Back South over the Ribble Link

We reached the north end of the Lancaster Canal at Tewitfield and then there was only one way to go - back the way we had come.

This view is taken from the spectacular Lune Aqueduct, looking upstream.  The dots in the water are canoes.

As we arrived at the Aqueduct, the broad beam trip boat, Kingfisher, was turning round.  Here you can see Kingfisher crossing the Aqueduct.  

This time in Lancaster we visited the City Museum which had a special exhibition on Morecombe and Wise as well as informative presentations about aspects of local history.  Well worth a visit.

Walking back, we liked this advertising board!

As well as bluebells, we've enjoyed banks covered in wild garlic like this one by the canal.  At times it looks like snow, but certainly smells different particularly during rain, though we've had little of that I'm pleased to say.








When coming back down a canal we've already travelled, we try to stop at different places.  So it was with Galgate which was an old village with lots of small cottages built for mill workers.

This is one of two mills in Galgate.  Encouragingly these are still in use by a variety of modern businesses.  One mill (not sure it's this one) is the oldest silk mill in Britain.

This stuffed person is apparently fishing and his left hand is fixed with string to an overhanging branch, so that the wind moves his hand and makes it look as if he is waving.  A quick glance makes him look quite real.








From a mooring at Cabus Nook, north of Garstang, we had a walk up into the Bowland Forest and climbed the delightfully named 'Nicky Nook Fell'. 

Here Helen is about to join the footpath to the top of the hill.  Nicky Nook Fell is only about 700 feet above sea level but has superb views over the coast from Lancaster to Blackpool and Preston.  I guess you should be able to see the Lake District Mountains and possibly the Isle of Man, but visibility was too poor when we were there.

This monument on the Fell was originally erected to celebrate Queen Victoria's diamond jubilee, but there are now extra plaques for Queen Elizabeth's golden and diamond jubilees too.

Here is Helen on top of Nicky Nook.  The hills behind are higher fells in the Forest of Bowland, the right hand one is called Parlick Fell.

From the top we dropped down into Grizedale  which has a reservoir and some delightful native forest.  This view shows more bluebells in the woodland.

The bluebells here have flowering broom behind.















With a visit from our son, David, we carried on into the centre of Preston and moored overnight on Sunday by the services at Cadley.  This mooring is securely locked at night.

Passing a caravan site we liked this horse coming out of the ground.  It is cast in brass and beautifully finished.

We are seeing more swan families now.  Here is Mum and Dad and three cygnets.

The last half mile into Preston is rather weedy but houses adjoining the canal have worked hard to make their gardens attractive.  This one looks like a Caribbean bar.

We walked down to the Marina and Docks.  Here are Helen and David standing by the Marina.

The Ribble steam railway runs along the river front and crosses a swing bridge over the entrance to the Dock.

Since the final mile of the canal has now disappeared, this is now the very end of the Lancaster Canal.  The Canal finishes on a high embankment and originally then crossed another aqueduct.  The proposed aqueduct over the River Ribble that would have joined the canal to the rest of the system was never built.





So the Lancaster Canal remained disconnected from the rest of the canal system until, in 2002, the Ribble Link was opened.  We had come over the Ribble Link at the beginning of May and yesterday (Monday) we returned that way to Tarleton on the Rufford branch of the Leeds and Liverpool.  We've not included so many pictures this time as it would simply be repeating an earlier posting, but I will describe the experience.

Having come down 8 locks from the Lancaster Canal we followed the semi-tidal Savick Brook.  As you can see this does not look navigable!  Both Leo and the boat in front of us kept going aground as the water level seemed to be a foot or more lower than our outward trip.  At one point the boat in front got firmly stuck and we managed to give it a nudge with Leo to allow us both to continue.

Here we are cruising down the River Ribble against the tide.  You can see the buildings of Preston in the distance.  The return trip was harder work for the engine going along the Ribble (doing about 2,000 rpm) but towards the Astland Lamp the tide slackened and we rounded the lamp into the River Douglas just about at slack high water.

You do have to keep an eye open for debris floating in the River.  We had already passed a floating sofa when we came across this armchair.  With David hoping to move house soon we did think of towing these but we couldn't find the other chair to make a three piece suite!

Here you can see the Astland Lamp to the left and the boat in front just turning to go round it and up the River Douglas.  Notice that the planks and poles are tied on for this trip just in case.  We did finish up with salt spray on the bow and front windows, but it was pretty calm and the earlier wind had mostly dropped by the time we were out on the tide.

Having come round the Lamp we came up the Douglas against the falling tide.  However the outgoing tide is much slower than the incoming tide, so this was not really too difficult.  Here you can see us approaching Tarleton Lock which marks the end of the Link.  Although there was a bit of a current past the lock it was not too difficult to get in.

David enjoyed his passage over the Ribble Link with us and here you can see him on the back of Leo safely moored up in Tarleton.  And even now it is not back to work for David as he is off to Wales for a few days holiday.








Today we have cruised most of the way back up the Rufford branch and tomorrow we will return to the Leeds and Liverpool Canal heading for Wigan and Manchester.  We will broadly be heading south now but we are discussing an excursion into Wales on the Llangollen Canal.