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Tour 2003

Index

17 - Glasson Dock to Tewitfield. Lancaster Canal Glasson Dock Branch and Lancaster Canal.

Sunday 6th July 2003

There was to be a surprise raid by the Linda and Wendy, for a couple of days, seeing as Linda was due a flexi day on Monday and Wendy was to skive off school. Martin and Neil checked out the famous "Lock Keepers Rest" fry up cafe, in an old caravan - very popular with locals and a haven for bikers. Nice bacon and egg rolls!
Linda arrived early at around 11:00, just as Neil was finishing de-gunking the Vanette cooker and we all had a wander round Glasson Dock - a really nice spot and along with the arm / locks down, our favourite part of the Lanky so far. Eventually we dragged ourselves away, bound for Lancaster that night. 
Linda had brought up her new toy - a Brompton foldy cycle, with was used for lock wheeling on the Glasson Branch locks, it folds up so small it is light enough to jump off the boat with. The top of the Glasson Branch was reached at 14:20 and we set off towards Lancaster. 
Pleasant cuttings on this section with some Lanky stone bridges which have had the add-on lower extension kit! We were shadowed for all the way by a wide front steering GRP cruiser. We past a couple of off Lanky NB's in the cuttings who did not seem to want to slow down as we past - well it was them that went up the bank!
Arrival at Lancaster was at 15:50 and we grabbed the last Visitor Mooring, just past the "Water Witch" pub / restaurant. We were going there later, seeing as Linda was very upset that Lancaster does NOT have a Cafe Rouge!
The "Water Witch" was only half full, but they still said we needed a booking, no tables for an hour!..............so we wandered into town. The first of two Wetherspoon's showed ominous signs of closure, there was a nasty smell and a Dyno Rod van parked out side with many pipes and rods littering the pavement. We trundled on to the other Wetherspoon's, but Linda did not think we could get away with Wendy getting in as it was after the 17:00 "cut off". We eventually decided upon the "Bella Pasta". This was OK, but the portions a bit small. We came back to boat to find a couple of larger bottles balanced on roof, obviously from the "Water Witch". Quiet night, no noise from pub.

Monday 7th July 2003

We wandered over to new Sanitary Station, yet again needing the newly purchased Lancaster magic key. Rather superior Sanitary Station with free showers. The rubbish point was also locked up inside the hut - phew!!! 
Geoff Ashton NB Puffin No35 came over and introduced himself to us, as he had seen the Cutweb sticker. He is a member of CIBC as well as AWCC Treasurer. He agreed that the Lancaster keeps getting better the further you go up, but said it was better to avoid the upper Tewitfield Moorings, seeing as they are very noisy due to close proximity of M6, better to moor as soon as the moorings start, or better still, if you don't want a pub (which he said was OK), to moor on the 14 day pontoon moorings in the Capernwray Arm, just short of the end. 
Plenty of room to wind a 60ft NB at the end, said Geoff. Eventually after a small shopping expedition in the nearby corner store, we departed at 09:30. 
The other side of Lancaster was a bit urban, but soon the Lune aqueduct came into view, at right angles to the course of the canal. Neil jumped off at the beginning of the aqueduct and got a couple of piccies from below, then raced back to the next over bridge to get some piccies of Earnest on the aqueduct. 
After this the canal heads towards the sea and there are many close views over Morecombe Bay. We stopped for the day (11:05) at Hest Bank, seeing as Linda had to cycle back to Glasson for the car, collect Wendy, then get back home before getting involved with the M6 Brum rush hour. 
Yet again we failed to get the bows any nearer that 2ft, after checking out all of the extensive visitor moorings. We ground to a halt, by a new, non standard water point, so filled up, thus putting the bows firmly on the bottom!
As it was a reasonable afternoon Neil got bored and did a complete paint touch up of Earnest, leaving out most of the gunwales, seeing as we had now negotiated yet another booking for the HNC after the L&L and Chesterfield. Linda and Wendy were off by about 14:00 and Martin C and Neil decided to stay put. 
Just as the paint was tacky drizzly rain started, not affecting paint. After a quick clean up we just made the 18:30 deadline in the "Hest Bank" Inn, for a £6.95 3-course meal and a couple of pints of......you guessed it.........Timmy Taylor's Landlord. An excellent venue, the only pub in Hest Bank.

