The canal campaign marches on

My exploration of the Lancaster Canal develops like a military operation - I am attacking from both ends, but this is not a pincer movement. On Thursdays I go south with Pete, and we have plenty to go at - all the way to Preston. In the north I go alone, whenever the chance occurs, but will be finished at Kendal after the next two or three outings. After that,  my one man army will move its resources to the southern end.

Yesterday (Saturday) my temporarily halted blitzkrieg was on the move again from  Farleton Fell to the Westmorland Showground.

Purply, bruised broody autumn skies released doses of localised rain when they could contain it no longer, and the canal towpath was squelchy-gloopy.

Just before the M6 Jct. 36 canal guillotine,  an unexpected view of the filling station I drive past several times a week appeared, only a few yards on the other side of the canal. When driving past the filling station the canal is invisible. I was not aware, approaching from a new direction that I was close to this landmark.  I find such unanticipated views in supposedly familiar territory pleasantly diverting.

This was the least interesting section so far, but there were items of relief: a stone building, headquarters for free canal boat trips (closed until May 2013), displaying some information about proposed reclamation of this segmented canal,  and more attractive stands of larch which relieve the debatable monotony of the canals rigid lines. I understand that larch is threatened like ash - that would be an unfortunate loss to this canal scenery.

I left the canal via an isolated bridge with no road connection and after crossing one field joined a minor road. Here I had another new discovery on my own doorstep that I was not previously aware of: The Dry Stone Walling Association Training Site. The  walling examples contain expertly constructed stiles and those square holes, for streams and maybe sheep to run through. If drystone walls excite, a visit may put you on Prozac.

Once again I was able to return by quiet country lanes and tracks.

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From my previous post - the verse: "They hangs the man that steals the goose..." Research reveals this to be a 17c protest verse (anonymous), with many different versions.

The newly constructed Livestock market near Jct.36 on M6

A new view of my local filling station

Walking under Jct 36 on M6. The canal stops and starts on either side

Free boat trips from here (in the season)

More larch trees (now under threat), this would be a poorer view without them

Graffiti, ducks, and environment

Pete and I are currently exploring the Lancaster Canal south from Carnforth. My previous posts on the subject featured north from Carnforth. On the first trip, when we walked south to Lancaster, I had no camera. Last Thursday we continued to Aldcliffe. 

We returned to Lancaster by an old railway cycle track, passing through River Lune marshland with numerous birdwatching ponds. Conversation with an avid looking birder revealed that a “ lesser yellow leg” (no further description offered), and a “wood sandpiper” had been seen, two birds, that despite more than a passing interest, I have never heard of before! 

A little further on a strangely scripted sign attached to a fence seemed weirdly out of context:

They hang the man and
Flog the woman
That steals the goose
From off the common
But let the greater
Villain loose that steals
The common from the goose

Shades of Trump.

I thought of fellow blogger Alan Sloman (our environment watchdog) http://alansloman.blogspot.co.uk . A copy of the pic will be going into my “Signs” folder.

The rest of the walk passed through fairly depressing, urban, semi-industrial landscape back into Lancaster.

The ducks seem to like it,
I think part of the aim is to make the viewer marvel at how the "artist" gained access to his canvas

A slightly more skilled hand on this side

Time to switch on the pocket radio

In the steps of Mole

Sunday 4th November 2012

For Mole it was Spring and spring-cleaning; the only difference for me was the season with a cloudless autumnal sky compelling me to the outdoors and abandoning some intended household chores. Mole had been more assiduous, having completed most of his cleaning, but like me he cracked:

...he suddenly flung down his brush on the floor, said ”Bother!” and “O blow!” and also “Hang spring-cleaning!” and bolted out of the house without even waiting to put on his coat. Something up above was calling him imperiously...

I was off back to yesterday’s finishing point on the Lancaster Canal to walk the next section. This trip was enhanced by an unseasonal heavy covering of snow on the distant Lakeland hills.

