The Tuesday Night Club Official Web Site

The Tuesday Night Club on Tour

Index

Tour 2003

Index

18 - The Northern Reaches of the Lancaster Canal walk.

Wednesday 9th July

To stretch out our enforced stay on the Lancaster Canal, we decided to "do" the northern reaches on foot. The 555 bus service went straight to Kendal from the Longlands Hotel and by 11:30 ish we were in the centre of Kendal.
The old Terminus Basin was soon found, by a council re-cycling depot, just below the castle. Even this far into town all the route was intact with just one industrial building online right at the end. Lanky stone bridges soon started to appear, crossing the infilled canal, in fact all seem to have survived, apart from a couple due to road alterations. 
The first dropped bridge (Highgate No 185) was on the majorish A 6070 road, out to the south, from Kendal. Plenty of navigable height in the embankment at this point. After about another half a mile is another dropped bridge (Natland Road No 183), over a minor road, with plenty of room for new approaches to a new bridge. 
After here the canal is mostly infilled, or ploughed away as it crosses over farmland. Still the stone bridges pop up everywhere, showing the route. This section will require serious rebuilding and waterproofing (rubber membranes?) as the underlying rock is rather permeable limestone. Where the A591 cuts through, by Levens Park, at an oblique angle, on the level, is possibly the most awkward road crossing to achieve over the restored Northern Reaches - this will be Bridge No 176. 
Beyond this is a short section, including the intact Hincaster Tunnel, cut off by the A591. A navigable height bridge could be created right after the tunnel (Kendal Link No 174). Not far below this the in-water section starts. Perfectly navigable, through Crooklands - the Lancaster Canal Trust trip boat plies this section. 
Next comes the most northern of three M6 crossings (M6 No 163 A). It may be possible to share the nearby A6070 under bridge - certainly enough room for the road, canal and path to co-exist. After this there is just one bridge until the A65 cuts through (Moss Side No 162), but with plenty of height for a new culvert, in fact the towpath gets a culvert, the canal only a pipe! 
Another mile and a half of perfectly navigable canal until the next M6 crossing (Spinney Culvert No 154 A), a bit problematic, this one, but from the lie of the land it would appear that a small canal diversion would gain navigable height in a new culvert.
Another 3.5 miles of perfect canal follow, until the Cinderbarrow Culvert No 141 A under the M6. Here the pipe culvert is under a rise in the M6, the only solution may be to knock the top cill out of Lock No 1 of the Tewitfield Flight, run the canal under the M6 at this lower level, then construct a new Lock No 1 on the other side.
All in all a rather knackering hike back from Kendal, but really worth it, to show what a wonderful restoration the Northern Reaches would make - a truly scenic bit of canal, to a worthwhile destination.

The course of the Canal Basin was just to the right of the path. Kendal. Northern Reaches of the Lancaster Canal.

The course of the canal is to the right, where the factory units are. Kendal. Northern Reaches of the Lancaster Canal.

Looking down to Kendal Castle Bridge No 187. Kendal. Northern Reaches of the Lancaster Canal.

Looking back at the course through this garden. Kendal. Northern Reaches of the Lancaster Canal.

Kendal Castle Bridge No 187. Kendal. Northern Reaches of the Lancaster Canal.

Kendal Castle Bridge No 187. Kendal. Northern Reaches of the Lancaster Canal.

Looking back at the course of the canal and Kendal Castle Bridge No 187. Kendal. Northern Reaches of the Lancaster Canal.

The course is just to the right of the path. Kendal. Northern Reaches of the Lancaster Canal.

The course is just to the right of the path, here crossing the new Parkside Road. Kendal. Northern Reaches of the Lancaster Canal.

The course below Parkside Road. You can see Kendal Changeline Bridge No 186 in the distance. Kendal. Northern Reaches of the Lancaster Canal.

The course above Parkside Road. Kendal. This car park would make a lovely basin. Northern Reaches of the Lancaster Canal.

Parkside Road built across the canal line, which goes where the car park entrance is. Kendal. Northern Reaches of the Lancaster Canal.

Looking down at the course below Kendal Changeline Bridge No 186. Kendal. Northern Reaches of the Lancaster Canal.

Kendal Changeline Bridge No 186. Kendal. Northern Reaches of the Lancaster Canal.

Looking down at the course below Kendal Changeline Bridge No 186. Possible marina village site? Kendal. Northern Reaches of the Lancaster Canal.

The restored Kendal Changeline Bridge No 186. Kendal. Northern Reaches of the Lancaster Canal.

Looking down at the course below Kendal Changeline Bridge No 186. Kendal. Northern Reaches of the Lancaster Canal.

Looking back to the restored Kendal Changeline Bridge No 186. Kendal. Northern Reaches of the Lancaster Canal.

