A BOGOF - Claife Heights plus Lancaster Canal

For some time I have only occasionally walked in the Lake District, having objections to overcrowding, and parking difficulties. Perhaps that’s all a bit of overreaction. 

Having a fresh look, motivated by the Marilyns list, I find there are 55 of these hills in Area 34 which covers The Lakes and a few hills further afield.

On “discovering” the Ms I found I had climbed 32, and have now done two more (Lambrigg Fell, subject of my last post), and on Monday, dare I say it, I ticked off Claife Heights?

Contrary to my petty Lake District prejudices, the village hall car park (£2 voluntary contribution) at Sawrey was empty, and my walk to Claife Heights and back may well have been located in the Antarctic for its dearth of humans.

Well, that now leaves 21 in this area. Scrutiny reveals interesting prospects and mini peaks that would not likely be visited otherwise. I wonder if fellow Marilyn baggers will become ubiquitous? There was one line of footprints in the snow going up to Claife Heights which looked fresh enough to have been made that day.

The skull and crossbones is the Memory Map marker I have used to denote Marilyns.I drove up on the minor roads on the western side of Windermere, and returned across the ferry. My last crossing a few years ago cost around £1- On Sunday- £4.30

The views from the ascent of Claife Heights are generally poor

This was the best I could achieve on the summit

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Thursday - 24th January

Lancaster Canal - Cabus Nook to Garstang

My journey south down the Lancaster Canal with Pete is now entering more familiar territory for me. I lived in Preston until 1999 and we are now only about 16 miles away. Because of our commitment to undertake walks of around six miles each Thursday we are only making good three miles or so each time south on the canal as we have to return, usually via minor roads and tracks to our car and starting point.

The most notable feature on this section was the great increase in numbers of boats moored canal-side, and also in several large marinas. Connection to the Leeds Liverpool Canal is now possible since the opening of The Ribble Link connecting the canal to the River Ribble, which then has to be crossed to Tarleton, and thereby connecting to the Leeds Liverpool. Researching some of this stuff I gleaned that: 

"...crossing of the River Ribble is not for the faint hearted and a pilot is available at Tarleton". I can well believe that especially in a flat bottomed narrow boat. I was also amused to find that narrow boat owners refer to any other kind of boat on the canal as a "noddy boat".

A bit of noisy trudging through Garstang on our return leg dodging the traffic, until quieter country lanes were reached

This and pic below show a large static caravan park with moorings - there is still ice on the water.

Despite extensive searching on the Internet I couldn't learn anything about this unique bridge near Garstang. The inscription in the centre of the arch reads "FWB - 1927". I would have thought it was a listed or scheduled construction of some note

Another large marina across the canal

More radical architecture!

Aqueduct over the River Wyre

This was a zoom shot right across the canal, and has not been enhanced or enlarged in any way

Looking south-west down the Wyre from the aqueduct

The marina at Garstang - quite an elaborate development here

Taken from where our return route on the road crossed the canal again at Snape Wood. The snow plastered Fair Snape Fell in the Bowland Hills can be seen on the distant horizon