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The Lancaster Canal runs for 42 lock free
miles through pleasant pasturelands of north west England, overlooked
for most of the way by the foothills of the Pennines, from which hang
gliders often soar. Just north of Lancaster the sea shore is only a few
hundred yards to the west and you can see the sands of Morecambe Bay and
across to the magnificent mountains of the Lake District, well worth a
visit. |
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See more at Canal
Junction!
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There is a short branch to Glasson
Docks, which has six locks. The canal is peaceful right through the
year, you will meet very few other boats, and the lack of locks makes
it ideal for those who want a relaxing holiday or novices or others who want to
avoid locks. A round trip from Preston to Lancaster is easily possible
in a week. Lancaster is an interesting old County Town, with a castle
and other old buildings. Preston and Lancaster have good railway and
road links to Scotland and London and the South of England. |
| The canal was engineered by John
Rennie, and the bridges and aqueducts are built on his usual massive
classical scale. The five arched Lune Aqueduct is 660ft
long and one of the wonders of the canal world. The
Lancaster Canal was built with a
break between the northern section from Preston up to beyond Lancaster
and the southern section from Wigan to near Chorley. The problem was
the Ribble valley. The canal was never profitable enough for the
considerable engineering works, locks or aqueduct, which would have
been needed to cross the deep valley. The southern section became part
of the busy Leeds & Liverpool Canal but the isolated northern section
became a backwater. |
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 Email
us your questions
about Canal Vacations |
 promotes the wonderful leisure
opportunities on UK canals.
We don't offer boats or vacations of our own! |
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