Lancaster Canal From Woodplumpton Road to the Millennium Link

I have a vague plan to walk the length of the canal,. but only in short sections. I did the southern section last week, and the start of the north section a couple of years ago, and the latter determined the start of this journey.

This, then, is where the Woodplumpton Road crosses the canal, and as far as I walked last time.

The green scum seems to be quite a feature, and is apparently pennywort. I have seen a boat on the canal skimming it off, but clearly there is more work to be done.

It does seem popular with swans; I have seen numerous on the canal. These cygnets look almost adult.

A short way further along, there is a sluice.

This mechanism would keep the canal the right depth. It is a reminder of the engineering involved. from Preston the canal heads north for 43 miles, perfectly flat the whole way. Pretty incredible for ca. 1800.

Overflow from the canal goes over the sluice, and I guess then goes left to drop down into Savick Brook, which we will encounter later.

The building on the left is part of Cadley Services.

This is where Cottam Lane crosses the canal. 

The building on the left is part of a collection of buildings that supported a water mill. It looks like the mill is now a private residence, and the mill pond has disappeared.

Just beyond this bridge is the Millennium Link. This is a short section of canal that was opened in 2002, and connects the canal to the River Ribble and then the River Douglas. From there the rest of the UK waterways can be accessed, finally connecting the northern section of the Lancaster Canal with the rest of the country more than two centuries late!

A short spur leads to this basin, at the top of a flight of three locks.

This is the view from the bottom of the locks, where the canal joins Savick Brook.

Savick Brook starts in Longridge, about eight miles northeast of Preston, flowing through Fulwood, and passing under the canal, through quite an impressive single-arch aqueduct between Cadley Services and Cottom Lane. Unfortunately there is no easy access to a good vantage point, so no photos.

The river flows through Haslam Park, then past the water mill mentioned earlier - which it would have once powered - joining the canal from behind the image above. This section has been widened to allow boats to turn.

The three locks rising up to the basin in the previous image are visible to the right, while Savick Brook  continues under the bridge to the left.

From here to the River Ribble, Savick Brook has been made navigable, and that includes the addition of a further five locks and a sea lock. As this is a modern canal, there is no need of a tow path, but it is possible to walk some of it. It heads under Tom Benson Way and the railway. Pedestrians can cross the road at a Pelican crossing, but then goes under the railway with the canal on a walk way bolted into the side of the bridge.

Hints of all this are visible from Tom Benson Way - it was great to finally see all this properly.