Tuesday 8th July 2003

Rotten drizzly rain in morning, eventually we shoved off at 11:55. Between the showers we managed to get some bacon and egg rolls from the Station Road Deli. 
Delightful section of canal. Up to Carnforth - OK looking pub and canal side BP shop - the canal clings to the sea shore, with many views over Morecombe Bay. After this the Lanky swings away, with some very dramatic views over the Lakeland Fells. The M6 intrudes for its one and only crossing, the canal is in a concrete channel between the approach road and the M6 bridge. The is some respite from the noisy end, in the excellent Capernwray Arm, where we moored up for an hour, on the pontoon, in FOUR FOOT of water!!!
We sadly left our quiet deep Capernwray Arm Pontoon moorings at 15:45, bound for Tewitfield, the present northern terminus of the Lancaster Canal. We were soon at Tewitfield and coasted right up to the end, by the old A6070 bridge narrows, where now the embankment for the new bridge over the M6, (which screams by at canal level) cuts off the canal. 
After the usual photo session at this the furthest "connected" to the national system bit of English canal, we gently reversed back past the other just arrived NB and winded in the short winding arm. We moored up, fairly near Bridge No 138, where the noise from the M6 did not intrude much at all - 16:20.
After gathering our senses we walked up the forlorn gate less Tewitfield flight of 8 locks and examined the virtually on the level M6 crossing, with the canal piped through (The reason that the isolated sections up to Hincaster are well maintained and in water is that the canal is fed from Killington Reservoir, which feeds the canal at Crooklands) The M6 seems to be on a crest to get over the culvert and I assume that the restoration plan is to keep the canal on line here, but gain navigable height in the new culvert, by repositioning lock 8 the other side of the motorway. Presumably the structure of the old lock 8 would be kept and the top sill removed.
After legging it back down the locks we were in time to get the "Happy Hour" menu in the Longlands Hotel. The meals were on offer were only £3.75 quid, after confusion from staff in the ordering technique, we
eventually went for the lemon Sole filets, with new potatoes and vegetables..................I suppose you get what you pay for, but the fish seemed to have been kept warm for yonks, managing to be virtually inedible.....and three teeny weeny potatoes was stretching economy too far!

Leaving Glasson Basin. Lancaster Canal, Glasson Dock Branch.

Another Tayberg barge? Lancaster Canal, Glasson Dock Branch.

Galgate. New sanitary station to right. Lancaster Canal.

Galgate. Steam paddle boat. Lancaster Canal.

Galgate Bridge No 86. Marina Park boat yard. Lancaster Canal.

Looking back at Galgate Bridge No 86. Lancaster Canal.

Ethel Hall Bridge No 88. Lancaster Canal.

Looking back at Ethel Hall Bridge No 88. Lancaster Canal.

Looking back at New Park Bridge No 89. Lancaster Canal.

Ashton Park Bridge No 90. Lancaster Canal.

The blue cruiser pulled off behind us and followed us all the way to Lancaster. Lancaster Canal.

Carole & Stuart Sampson's MV Sulaskar.........doing research for their First Mate Guides. Lancaster Canal.

Brantbeck Bridge No 91. Lancaster Canal.

Brantbeck Bridge No 91. Lancaster Canal.

Burrow Beck Bridge No 92. Lancaster Canal.

Carr Lane Bridge No 93. Lancaster Canal.

Deep Cutting Bridge No 94. Lancaster Canal.

Looking back at Deep Cutting Bridge No 94. Lancaster Canal.

Haverbreaks Bridge No 95. Lancaster Canal.

Coming into Lancaster. Aldcliffe Road Footbridge No 96. Lancaster Canal.

Railway bridge No 97. Lancaster Canal.

Looking back at Aldcliffe Road Footbridge No 96. Lancaster Canal.

Railway bridge No 97. Lancaster Canal.

The disused Lancaster BW yard. Bijou waterside residence anyone? Bridge No98. Lancaster Canal.

Lancaster University halls round Lancaster Basin. Lancaster Canal.

Lancaster. The Water Witch pub. Visitor moorings alongside. Lancaster Canal.

The surviving Lancaster wide barge, now being used as a trip boat. Lancaster Basin. Lancaster Canal.

Looking back at Bridge No 98. Lancaster. Lancaster Canal.

Lancaster. Water Witch pub and Water Witch Foot bridge No 98 A. Lancaster Canal.

Lancaster. Water Witch pub in the half light. Lancaster Canal.

NB Earnest's Lancaster mooring, just up from the Water Witch pub. Lancaster Canal.

Evening view over Lancaster from the castle.

Leaving Lancaster. Under Penny Bridge No 99. Looking back at the new sanitary station. Lancaster Canal.

Leaving Lancaster. Lancaster Canal.

Leaving Lancaster. Lancaster Canal.

The White Cross pub at Friarage Bridge No 100. Lancaster. Lancaster Canal.

Nelson Street Bridge No 101. Lancaster. Lancaster Canal.

Moor Lane Bridge No 102. Lancaster. Lancaster Canal.

Looking back at Nelson Street Bridge No 101. Lancaster. Lancaster Canal.

