Lancaster Canal
Follow the Lancaster Canal from Preston, in Lancashire, to Kendal, in Cumbria, on this splendid waterside walk or cycle. From the canal there are fine views of the Silverdale Coast, the Forest of Bowland AONB and the lovely Wyre countryside. The route passes Garstang, Lancaster, Morecambe Bay, Bolton le Sands and Carnforth before finishing at Kendal.
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Lancaster Canal Ordnance Survey Map 
- view and print off detailed OS map
Lancaster Canal Open Street Map 
- view and print off detailed map
Lancaster Canal OS Map 
- Mobile GPS OS Map with Location tracking
Lancaster Canal Open Street Map 
- Mobile GPS Map with Location tracking
Pubs/Cafes
On the route you could stop off at the Wellies Cafe in the Greenlands Farm Village at Tewitfield Marina. Here you can enjoy locally-sourced home cooked fayre in the artisan village where there's also a number of fine shops to browse. You can find it just north of the marina at postcode LA6 1GN for your sat navs.
In the village of Bolton le Sands there's the The Royal Hotel to consider. The inn is located in a fine spot next to the canal so you can enjoy your meal in the nice garden area by the water. They serve good quality food and can be found at postcode LA5 8DQ for your sat navs. You could also create a canal circular walk here using a section of the Lancashire Coastal Way which runs parallel to the canal here.
At the pretty Conder Green near Glasson Dock there's a lovely picnic site with views of the tidal River Conder. There's also the historic Mill at Conder where you can enjoy some fine dishes in a scenic location. They have seating next to the canal and a lovely garden with countryside views. You can find them on Thurnham Lane at postcode LA2 0BD.
At Bilsborrow there's the impressive Owd Nell's/Guy's Thatched Hamlet complex. The canalside 'village' includes a pub, restaurant, hotel and ice cream parlour. There's seats by the water and a nice surfaced towpath along this section of the canal. You can find them at postcode PR3 0RS.
Dog Walking
Further Information and Other Local Ideas
At the end of the route in Kendal you can visit the historic castle on the Kendal Castle and River Walk.
At Glasson Dock you could head a short distance south to explore the lovely Cockerham Sands where you can pay a visit to the historic Cockersand Abbey
In Lancaster the canal skirts the edge of the Fairfield Nature Reserve. It's a pleasant place for a walk with wetlands, a lovely apple orchard and lots of birdlife to look out for. You can find the reserve in the Abraham Heights area of the city.
For more walking ideas in the area see the Lancashire Walks and the Cumbria Walks pages.
Cycle Routes and Walking Routes Nearby
Photos
Lancaster Canal at Woodplumpton
Bridge 112 over Lancaster Canal
From Old Hall bridge looking towards Crooklands on a bright winter's day in 2010
Tewitfield Locks just north of Carnforth. This section of the Lancaster Canal is no longer navigable from the south, largely due to the fact that at this point the canal was blocked off by a new road when the M6 (visible to the left of the picture) was constructed in the 1960s. There are eight locks in total and although they no longer have gates, they are in remarkably fine condition.
Crag Bank near Bolton le Sands
Larkrigg near Kendal. The bridge carries a bridleway over the clearly discernible remains of the canal which once connected Preston to Kendal.
Farleton. The ruined building on the left used to be stables for horses used on the fast packet boat services on the canal, that covered the 57 miles from Preston to Kendal in around 7 hours. The horses were changed every four or five miles.
Line of the old canal in Kendal. Looking north. The tall lamps illuminate an all-weather sports pitch, with shared use by local school and public.