Dow Crag and The Old Man of Coniston and longer zoom below

A pleasing, and unusual in these parts, avenue of larch or similar

Approaching Farleton Fell

Distant snow covered Central Lakeland Fells

Holme Mills

Pleasant walking - the houses of Holme bordering canal

The canal blocked by a minor road just north of Holme - the canal resumes on the other side

Blocked yet again by the M6 - I took about six tries  to get a vehicle in the pic - very difficult with the delay on "shutter" release on digital cameras, but I was well rewarded with this flooky shot - Farleton Fell in the background 

This footpath took me to the motorway bridge seen in the distance which in a couple of hundred yards arrived at a bridge over the resumed canal - the outward limit of todays section.
I returned by minor roads through Holme.

Distant Lakeland hills with snow

Farleton Fell

Lancaster Canal - Tewitfield to Burton-in-Kendal bridge (SD 516 758)

End of the line at Tewitfield - my previous finishing point was on the bank beyond stern of boat

The reason for the blocked off canal.  Walking under the M6

Restart of canal after motorway

I added the signature - click to enlarge if difficult to read

A lot of the canal is badly overgrown from here onwards - there are no boats from Tewitfield northwards

Lock gates have been removed

This was a noisy walk due to motorway proximity

A few hundred yards after this bridge (SD 520 750) the canal is blocked again by the M6,
I walked to the terminus then came back to this bridge to cross the M6 and resume some distance on the other side

Canal blocked by M6 which can be seen top left

My script indicates the distant resumption of the canal

Resumption after M6 obstruction - It was only a few hundred yards to the bridge where I finished this section

I believe there are plans for restoration of the Lancaster Canal which I intend to research and maybe post a summary. It would certainly be a monumental task, but now that access to the Leeds and Liverpool Canal at Preston has been achieved the Lancaster would become part of a huge network, so it would arguably be a worthwhile project.

(Walked - Saturday 3rd November 2012)

Something out of nothing

Friday - enthusiasm overrode postponement due to almost non-stop rain, of further exploration north on the Lancaster Canal.

Although only a few miles from my home of twelve years, I am still  surprised with new discoveries. Driving in the middle of nowhere, I found Capernwray Diving Centre - a long established and highly organised enterprise utilising a  disused water filled quarry for divers - their website is well worth a little browse. http://www.capernwrayhouse.com/capernwray-diving-centre/

I anticipated a soulless walk in penetrating non-stop rain, but being in denial of the prevailing weather I was rewarded. Soon after starting rain held off for the duration. 

The first interesting feature appeared within a hundred yards: the aqueduct carrying the canal over the obscure but important River Keer - it forms part of the boundary between Cumbria and Lancashire.

At Tewitfield, my furthest north, there is a marina, and the canal terminates for navigation -  it coincides with the  complicated A6070 crossing of the M6. The canal does continue afterwards, but more of this next time.

I returned south by ancient packhorse lanes, and at one point took the wrong one for a hundred yards. Partly because of my annoyance and impatience at making the error I managed to trip and fall into the mini canal of water in the ruts, both feet becoming immersed. Amazingly my Gortex trail shoes had kept my feet dry till then in the appallingly wet and muddy underfoot conditions.

Within two hundred yards of a right-angle left turn, leading in another hundred yards to my car, I passed under a splendid viaduct carrying the railway over the River Keer. Next it was the turn of my packhorse lane to cross the Keer by the quaintest, narrow, so secret little packhorse bridge I have ever seen. What a grand finale within three hundred yards of the car for what I had anticipated as a dreary, head down, uneventful trek in the rain.

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There is a website: “Geograph”, which invites people to photograph and post results for every kilometre square on the GB OS map.  This link: http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/1659762 will take you to a record of my packhorse bridge where the author, to quote his own word, predicts “orgasm”!

My starting point - Capernwray - looking south

From viaduct down to R. Keer

The marina at Tewitfield

Although there was endless traffic om M6 (left of pic) I had to take about six shots before I got one with vehicles on. This is where navigation terminates on canal and starts again on other side of roads.

The wrong turning. Pic taken a few minutes before I fell in on the way back

Railway viaduct crossing R. Keer