The dropped Highgate Bridge No 185. Kendal. Northern Reaches of the Lancaster Canal.

Looking back at the dropped Highgate Bridge No 185. Kendal. Northern Reaches of the Lancaster Canal.

Natland Mill Bridge No 184. Northern Reaches of the Lancaster Canal.

Natland Mill Bridge No 184. Northern Reaches of the Lancaster Canal.

The gardens built on-line below Natland Mill Bridge No 184. Northern Reaches of the Lancaster Canal.

Looking back at the gardens built on-line below Natland Mill Bridge No 184. Northern Reaches of the Lancaster Canal.

Approaching the site of Natland Road Bridge No 183. Northern Reaches of the Lancaster Canal.

The site of Natland Road Bridge No 183. Northern Reaches of the Lancaster Canal.

The course continues below the site of Natland Road Bridge No 183. Northern Reaches of the Lancaster Canal.

Cutting below Natland Road Bridge No 183. Northern Reaches of the Lancaster Canal.

 Northern Reaches of the Lancaster Canal.

 Northern Reaches of the Lancaster Canal.

 Northern Reaches of the Lancaster Canal.

Natland Hall Bridge No 182. Northern Reaches of the Lancaster Canal.

Natland Hall Bridge No 182. Northern Reaches of the Lancaster Canal.

Looking back at Natland Hall Bridge No 182. Northern Reaches of the Lancaster Canal.

Northern Reaches of the Lancaster Canal.

Crow Park Bridge No 181. Northern Reaches of the Lancaster Canal.

Crow Park Bridge No 181. Northern Reaches of the Lancaster Canal.

Looking down at the course below Crow Park Bridge No 181. Northern Reaches of the Lancaster Canal.

The course below Crow Park Bridge No 181. Northern Reaches of the Lancaster Canal.

The course below Crow Park Bridge No 181. Northern Reaches of the Lancaster Canal.

Larkrigg Hall Bridge No 180. Northern Reaches of the Lancaster Canal.

Larkrigg Hall Bridge No 180. Northern Reaches of the Lancaster Canal.

Looking back at Larkrigg Hall Bridge No 180. Northern Reaches of the Lancaster Canal.

Looking back at Larkrigg Hall Bridge No 180. Northern Reaches of the Lancaster Canal.

 Northern Reaches of the Lancaster Canal.

Horse Park Bridge No 179. Northern Reaches of the Lancaster Canal.

Horse Park Bridge No 179. Northern Reaches of the Lancaster Canal.

Horse Park Bridge No 179. Northern Reaches of the Lancaster Canal.

The course below Horse Park Bridge No 179. Northern Reaches of the Lancaster Canal.

The cutting before Sedgwick. Northern Reaches of the Lancaster Canal.

Sedgwick Aqueduct No 178. Northern Reaches of the Lancaster Canal.

Sedgwick Aqueduct No 178. Northern Reaches of the Lancaster Canal.

Sedgwick Aqueduct No 178. Northern Reaches of the Lancaster Canal.

The embankment after Sedgwick. Northern Reaches of the Lancaster Canal.

Sedgwick Hall Bridge No 177. Northern Reaches of the Lancaster Canal.

Sedgwick Hall Bridge No 177. Northern Reaches of the Lancaster Canal.

The A591 cuts through the embankment in the distance. Northern Reaches of the Lancaster Canal.

Looking back at Sedgwick Hall Bridge No 177. Northern Reaches of the Lancaster Canal.

The embankment between the A591 Kendal Link Road and Hincaster Tunnel. Northern Reaches of the Lancaster Canal.

The sharp bend before Hincaster Tunnel. Northern Reaches of the Lancaster Canal.

Hincaster Tunnel west portal. Northern Reaches of the Lancaster Canal.

Hincaster Tunnel west portal. Northern Reaches of the Lancaster Canal.

Looking back at the bend before the west portal of the Hincaster Tunnel. Northern Reaches of the Lancaster Canal.

Horse tunnels under West Coast Mainline. Northern Reaches of the Lancaster Canal.

Horse tunnels under West Coast Mainline. Northern Reaches of the Lancaster Canal.

Hincaster Tunnel east portal. Northern Reaches of the Lancaster Canal.

Hincaster Tunnel east portal. Northern Reaches of the Lancaster Canal.

Looking back at the A591 Kendal Link Culvert. Northern Reaches of the Lancaster Canal.

Sellet Hall Bridge No 173. Northern Reaches of the Lancaster Canal.

Sellet Hall Bridge No 173. Northern Reaches of the Lancaster Canal.

 Northern Reaches of the Lancaster Canal.

Stainton Crossing Bridge No 172. Northern Reaches of the Lancaster Canal.

Stainton Crossing Bridge No 172. Here the watered section starts. Northern Reaches of the Lancaster Canal.

