Day 56 of the End to End was the sixth and final day on the Lancaster canal. Having read ‘The Complete Guide to the Lancaster Canal’ published by the Lancaster Canal Trust I’d learnt a few things. I knew that Tewitfield was the canal terminus for boats. This has been the case since the M6 was built in 1968 and cut off bits of the Northern Reaches. The Lancaster Canal Trust exists to promote the full restoration of these sections, but more about this later.
First, I left Carnforth bridge 128 on another grey morning, overcast with the prediction of rain. I went under the M601 and M6 in quick succession. It was this latter motorway that as going to cause so many problems for the navigation of the Lancaster canal.
It didn’t rain much. There was some light drizzle and it was quite humid. It was the humidity that set up a tropical microclimate in my cagoule, the most uncomfortable aspect of the day’s walk.
At Tewitfield anyone who has made the full distance by boat can claim a free commemorative plaque. Unfortunately there’s no word about how walkers are rewarded. The end of the canal is abrupt and a small dark path under the A6070 leads out onto the path along the Northern Reaches.
There are 8 locks in three quarters of a mile but the gates have been removed and the water flows down freely. However it is a very beautiful section. The water seems clearer, perhaps because there’s no boat traffic and more water plants. There are lots of birds and the whole path is a wonderful natural green ribbon.
There were a couple of M6 detours. The canal stops, enters a culvert, and emerges again on the other side of the motorway but sometimes the path has a slightly longer detour. At one of these Bob took the path that ended in the motorway, the sign post for the detour from that end having got somewhat overgrown. Happily the detour was not to long. We took a break to have a brownie and recover. We left the canal at bridge 163.
It had been a really good walking route and I’d very much enjoyed it over these six days. The path was on the whole wider than the Shroppie and with no locks on the main section it was flatter (if more meandering). It was also very quiet all the way from Preston. There was less boat traffic and few walkers, except local dog walkers. We only saw two other pairs of walkers doing any distance. One pair had come from Kendal and did not recommend the trek over the fields this last section would entail.
We had not intended to go that way as we needed to make our way more north east to Sedbergh to pick up Hannah’s 2012 route via the Howgill fells. But more of that tomorrow. We could see the hills ahead of us as we left the canal.
Before the hills in order stood,
Or earth received her frame,
From everlasting thou art God,
To endless years the same.
(from Isaac Watts’ version of Psalm 90)
As we wait to hear the hills rejoice
And the valleys sing,
We too praise you, ageless One.
The earth is good and provides generously.
We must change our wastefulness and exploitation,
Listen to the song of the earth and
Live harmoniously with creation.
As we rest may we remember this
And remake our activities with this in mind.
God grant us a quiet night and a peaceful end.
JAL 01.06.2019
Day 56 of the End to End from bridge 128 to bridge 163 on the Lancaster canal.