UK Canal Boating Telephone : 01395 443545

UK Canal Boating Email : [email protected] Escape with a canal boating holiday!

Booking Office : PO Box 57, Budleigh Salterton. Devon. EX9 7ZN. .

Lancaster, , , to and return from Barton Grange

Cruise this route from : Barton Grange

View the latest version of this pdf Lancaster,-Garstang,-Galgate,-to-Borwick-and-return-from-Barton-Grange-Cruising-Route.html

Cruising Days : 5.00 to 7.00 Cruising Time : 18.50 Total Distance : 58.00 Number of Locks : 0 Number of Tunnels : 0 Number of Aqueducts : 2

One of the country's few coastal canals, the gorgeous views include the Silverdale coast, and Wyre countryside, as well as the historic villages, towns and cities en route, including Lancaster, Preston, & Garstang. You also cross the impressive Lune aqueduct You can do this route over 4 nights but if wanting to do some sightseeing in Lancaster, and perhaps take in the Ravenglass & Eskdale railway then you will need a 7 nights trip

Cruising Notes

Day 1 For designated moorings see link to the Canals & Rivers Trust website https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/enjoy-the- waterways/canal-and-river-network You start from Barton Grange Marina on the and head north passing under bridge 47 Green Man Bridge. Passing through peaceful, green farmland the foothills of the Pennines begin to converge from the East.

After a mile you will pass over the small Calder aqueduct, there is a flurry of canal activity around here and the Basin. You can moor up by bridge 54 and walk east up the hills where you will find splendid views over Sands and .

Wyre aqueduct crosses the on a fine stone aqueduct 110 feet long and 34 feet high. You can stop and walk down the steps to get a photo before you cross.

Garstang is about 1.5 hours from Barton Grange Marina, and a good place to moor up for the night. It dates back to the Domesday book, and lies north east of the canal. It retains the atmosphere of a small market town with cobbled market place and interesting town hall and bell tower. Pubs include Th'Owd Tithebarn which is canalside by bridge 62, a charming and characterful inn, and quite a few pubs in the town serving food.

Day 2 Leaving Garstang you pass over another aqueduct and a couple of large marinas. Continuing northwards through quiet, modest and unspoilt pasture land, the lock free restful cruising with interesting wildlife makes for very pleasant cruising.

The Inn is east of bridge 81 across the A6.

Double bridge 81 marks the end of a rocky cutting and also the junction of the Glasson Branch, if you wish to detour down this short branch you can experience some locks!. Cruising along the Glasson branch can only be done if you are experienced and have agreed this route with the boatyard before your stay. The locks on the Glasson branch will take boats up to 67'6" x 16' with 3'10" draught . You will need a watermate key and the gates must be emptied and locked after use, even when going up. The Glasson Branch is extremely attractive and connects the Lancaster canal with the Lune estuary, but you cannot go onto the River in this boat.

On the main Lancaster canal the village of Galgate is passed with a large boatyard and mooring site. There is a shop and takeaways and a few pubs in the village.

The canal continues through beautiful undulating countryside and passes through a long wooded cutting that ends on the outskirts of Lancaster. There are useful stores just north of bridge 98 . It is just under 4 hours cruising to here & a good place to moor up and then spend the afternoon exploring the City. Visitor Moorings are now available in the centre of the city on both sides of Penny Street Bridge. The canal passes through the heart of Lancaster, passing pleasant restored mills, the cathedral is close to bridge 100, Dating from 1859, is a fine neo-Gothic church. Outside, a 240ft spire draws attention to this house of prayer.

Lancaster Castle, often known as John O’ Gaunt’s Castle is one of the most historically fascinating surviving buildings in the country. Its beginnings date back to Roman times when, from its commanding position on the hill overlooking the town of Lancaster and the , it stood as a bastion against the marauding forces of the ancient Picts and Scots tribes. Owned by The Duchy of Lancaster (Her Majesty the Queen is the Duke of Lancaster), the castle has witnessed scenes of significant historical, cultural and political impact throughout the centuries. These include incidents of religious persecution, the trials of the ‘ Witches’ and 200 executions for everything from murder to stealing cattle. Until 2011 it was a fully functioning HM Prison and today it is a magnificent ‘living’ monument, offering a glimpse into England’s often dark past through tours and special events enjoyed by modern day visitors of all ages. Tours are available throughout the day.

In you can discover more about the , one of England’s Heritage Cities, from the pre-historic era, through to today. Visit the King’s Own Royal Regiment Museum, housed within the same building, and explore the story of this wonderful city and its people.

Walking towards the river from bridge 99 is the Maritime museum and here you can discover more about Lancaster and ’s relationship with the ocean, life in the places between land and sea, and how our inland waterways have shaped lives, work, and leisure.

Day 3 Day 4 Day 5 You cross the impressive Lune Aqueduct , This Grade 1 iconic aqueduct should be one of our 'Seven Wonders of the Waterways'. It's a masterpiece of civil engineering. 202 metres (664 feet) long, it carries Lancaster Canal 16 metres (53 feet) above the River Lune. It was designed by John Rennie and constructed by Alexander Stevens in 1797. The aqueduct consists of five 21 metre (70 foot) semi-circular arches. All of which delivers picture-postcard views across the Lune Valley in Lancashire.

After bridge 111 you leave the outskirts of Lancaster behind and head towards the sea at Hest Bank, the sea is only a couple of hundred yards from the Canal here, and at low water you can see miles of sandy beach.

Bolton-le-Sands follows with the sea to your west shortly followed by Carnforth, the views towards Morecombe Bay are lovely as you approach the town. Bolton-le-Sands is a pleasant village, with shops and pubs. There is a railway station at Carnforth and you can explore the attractions of the Lake District by hopping on the train. The train journey to Carlisle is vey scenic hugging the coastline for much of the way. You can also catch the train to Ravenglass (About 1.75 hours from Carnforth) and get the Ravenglass & Eskdale Railway, a narrow gauge railway running from the coastal town of Ravenglass across the estuary and through the hills to Dalegarth, crossing 7 miles of spectacular scenery at the foot of one of Englands highest mountains, the Scafell range is 3200 feet at their peak. Leaving Carnforth you pass under the motorway, the M6 , but are soon into the peaceful countryside with the foothills of the Lake District in the distance. The canal end abruptly at Borwick ,right beside the M6, so turn here and find some peaceful moorings, although there is a pub called the Longlands hotel just north east of the terminus that serves food and ales ! It is 4 hours to here from Lancaster .

It is just over 9 hours back to the marina. , so perhaps cruise for another couple of hours today, leaving about 7 hours for your last full day.

Useful Links

Description : Ravenglass & Eskdale steam railway Website : https://ravenglass-railway.co.uk/ Telephone : 01229 717171

Description : Lancaster Tourist Information Website : https://visitlancaster.org.uk/ Telephone : n/a

Description : Lune Aqueduct Website : https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/places-to-visit/lune-aqueduct Telephone : n/a

The information above is provided in good faith to assist you with planning your canal boat holiday. Information accuracy cannot be guaranteed, however, if you do see something that needs updating, please don't hesitate to contact us.

PDF created : 30 Sep 2021 © https://ukcanalboating.com