Looking back at Stainton Crossing Bridge No 172. Northern Reaches of the Lancaster Canal.

Looking down from Stainton Crossing Bridge No 172. Northern Reaches of the Lancaster Canal.

Bridge End Bridge No 170. Northern Reaches of the Lancaster Canal.

Looking down from Bridge End Bridge No 170. Northern Reaches of the Lancaster Canal.

Bridge End Bridge No 170. Northern Reaches of the Lancaster Canal.

Field End Bridge No 169. Northern Reaches of the Lancaster Canal.

Field End Bridge No 169. Northern Reaches of the Lancaster Canal.

 Northern Reaches of the Lancaster Canal.

 Northern Reaches of the Lancaster Canal.

Mattinsons Bridge No 168. Northern Reaches of the Lancaster Canal.

Looking back at Mattinsons Bridge No 168. Northern Reaches of the Lancaster Canal.

Old Hall Bridge No 167. Northern Reaches of the Lancaster Canal.

Looking back at Old Hall Bridge No 167. Northern Reaches of the Lancaster Canal.

Looking back at Old Hall Bridge No 167. Northern Reaches of the Lancaster Canal.

Crooklands Hotel dead ahead. Northern Reaches of the Lancaster Canal.

Crooklands Hotel and the Lancaster Canal Trust trip boat. Northern Reaches of the Lancaster Canal.

Looking back from Crooklands Bridge No 166 at Crooklands Wharf. Northern Reaches of the Lancaster Canal.

Crooklands Bridge No 166. Northern Reaches of the Lancaster Canal.

Looking down from Crooklands Bridge No 166. Northern Reaches of the Lancaster Canal.

Looking down to Millness Bridge No 164. Northern Reaches of the Lancaster Canal.

Looking back at Crooklands From Millness Bridge No 164. In the distance is the feeder from Killington Reservoir and Crooklands Aqueduct No 165. Northern Reaches of the Lancaster Canal.

Looking back at Crooklands and Millness Bridge No 164 and a winding point. Northern Reaches of the Lancaster Canal.

M6 Culvert No 163 A. There would be room for the canal to share the A 65 Culvert! Northern Reaches of the Lancaster Canal.

Looking back at the M6 Culvert No 163 A. Northern Reaches of the Lancaster Canal.

Seven Milestone Bridge No 163. Northern Reaches of the Lancaster Canal.

The A65 Moss Side Culvert. Room for navigable culvert under the A 65. The towpath has a culvert! Northern Reaches of the Lancaster Canal.

Dovehouses Bridge No 161. Northern Reaches of the Lancaster Canal.

Dovehouses Bridge No 161. Northern Reaches of the Lancaster Canal.

Atkinsons Bridge No 159. Northern Reaches of the Lancaster Canal.

Thompsons Bridge No 158. Northern Reaches of the Lancaster Canal.

Hodgsons Bridge No 157. Northern Reaches of the Lancaster Canal.

Farleton Turnpike Bridge No 156. Northern Reaches of the Lancaster Canal.

Winding point and Dukes Bridge No 155 in the distance. Northern Reaches of the Lancaster Canal.

Dukes Bridge No 155. Northern Reaches of the Lancaster Canal.

Looking down at the M6 Spinney Culvert No 154 A. Northern Reaches of the Lancaster Canal.

Looking up from the M6 Spinney Culvert No 154 A. Northern Reaches of the Lancaster Canal.

Spinney Culvert No 154 A, under the M6. Northern Reaches of the Lancaster Canal.

The M6 is possibly high enough at this point for a canal culvert. Northern Reaches of the Lancaster Canal.

Garths Bridge No 154. The M6 gets dangerously close. Northern Reaches of the Lancaster Canal.

Looking down at Holme North Road Culvert No 153 A. Northern Reaches of the Lancaster Canal.

Holme North Road - culvert under the M6. Northern Reaches of the Lancaster Canal.

Looking up at Garths Bridge No 154 from Holme North Road Culvert No 153 A. Northern Reaches of the Lancaster Canal.

Holme North Road Culvert No 153 A. Northern Reaches of the Lancaster Canal.

Looking down from Nelsons Bridge No 153 to Holme Park Bridge No 152. Northern Reaches of the Lancaster Canal.

Nelsons Bridge No 153. Northern Reaches of the Lancaster Canal.

Holme Park Bridge No 152. Northern Reaches of the Lancaster Canal.

Warehouse Bridge No 151 and Jansons Bridge No 150. Winding point in between. Northern Reaches of the Lancaster Canal.

Holme Turnpike Bridge No 149. Northern Reaches of the Lancaster Canal.

Holme Turnpike Bridge No 149. Northern Reaches of the Lancaster Canal.

Sheerness Bridge No 148. Northern Reaches of the Lancaster Canal.

