgrades so more of the riverside path meets modern access standards for wheelchairs, mobility scooters, prams, cyclists and horse‑riders.

Defra highlights reach and inclusion: more than three million people live within an hour of the corridor via Greater Manchester’s Bee Network, while around 30,000 low‑income households in Stockport are among those who stand to benefit from easier, close‑to‑home time in nature. The route is also intended to boost local traders through extra footfall.

The health case is strong. The Office for National Statistics estimates 1.1 million fewer people gained health benefits from nature in 2022 than in 2020, underscoring the need to bring green and blue spaces closer to where people live. Natural England’s latest People and Nature Survey finds 91% of adults say time outdoors supports physical health and 90% say it helps mental wellbeing, while the World Health Organization reports clear evidence that access to green and blue spaces supports better health outcomes. Forest Research estimates the annual mental‑health value of woodland visits at £213m across Britain, including £162m for England.

Car‑free access matters too. The Bee Network now offers capped tap‑and‑go fares across bus and tram, with work under way to bring commuter rail into the system by 2030, and a 1,800‑mile active‑travel grid with 2,400 new crossings in the pipeline-making riverside visits a realistic daily option without a car.

On the ground, delivery will be led by the Mersey Rivers Trust with councils and charities. Expect guided walks and volunteering to restore ponds, tackle invasive species, plant trees and install bird, bat and insect boxes-practical tasks that lift biodiversity and make the route feel welcoming. Sections will be resurfaced to modern accessibility standards, shaped through community input.

There is a language point. Government quotes talk about “21 kilometres of new paths”, yet reporting the next day stressed upgrades to existing riverside ways rather than a wholly new footway. Either way, the near‑term gains are clearer signs, safer surfacing and more step‑free sections to widen who can use the route.

The walk sits within a wider access push. A written answer to Parliament set out £17.06m for the 2025/26 Access for All programme to remove barriers across forests, Protected Landscapes and National Trails. In parallel, ministers confirmed two new National Forests in 2025, with a competition in early 2026 to select a third site in the Midlands or North-bringing tree‑rich green space closer to people.

If you live locally, you can start planning now: use Bee Network buses or Metrolink to reach trailheads such as Stockport town centre or Chorlton Water Park; check which sections are already step‑free as works progress; and join a Mersey Rivers Trust volunteer day to help restore ponds and bankside habitats. Local schools and youth groups along the Mersey can enter the logo competition, with a winner due in February 2026.