A Walk Along The Lancaster Canal | Ray's Website and Blog

The cutting of the Lancaster Canal began around 1792 and the canal has always existed as two separate sections. The southern cutting ran from Aspull, in the south, to Walton Summit. The northern section ran from Preston to Kendal. The small section between Walton Summit and Preston, which required crossing the River Ribble, was never completed and a temporary tramroad was opened in 1803 to enable the transfer of cargo between Walton Summit and Preston.

The Southern Cutting

The southern cutting from Johnson’s Hillock to Bark Hill at Aspull became part of the Leeds and Liverpool Canal in 1810 and is still navigable today. At Johnson’s Hillock there is a short arm of the original Lancaster Canal running northwest from the wooden lock bridge to Town Lane.

The wooden lock footbridge at Johnson’s Hillock. The cutting behind the bridge to the right of the photograph is now the Leeds & Liverpool Canal which continues to the left also behind the bridge towards Blackburn. The cutting to the left is the Lancaster Canal running up towards Walton Summit.

The short cut of the Lancaster Canal from Johnson’s Hillock now ends where it reaches Town Lane.

Almost all of the cut between here and Walton Summit was filled by rubble from the construction of the M61 motorway. Through lack of use and the significant cost of constructing bridges and tunnels to accommodate the motorway, it was decided in the 1960s to close this section of the canal. Only a few very short sections of the cut are visible along with the remains of a few bridges and basins.

A short section of the two Whittle Tunnels can be found deep in a cutting outside Whittle-le-Woods

Remains of the canal and Moss Bridge at Whittle-le-Woods.

The two Whittle Tunnels and Moss Bridge can still be found in good condition at Whittle-le-Woods. Summit Bridge and White Bride stand in isolation in woods close to Walton Summit and can be accessed by a footpath that runs under the M61 motorway.

Footpaths can now be walked that follow the line of the canal cutting as we head north from Whittle Tunnels.

Walking north along the course of the canal from Dog Inn Bridge

Following the former canal cutting as it passes between Brindle and Clayton Brook on its way to Walton Summit we come across the sites of White Bridge and Summit Bridge. White Bridge has been removed and replaced by a grass bank crossing the cutting. Summit Bridge stands isolated in woodland and crosses a muddy ditch.

The now filled in cut of the Lancaster Canal near to the site of White Bridge.

The Northern Cutting

The northern cutting of the canal now starts at Maudlands, on the north west side of Preston, and can be navigated as far as Tewitfield.

The modern UCLAN student accommodation building is one of the warehouses that stood beside the basin near Corporation Street in Preston.

Originally, the canal ran as far south as the basin and coal yards on the southwest side of Corporation Street between Ladywell Street and Ring Way. Heading north towards Maudlands, there is no cutting visible as UCLAN have built over the land. However, there are still indications of a number of the bridges and banks to be seen.

The Tramroad

Signs of the tramroad can still be found at Walton Summit, in Preston city centre, and near to Walton-le-Dale where the course of the tramroad is used as a footpath. There is also a large trestle bridge crossing the River Ribble in Avenham Park, but this is currently closed. Two very small sections of the tramroad were excavated in Bamber Bridge and have been preserved at Worden Park in Leyland.