 Northern Reaches of the Lancaster Canal.

New Mill Bridge No 145. Northern Reaches of the Lancaster Canal.

 Looking back at New Mill Bridge No 145. Northern Reaches of the Lancaster Canal.

Burton Wharf. Northern Reaches of the Lancaster Canal.

Burton Aqueduct No 144. Northern Reaches of the Lancaster Canal.

Moss Side Bridge No 143. Northern Reaches of the Lancaster Canal.

 Northern Reaches of the Lancaster Canal.

Yealand Road Bridge No 142. Northern Reaches of the Lancaster Canal.

Yealand Road Bridge No 142. Northern Reaches of the Lancaster Canal.

The M6 on the other side after the Cinderbarrow Culvert 141 A. Possibly enough room for a culvert in the M6 embankment at this point. There certainly would be if Tewitfield Top Lock No 1 was moved to this side of the M6. Northern Reaches of the Lancaster Canal.

Cinderbarrow Culvert No 141 A. Northern Reaches of the Lancaster Canal.

Looking back from the Cinderbarrow Culvert No 141 A. Northern Reaches of the Lancaster Canal.

The Cinderbarrow Culvert No 141 A. Northern Reaches of the Lancaster Canal.

The M6 looking north. The Cinderbarrow Culvert No 141 A runs from the brown sign on the left to the railings just visible on the right. As you can see, this is in a falling gradient to the north, so no hope of height for a navigable culvert in that direction. Northern Reaches of the Lancaster Canal.

The southern exit of the Cinderbarrow Culvert No 141 A. Northern Reaches of the Lancaster Canal.

The southern exit of the Cinderbarrow Culvert No 141 A. Northern Reaches of the Lancaster Canal.

Looking back from Saltermire Bridge No141 at the southern exit of the Cinderbarrow Culvert No 141 A. Northern Reaches of the Lancaster Canal.

Saltermire Bridge No141. Northern Reaches of the Lancaster Canal.

Looking down from Saltermire Bridge No141 at Tewitfield Top Lock No 1. Northern Reaches of the Lancaster Canal.

Memorial display of a set of lock gates. Tewitfield Flight. Northern Reaches of the Lancaster Canal.

Top Lock No 1 Tewitfield Flight. Top Ground paddle still in working condition. Notice the original hand cuff paddle handle lock. Northern Reaches of the Lancaster Canal.

Top Lock No 1 Looking down the Tewitfield Flight. Northern Reaches of the Lancaster Canal.

Lock No 2. Looking up the Tewitfield Flight. Northern Reaches of the Lancaster Canal.

Lock No 3. Looking down the Tewitfield Flight. Northern Reaches of the Lancaster Canal.

Looking up the Tewitfield Flight at Lock No 3, 2 and 1. Northern Reaches of the Lancaster Canal.

Lock No 4 Looking down the Tewitfield Flight. Lark Bridge No 140 over the tail of the lock. Northern Reaches of the Lancaster Canal.

Lock No 4. Tewitfield Flight. Lark Bridge No 140 over the tail of the lock. Northern Reaches of the Lancaster Canal.

Lock No 4 Looking up the Tewitfield Flight at  Lock No 4 and Lark Bridge No 140 from Lock No 5. Northern Reaches of the Lancaster Canal.

Looking down at Lock No 6. Tewitfield Flight. Northern Reaches of the Lancaster Canal.

Looking down from Lock No 6. Tewitfield Flight. Northern Reaches of the Lancaster Canal.

Lock No 6. Tewitfield Flight. Northern Reaches of the Lancaster Canal.

Looking down from Lock No 7. It is only from this point that the M6 becomes really intrusive. Tewitfield Flight. Northern Reaches of the Lancaster Canal.

Lock No 7. Tewitfield Flight. Northern Reaches of the Lancaster Canal.

Bottom Lock No 8. Tewitfield Flight. Northern Reaches of the Lancaster Canal.

Detail of top ground paddle. Tewitfield Flight. Northern Reaches of the Lancaster Canal.

Detail of  bottom gate quoin and cut off collar. Tewitfield Flight. Northern Reaches of the Lancaster Canal.

Looking down from Bottom Lock No 8 at the culvert under the rebuilt over the M6 Tewitfield Bridge No 139. Tewitfield Flight. Northern Reaches of the Lancaster Canal.

Looking up from Bottom Lock No 8. Tewitfield Flight. Northern Reaches of the Lancaster Canal.

Looking up the Tewitfield Flight and the M6 from Tewitfield Bridge No 139. Northern Reaches of the Lancaster Canal.

Looking up the Tewitfield Flight and the M6 from Tewitfield Bridge No 139. Northern Reaches of the Lancaster Canal.

The Tour Continues...

Home Page | "Earnest" | "Beatty" | Canal Restoration