The Lancaster Canal

Over the last few days we have navigated the full length of the Lancaster Canal.  Mooring has been difficult in places due to silted banks, however on a whole it is a beautiful canal with excellent sanitary stations/boat facilities on the way.  We will then take a slower cruise returning to  Preston taking in the delights on the way for our return passage over the Ribble Link.

On Wednesday we stopped at the visitor moorings (a bit disappointing as only one mooring ring) at Barton Grange Garden Centre and  shopping complex.

Lancaster

The farm shop is very good with some wonderful fresh produce and an extensive delicatessen range.
Bridge 23 to Catterall - bridge 53 - total cruising time 4.75 hours

Thursday we moored up in Garstang, a lovely town with plenty of shops, pubs and restaurants etc.  Got some provisions from Sainsburys which is a short walk from the moorings. After having difficulty finding a mooring, we eventually moored up just after Bridge 80, very shallow, had to use the gang plank. 
Bridge 53 to Bridge 80 - total cruising time 3.5 hours

Friday, we passed the entry to the Glasson branch, plenty of good moorings around this area  and in the afternoon went over the Lune Aquaduct. After 5 years of construction, the Aquaduct was opened in 1797. It stands on wooden piles driven twenty feet into the river bed and stands 51 feet above the river.                                                                           

Heysham bypass under construction

We also cruised under the newly constructed bridge for the Heysham to M6 bypass, currently under construction. We moored in the afternoon at Hest Bank on some new moorings between Bridges 116 and 117.  Had a  walk on the 'front'.  Nugget had a great time trying to catch the waves!!!
Bridge 80 to Hest Bank - total cruising time 4.5 hours

Saturday 6 August - Beautiful calm sunny day.  Left Hest Bank and took a lovely leisurely cruise through to Carnforth and eventually Tewitfield where the navigable Lancaster Canal ends.  There are some amazing properties on the way with excellent views of both the canal and sea.

Tewitfield

On Mooring up at the Tewitfield terminus, we  walked up some of the disused locks on the 'Northern Reach'.  We moored for the night in the Capernwray Arm, visitor moorings, a lovely little spot  on the offside originally the entrance to a quarry - idyllic.   
Hest Bank to Tewitfield - 3.75 hours