View over Lancaster Castle, Cathedral and Gaol.

Dry Dock Footbridge No 103. Lancaster. Lancaster Canal.

Another dry dock lost. Lancaster. Lancaster Canal.

Ridge Lane Bridge No 104. Lancaster. Lancaster Canal.

Bulk Road Aqueduct No 106. Lune Aqueduct No 107 and Halton Road Bridge No 108 in the distance. Lancaster Canal.

Lune Aqueduct. Lancaster Canal.

Lune Aqueduct. Lancaster Canal.

NB Earnest on Lune Aqueduct. Lancaster Canal.

NB Earnest on Lune Aqueduct No 107. Lancaster Canal.

Williamsland  Bridge No 113 and Belmont Bridge No 114. Lancaster Canal.

Blind Lane Bridge No 115. Hest Bank in the distance. Lancaster Canal.

Looking over Morecambe Bay and the West Coast Mainline. Lancaster Canal.

Hest Bank. Sanitary station in the distance. Lancaster Canal.

The Hest Bank Inn. Lancaster Canal.

Views over Morecambe Bay from Hest Bank.

Views over Morecambe Bay from Hest Bank.

Views over Morecambe from Hest Bank.

Leaving Hest Bank. Bridge No 117 and sanitary station. Lancaster Canal.

Hest Bank Bridge No 118. Lancaster Canal.

Hest Bank. Lancaster Canal.

Looking back at Hest Bank Bridge No 118. Lancaster Canal.

Hatlex Bridge No 119. Lancaster Canal.

Hatlex Swing Bridge No 120. Lancaster Canal.

Hatlex Swing Bridge No 120. Lancaster Canal.

Bolton Town End. Lancaster Canal.

Town End Bridge (AKA Mary Huttons) No 121. Lancaster Canal.

Bolton Turnpike Bridge No 123. Bolton-Le -Sands. Lancaster Canal.

Chorleys Bridge No 124. Bolton-Le -Sands. Lancaster Canal.

Bolton Cinder Ovens Bridge No 125. Bolton-Le -Sands. Lancaster Canal.

Looking back at Bolton Cinder Ovens Bridge No 125. Bolton-Le -Sands. Lancaster Canal.

Looking back at the rebuilt channel below Bolton Cinder Ovens Bridge No 125. Bolton-Le -Sands. Lancaster Canal.

Carnforth Basin. The Canal Turn pub. Lancaster Canal.

Carnforth Basin. The new sanitary station. Lancaster Canal.

Carnforth Basin. The Canal Turn pub. Shop in the petrol station. Lancaster Canal.

Carnforth Basin. Nu-way Acorn boatyard. Lancaster Canal.

Carnforth Bridge No 128. Lancaster Canal.

Hodgson's Bridge No 129. Lancaster Canal.

The A601M Bridge - M6 link road. Brewers Farm Bridge No 129 A. Lancaster Canal.

New route of canal constructed when the M6 was built. Lancaster Canal.

M6 culvert. Bridge No 129 B. Lancaster Canal.

M6 culvert. Lancaster Canal.

The wild section of the Lancaster Canal above the M6 crossing. Lancaster Canal.

Kellet Lane Bridge No 130. Lancaster Canal.

 Lancaster Canal.

Capernwray Bridge No 131. Lancaster Canal.

Railway viaduct over the River Keer. Lancaster Canal.

Railway Bridge No 133 at Capernwray. Lancaster Canal.

Moorings at Capernwray. Lancaster Canal.

Entrance to the Capernwray Arm to the right. Lancaster Canal.

Pleasant visitor moorings in the Capernwray Arm. Lancaster Canal.

Capernwray Arm. Lancaster Canal.

Capernwray Arm. Lancaster Canal.

Hodgesons Bridge No 134. Lancaster Canal.

 Lancaster Canal.

Borwick Hall Bridge No 135. Lancaster Canal.

Sanders Bridge No 136 and Taylors Bridge No 137. Borwick. Lancaster Canal.

Old Turnpike Bridge No 138. Tewitfield. Lancaster Canal.

The start of the Tewitfield visitor moorings. Lancaster Canal.

Tewitfield. Lancaster Canal.

The final winding point at Tewitfield. Lancaster Canal.

The dropped Bridge No 139 marks the end of the Lancaster Canal for the present. Tewitfield. Lancaster Canal.

Tewitfield - The end. Lancaster Canal.

Tewitfield - The end. Lancaster Canal.

The M6 is a stones throw from the winding point. Tewitfield. Lancaster Canal.

Tewitfield sanitary station. Lancaster Canal.

Our mooring at Tewitfield. Lancaster Canal.

The Longlands Hotel at Tewitfield.

The Tour Continues...

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