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Sunday 13 May 2018

Circular walk at the head of navigation.

After lunch in Lancaster we got underway and decided to head to the head of navigation in one go. As we have to come back, and the weather will be better, I will write about that later. As it was we went to the top of the cut and winded. We didn't stop in that area as the motorway was close and the noise was quite loud. Mind you I doubt very much that it would have kept us up much. We had spotted a likely spot on the way up and headed for there. Luckily we did get along side and had a nice quiet night.

We had decided to stop and walk up the locks to have a look, and to have a walk in the countryside. We were off before 1000 and the sun was out, and no wind so the reflection of Bridge 136 with 137 through the arch looked pretty.

Somewhere along the length of the canal the style of the mile posts seems to have altered from the flat stone with oval metal mileage, to these these square stone posts with carved mileage.

There is a small marina just before the end of the canal and it is surrounded by holiday flats that seem to be well thought of. I suppose that just off the M6 and close to the Lakelands etc. means that it is handy! The insulation must be good as it is very close to the M6.

In fact the winding hole at the end of the canal is almost in the emergency lane of the motorway as you can see above!

The head of navigation is here, and was actually the site of a short tunnel.

The othere side of the short tunnel the canal is till in water and as you can see the locks are actually in pretty good condition. It was lucky that the water way was needed as a route to move water along. Just new gates and paddle gear needed here.

You get an idea of the volume of water running down the old route from these cascades over the old lock sills in the middle of the flight of 8 locks that lift the canal up the 75' to the summit pound that took the route all the way to Kendal.

At the top of the flight these gates are used to provide information. The canal was opened to here at Tewitfield in 1799. The locks were not completed to take it further to the gateway of the Lakes and complete the 57' until 1819.

Much of the canal in the disused part is still in  water and the only really difficult bits to restore are caused by the M6, which also caused it's final abandonment, despite it being moribund since WWII. Above is where the M6 cuts across the canal, and as can be seen the embankment of the motorway is not high enough to simply burro under. This is the same in a couple of places so diversions, dropping locks etc will have to be carried, all adding to the costs.

As we left the line of the canal there was an extremely strong aroma of wild garlic from the field by the road. Funnily enoughg though within about two minutes we couldn't smell it as we had just got used to it.

The little lane we were walking on was actually the boundary between Lancashire and Cumbria so we can say we actually got into Cumbria on a 'canal journey'. Is that stretching it a bit much?

We then followed field paths and along green lanes. This fledgling thrush was just about able to fly but didn't really want to move. It's mother was making a right row above our heads. I couldn't believe how loud they are!

In Priest Hutton it made a good picture to see a leaning telephone box (with no phone) and the sign post with Cul de Sac on it. The village used to be called Nether Hutton but in 1529 Matthew Hutton was born here and became Archbishop of York in 1596. I wonder if that is why it became Priest Hutton?

The walk then took us to Borwick and the Grade I listed Borwick Hall. There is mention of the place in the Domesday Book, but the oldest parts of the building existing is from the 14th Century. It was passed down various family lines until 1854. In 1910 it was leased to a music critic John Alexander Maitland so long as he restored the building. In WWII it was used as a military base and afterwards it was given to the Lancashire Youth Hostel Association, and then passed to the Lancashire Council that run it today as an outdoor adventure centre.

We got back to the boat which was close by and after lunch headed south. It was a lovely walk in nice weather, and it was nice to see the country side around the head of navigation.

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