Text and photographs copyright of Jim Shead.

Lancaster Canal

Description: This 42 mile canal runs from Tewitfield to Preston and was from its openning detached from the main canal system although it had a connecting tram-way link from 1803 until 1860s. The opening of the Ribble Link in 2002 finally gave it a waterway connection to the main system.

History: Promoted by Acts of 1792, 1793, 1796, 1800, 1807 and 1819. Two miles of canal have been closed at Preston and the waterway above Tewitfield was closed by the Transport Act of 1955.
For more details see the History page.

Subordinate Waterways:

• Lancaster Canal - Glasson Dock Branch

Navigation Authority: MD's Office: Northern Waterways, General Manager: North West Waterways, Trafalgar House, Temple Court, Birchwood, Warrington, WA3 6GD: Telephone 01925 847700 : Fax 01925 847710 :

Canoeing on the Lancaster Canal

Related Articles

• Lingering on the Lancaster

Related Books

• The Canals of North West England (1) by Charles Hadfield and Gordon Biddle, ISBN: 07153 49562, 236 pages, Published by David & Charles, Volume 1. . Order now from .
• The Canals of North West England (2) by Charles Hadfield and Gordon Biddle, ISBN: 07153 49929, 260 pages, Published by David & Charles, Volume 2.. Order now from .
• A Home Tour Through the Manufacturing Districts of England, in the Summer of 1835 by G Head, Edition: 1st edition, 445 pages, Published by John Murray, in 1836, Many journeys by canal and river are described, including the Bridgewater, Carlise and Annan, Halifax, Knottingley, Lancaster, Leeds & Liverpool and Trent & Mersey. Several new railways are also described as part of this industrial tour..
• The Complete Guide to the Lancaster Canal by Not known, Edition: 2nd, ISBN: 0 9514146 1 5, 53 pages, Published by Lancaster Canal Trust, in 2000, A5 ring bound guide to the canal.. Order now from .
• Nicholson/Ordnance Survey Guide to the waterways - 5 by Not known, ISBN: 978-0-00-728165-7, 190 pages, Published by Nicholson, in 2009, North West & the Pennines. Includes the Aire & Calder (leeds to Wakefield), Bridgewater, Calder & Hebble, Huddersfield Broad, Lancaster, Leeds & Liverpool, Macclesfield, Peak Forest, Ashton and Rochdale canals plus the Trent & Mersey north of Hardings Wood Junction.. Order now from .
• Lancaster Canal Walks by Mary Welsh, ISBN: 1 8528 4138 9, 128 pages, Published by Cicerone Press, in 1993, Illustrated walking guide to the canal.. Order now from .
• Kendal's Canal by John Satchell, ISBN: 0 9509869 1 7, 134 pages, Published by Kendal Civic Society, in 2002, The history of the northern reaches of the Lancaster Canal.. Order now from .
• Life on the Lancaster Canal by Janet Rigby, ISBN: 1 872895 66 2, 112 pages, Published by Landy, in 2006, The history of the working life on the canal.. Order now from .
• The Lancaster Canal in Focus by Janet Rigby, ISBN: 978-1-872895-72-7, 60 pages, Published by Landy, in 2007, A paperback book with over 120 monochrome photographs of the Canal. Order now from .

Related videos

• The Millennium Ribble Link , Released in 2003, 1 hour 15 minutes Produced by VideoActive, The story of the long endevour to make a water link to the Lancaster Canal Available on tape DVD. Order on video tape from . Order on DVD from
• Fred on Water , Released in 2003, 1 hour 13 minutes Produced by Visionimpact, The 2002 canal journey of Fred Talbot, the TV weather presenter, including the Ribble Link, Lancaster Canal, Anderton Boat Lift and the Falkirk Wheel. Available on tape. Order on video tape from
• Carry On Up the Lune Chris Coburn, 2 hours 29 minutes Produced by Laurence Hogg Productions, To the Lancaster canal to see it all! via the Irish sea and return via the Dee, epic adventure cruising Available on tape. Order on video tape from

Related photographs

• Lancaster Canal: Richmond Bridge No 80 Near Cokerhan Road Bridge No 79
• Lancaster Canal: Potters Brook Bridge No 81 Near Hay Car Bridge No 83
• Lancaster Canal: Tewitfield Bottom Lock (Closed)
• Lancaster Canal: Borwick Hall Bridge No 135
• Lancaster Canal: Hest Bank Bridge No 118
• Lancaster Canal: Ribble Link Junction Top Lock of Ribble Link
• Lancaster Canal - Lancaster

