TNC On Tour 2003 15 - The Lanky...Neil enthuses about the Northern Reaches (XP)
Neil Arlidge
We sadly left our quiet deep Capernwray Arm Pontoon moorings at 15:45, bound
for Tewitfield, the present northern terminus of the Lancaster Canal. We
were soon at Tewitfield and coasted right up to the end, by the old A6070
bridge narrows, where now the embankment for the new bridge over the M6,
(which screams by at canal level) cuts off the canal. After the usual photo
session at this the furthest "connected" to the national system bit of
English canal, we gently reversed back past the other just arrived NB and
winded in the short winding arm. We moored up, fairly near Bridge 138, where
the noise from the M6 did not intrude much at all - 16:20.
After gathering our senses we walked up the forlorn gate less Tewitfield
flight of 8 locks and examined the virtually on the level M6 crossing, with
the canal piped through (The reason that the isolated sections up to
Hincaster are well maintained and in water is that the canal is fed from
Killington Reservoir, which feeds the canal at Crooklands) The M6 seems to
be on a crest to get over the culvert and I assume that the restoration plan
is to keep the canal on line here, but gain navigable height in the new
culvert, by repositioning lock 8 the other side of the motorway. Presumably
the structure of the old lock 8 would be kept and the top sill removed.
After legging it back down the locks we were in time to get the "Happy Hour"
menu in the Longlands Hotel. The meals were on offer were only 3.75 quid,
but after getting confusion from staff in the ordering technique, we
eventually went for the lemon Sole filets, with new potatoes and
vegetables..................I suppose you get what you pay for, but the fish
seemed to have been kept warm for yonks, managing to be virtually
inedible.....and three teeny weeny potatoes was stretching economy too far!
Wednesday 9th July
To stretch out our enforced stay on the Lancaster Canal, we decided to "do"
the northern reaches on foot. The 555 bus service went straight to Kendal
from the Longlands Hotel and by 11:30 ish we were in the centre of Kendal.
The old Terminus Basin was soon found, by a council re-cycling depot, just
below the castle. Even this far into town all the route was intact with just
one industrial building online right at the end. Lanky stone bridges soon
started to appear, crossing the infilled canal, in fact all seem to have
survived, apart from a couple due to road alterations. The first dropped
bridge was on the majorish A 6070 road, out to the south, from Kendal.
Plenty of navigable height in the embankment at this point.
After about another half a mile is another dropped bridge, over a minor
road, with plenty of room for new approaches to a new bridge. After here the
canal is mostly infilled, or ploughed away as it crosses over farmland.
Still the stone bridges pop up everywhere, showing the route. This section
will require serious rebuilding and waterproofing (rubber membranes?) as the
underlying rock is rather permeable limestone.
Where the A591 cuts through, by Levens Park, at an oblique angle, on the
level, is possibly the most awkward road crossing to achieve over the
restored Northern Reaches. Beyond this is a short section, including the
intact Hincaster Tunnel, cut off by the A591. A navigable height bridge
could be created right after the tunnel. Not far below this the in-water
section starts. Perfectly navigable, through Crooklands - the Lancaster
Canal Trust trip boat plies this section. Next comes the most northern of
three M6 crossings.........the towpath gets a tunnel, but the canal just a
pipe culvert!! It may be possible to share the nearby A6070 underbridge -
certainly enough room for the road, canal and path to co-exist. Another mile
and a half of perfectly navigable canal until the next M6 crossing, a bit
problematic, this one, but from the lie of the land it would appear that a
small canal diversion would gain navigable height in a new culvert.
Another 3.5 miles of perfect canal follow, until the previously mentioned
Cinderbarrow culvert under the M6.
All in all a rather knackering hike back from Kendal, but really worth it,
to show what a wonderful restoration the Northern Reaches would make - a
truly wonderful bit of canal, to a worthwhile destination.
Arrival back at the boat was at 17:00 and at 17:50 we shoved off, to give
Carnforth the benefit of our custom.............rather difficult, this as
due to our 19:45 arrival, the place seemed shut for food after 08:00!!! Had
a good chat with the Scully's on NB Dragonfly, Mel seemed a bit of
character! Managed some reasonable grub and a pint in the Poachers Lodge.
Thursday 10th July 2003
Rotten rainy day, whiled away by visiting Lal' Ratty (Ravenglass and Eskdale
narrow gauge railway), by mainline Cumbrian coast railway. Left Carnforth at
17:50 bound for Hest Bank. The rain had by now stopped - a brilliant clear
evening. Moored at same spot in Hest Bank - 19:00. We had a really good talk
with an old Lanky boating couple, The bloke was 85 and was very involved
with Lancaster Canal Trust - sorry we did not get their names. That night
the "Seaview" CHINESE TAKEAWAY was tried out. Certainly OK...........other
than meal for two came with rather too many chucked in extra dishes!!!
Friday 11th July 2003
Rather late start after Neil cremated some "slightly" out of date sausages,
for a mid morning brunch. Eventually tore ourselves away from Hest Bank at
11:15, bound the short trip to Lancaster, for the Saturday "arrivals". At
bridge 108, Neil dropped Martin C off for a wander down to the river bank
for a really good photo session of the Lune Aqueduct. Unfortunately Neil got
rather involved with an impromptu weed hatch session and Martin missed
Earnest on the aqueduct. Arrived back at Lancaster at 12:55..........in
exactly the same spot as last time!
-
Neil Arlidge - NB Earnest
Follow the travels of the TNC at http://www.tuesdaynightclub.co.uk
Ron
<snip>
> Eskdale narrow gauge railway), by mainline Cumbrian coast railway.
> Left Carnforth at 17:50 bound for Hest Bank. The rain had by now
> stopped - a brilliant clear evening. Moored at same spot in Hest Bank
> - 19:00. We had a really good talk with an old Lanky boating couple,
> The bloke was 85 and was very involved with Lancaster Canal Trust -
> sorry we did not get their names. That night the "Seaview" CHINESE
> TAKEAWAY was tried out. Certainly OK...........other than meal for
> two came with rather too many chucked in extra dishes!!!
Seview's not bad for chinese, the fish and chips tends to be a bit oily for
my taste. You should have stopped at B-L-S and tried out the award winning
chippy, now that's a takeaway! A large fish that ends up overlapping the
plate at both ends with batter that melts in your mouth... Mmmmmm.
--
Ron Jones
Don't repeat history, see unreported near misses in chemical lab/plant
at http://www.crhf.org.uk