Waterways 2: Our Local Stretch of the Lancaster Canal

Waterways 2: Our Local Stretch of the Lancaster Canal

Some of you who have been following this blog for a while may have gathered that I love canals.

I love the majestic settings of the these waterways in my home country of Scotland.  I have enjoyed exploring the the canals of Amsterdam, Venice, Paris and London.  I’ve sailed the length of that Wonder of the Ancient World, the Corinth Canal. I’ve even zipped along the Klongs of Bangkok on a long-tail boat.

Wherever I go, town or countryside, I am always thrilled to see canals, their boats and bridges as well as  the people (or wildlife) living alongside.

I am so lucky that where we live in North West England we have easy access to a beautiful stretch of the Lancaster Canal. We were there today – Nordic Walking of all things! – and yesterday for a leisurely stroll along the towpath.  Today we passed a fisherman, yesterday we were overtaken by a jogger and, apart from that, the only people we saw were those lucky enough to be sailing past on narrowboats or (very) small cruisers.

The Canal & River Trust website has this to say:

There are plenty of reasons to visit the Lancaster Canal.

Linking Preston to Kendal, the Lancaster Canal is one of the country’s few coastal canals. Built along the natural lie of the land it offers 41 miles of lock free cruising – the longest stretch in the country. As the canal is naturally level, it also lends itself to gentle walking and cycling as well as canoeing and other outdoor pursuits.

In addition to providing spectacular views of the Silverdale Coast, Forest of Bowland and Wyre countryside, the Lancaster Canal also features some of the most impressive canal architecture in the country. The Lune Aqueduct, which has recently benefited from a £2.4 million transformation, is one of John Rennie’s finest works and not to be missed.

The pictures in this post were all taken on iPhone yesterday. I hope they give you some idea of why I love our local stretch of the Lancaster Canal.

(There’s a good wiki page about The Lancaster Canal here)

Repairs to Canal Bank ©HelenBushe 

Canalside Cottage with Buddha ©HelenBushe 

Slow Down At Bridge 32 ©HelenBushe 

Canalside Back Gate ©HelenBushe 

Canalside House with Flag ©HelenBushe

We are Sailing ©HelenBushe 

Some Cows and a Tree ©HelenBushe