Related External Web Sites

• Water Babies Luxury Holidays Afloat Holiday hire on the Lancaster Canal.
• Arlen Hire Boats Four narrowboats from 3 to 6 berth based on the Lancaster Canal.
• Moons Bridge Marina Moons Bridge Marina is towards the middle of the Lancaster Canal, near the Market Town of Garstang
• Lancaster Canal Black and White - the Story of the Lancaster Canal. A brief history of the waterway.
• The Lancaster Canal Trust The Lanky - the website of the Trust. The Trust also run Boat trips on the canal.
• The Ribble Link Trust An introduction to the Trust.
• The Lancaster Canal, History and Information Another site covering the canal.
• Lancaster Canal Restoration Partnership An ambitious multi-million pound scheme to re-open the most northerly 14 miles of the Lancaster Canal to Kendal.
• Bridgehouse Marina & Caravan Park Situated ten miles north of Preston, close to the market town of Garstang
• Norman 23 'Henry' A blog about a Norman 23 based on the Lancaster Canal.
• Budgie Transport Cruises, from May to September, on the Lancaster Canal covering a total of 35 miles from Barton (near Preston) to Tewitfield (the present terminus).

Related Cruising Logs

• 29th May 2003
• 1st June 2003

Other Related Pages

• Cruising Times

Lock Sizes and maximum craft dimensions: Length 72 foot, beam 14 foot 6 inches. NOTE: For more details of maximum lock and craft sizes and the basis of these figures see Craft and Lock Sizes Page

Lancaster Canal: Table of distances			Miles	Locks	Navigable (N)	Grid ref	OS Map No
Preston	Termination of Canal		0	0	N	SD525302	0
B5411 Road Bridge No 12			0.5	0	N	SD520309	102
Savick Aqueduct No 13	Over Savick Brook		0.9	0	N	SD518312	102
Ribble Link Junction	Junction with Ribble Link Cottam Mill Bridge to the east.		1.5	0	N	SD508312	0
Salwick Hall Bridge No 24			4.4	0	N	SD467322	102
Salwick Wharf			4.6	0	N	SD464324	102
Kirkham Bridge No 26			5	0	N	SD464330	102
Swill Brook Basin			7.5	0	N	SD484347	102
Woodplumpton Aqueduct No 33	Over Woodplumpton Brook		7.8	0	N	SD489350	102
Hollowforth Aqueduct No 38	Over Barton Brook		9.1	0	N	SD506363	102
Roebuck Bridge No 44			11.5	0	N	SD508395	102
Myerscough Hall Bridge No 45	Myerscough Hall 1 mile.		11.8	0	N	SD510400	102
Brock Aqueduct No 46	Over River Brock		12.4	0	N	SD506404	102
Preston to Lancaster Road Bridge No 47	A6		12.6	0	N	SD510410	102
Calder Aqueduct No 52	Over River Calder		14.5	0	N	SD506434	102
Greenhalgh Castle Bridge No 57			15.8	0	N	SD501448	102
Wyre Aqueduct No 61			16.5	0	N	SD490448	102
Garstang			16.9	0	N	SD485452	102
Richmond Bridge No 80			22.8	0	N	SD484523	102
Potters Brook Bridge No 81	Cocker Aqueduct over River Cocker		23.3	0	N	SD487526	0
Lodge Hill Junction	Junction with Lancaster Canal - Glasson Dock Branch Junction with the Glasson Dock Branch		24.1	0	N	SD481545	102
Galgate Basin Wharf			24.3	0	N	SD481546	102
Conder Aqueduct No 87	Over River Conder		24.8	0	N	SD478551	102
Scotforth Bridge No 91	At the start of Burrow Heights Cutting also known as Brantbeck Bridge		26.4	0	N	SD471574	102
Lancaster, Bridge No 98			29.3	0	N	SD475610	97
Lancaster, Moor Lane Bridge No 102			29.5	0	N	SD480616	97
Lune Aqueduct No 107	Over the River Lune, built by Rennie.		31.9	0	N	SD484638	97
Hest Bank Bridge No 118			34.5	0	N	SD469663	97
Bolton-le-Sands, Church Bridge No 122	Packet Boat Hotel		35.8	0	N	SD482677	97
Carnforth Bridge No 128			38.3	0	N	SD500704	97
M6 Motorway Bridge			38.9	0	N	SD512709	97
Keer Aqueduct No 132	Over River Keer		40.5	0	N	SD529719	97
Capernway Arm	Disused Quarry Branch		41	0	N	SD528723	97
Borwick Hall Bridge No 135			41.5	0	N	SD524729	97
Tewitfield Old Turnpike Bridge No 135			42	0	N	SD520734	97
Tewitfield Bottom Lock (Closed)	End of Navigation		42.3	0	U	SD519736	97

NOTE: N and U in the Navigable column above indicates that the node is navigable or unnavigable. If a D appears here it means that navigation is difficult or restricted to smaller craft.

 

Text and photographs copyright of Jim Shead.