Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
The service ceased in 1846 because of rail competition. The last coal barges ceased their
trade 101 years later and the canal was abandoned above Tewitfield in 1955. Culverting of
several points above this, mostly by the M6, means that reopening of the canal will be more
difficult than would previously have been the case. There is little midweek activity on the
canal.
Despite being on the edge of the Lake District, the scenery is not as hilly as might be ex-
pected except at Farleton Fell, an extensively quarried limestone crag rearing up some 400m
above the canal, peaking only 800m away. Farleton was an important canal village, its stable
and packet house now disused. The former coaching inn of 1630 by Duke's Bridge has be-
come a private house.
Approaching Farleton Fell, the highest peak passed
.
The canal has been all at one level so far. Now the eight stone-chambered locks drop the
canal 23m to its other long level pound, which reaches all the way to Preston. Was Rennie
just lucky or was it skilful engineering that enabled him to group all the locks in 1km? Per-
haps a solution to the level problem at the motorway crossing is to rebuild the top lock to the
west of the motorway and deepen the cut for several hundred metres.
The final culvert comes immediately below the bottom lock. The A6070 crosses on a high
embankment next to the Longlands Hotel. The towpath is diverted under the A6070 bridge
across the M6, to emerge on the far side in Tewitfield Marina. Here there are narrowboats
moored right up to the final obstruction, picnic tables, a children's playground and full Canal
& River Trust facilities.
The canal moves away under Tewitfield Turnpike Bridge towards Borwick. Borwick Hall
was an Elizabethan manor house built around a 15th century peel tower, the gateway includ-
