Evening on the Lancaster Canal

Evening on the Lancaster Canal, originally uploaded by Bay Photographic.

The Lancaster Canal is undoubtedly one of the most picturesque, peaceful and unspoilt stretches of canal in the British Isles. It runs from the centre of Preston to Tewitfield near Carnforth, a total distance of 42 miles. There are plans to regenerate the upper reaches of the canal as far as the original terminus in Kendal.
The canal is connected to the rest of the canal network via the Ribble Link, a newly canalised brook that leads to the River Ribble near to Preston Docks. Although the Ribble is tidal, it is possible to reach the Rufford Branch of the Leeds and Liverpool via the River Douglas.

The Lancaster is more like a river than a canal in many ways. Built as a 'contour canal' it has no locks on the main line, and the GRP cruisers, many of them wide beam, outnumber the steel narrowboats many times over.