Lancaster Canal part 1

Saturday 18th May 2019
Bridge 23 to Bilsborrow
8 miles

The Lancaster Canal is lock free, so no jumping on and off until we return along the Ribble link in early June, apart from the diversion we will make to Glasson in three days time.  The weather seems to have deserted us a bit and we are back to several layers on the back of the boat, but the surrounding countryside is delightful, so I think we are in for a great couple of weeks.

As we set off on Saturday morning it would appear that someone is trying to remove some of the 'brown sludge'

The first of several boats to moored in a bridge hole!

I think we are in for a lot of this, so even though it is a lock free canal, I suspect it will be slow going, not helped by being rather shallow in places.

Rather grey, but our first sighting of hills

We moored in Bilsborrow and were lucky enough to get enough space for both of us in what is a very popular spot.  Sue and Ken came for our first dinner together - the world was put to rights and is (I hope) a better place now!

Sunday 19th May 2019
Bilsborrow to Garstang
4.75 miles

Another dry day, but not exactly warm! We were off closely followed by Cleddau

Someone is certainly making the most  of their canal frontage

I think I rather fancy stopping at this very large garden centre and farm shop at Barton Grange Marina on the way back - they even have good visitor moorings

anyone for crazy golf.

I am not quite sure what goes on in here

I think this shows how winding this canal is in places!  We have gone round the bend.

Once again we were lucky to find two moorings together and with some rings - just before Wyre Aqueduct

The aqueduct is a John Rennie design

There are great views from the top along the River Wyre and the adjacent golf course

Climb down the 40 steps and you can really appreciate the majesty of the structure

The steps also lead to a very pleasant walk into town and Sainsburys

I am afraid my knee is playing up, so the latter is as far as we got, but I did manage to pick up some Garstang Blue Cheese - I will report back once it has been tasted.  I may have to do my sight seeing via Sue's blog. 

Monday 20th May 2019
Garstang to B84
7 miles

We escaped just in time this morning - this lot arrived just as we left and whilst having the grass cut and edges strimmed is appreciated, they are not something you want done when you are tied up or you end up with grass all over the boat.

There is a rather lovely bridge as you leave Garstang

This was an interesting moment or two - we had just gone through a bridge hole to find a wide beam dead ahead with a boat moored on our right.  We hoped the former might stop and reverse, but sadly no.  Thankfully we were going very slowly as they just leaned out from the bow and shoved our bow out of the way!  We did very gently nudge the boat on our right.  A lady did pop out to look, but popped back in again before we could apologise.  We guess she could see what had happened and that there was nothing else we could have done.

This one we spotted in good time, so pulled over until they had gone past

So far this canal has been very rural with some wonderful views

 

This will be a lovely house when it is finished

There were occasions today when the nose was only too well aware of the agriculture going on all around us!

Then round another bend we came across these rather charming alpacas.

Two rather more unusual sightings

and how is this for an idea - a barbecue on the back deck!

Sue and Ken had gone ahead this morning, so we knew we were to stop after B84 and sure enough there they were and we pulled in in front of them

I have mentioned how shallow this canal is - well this is as close as we could get the stern!  Slightly unorthodox mooring, but

the side hatch view is worth only having one exit and entry point for the night.