I often walk along the short stretch of towpath that runs alongside Wigan Pier and on towards the centre of the town. There are always lots of interesting things to capture, whether that be the canal itself, or the decaying structures of the leisure complex and old cotton mills.

But, mixed in with all this industrial heritage are some amazing pieces of artwork, that make you stop and think. The following few images will illustrate the type of work you will see should you undertake a journey of this type.

Right on the very spot where Wigan Pier juts out over the water, you will see this melancholic lady:

In days gone by she would have been stood there, often in the rain waiting to load and unload the barges as they sailed up from the docks in Liverpool.

No wonder she looks so sad:

As you walk along past the pier and on to the small bridge over the canal then you reach a much happier soul, pausing and looking out over the water.

Just behind this view is the main road and buildings of the old Trencherfield Mill which is part museum and part leisure/housing following a big refurbishment project undertaken a few years ago.

However, the art and industrial roots haven't been forgotten and there is an amazing piece of work on the whole side of the building:

Three massive heads in aluminium boxes keep a look out over the square and town ahead.

As you can see from just this short stretch of exploration, there are lots of amazing sights to be seen in the town of Wigan and as the investment into new projects continues, this should continue to improve.