Editing Lancaster Canal (section)

==Route==
Starting at Preston, the canal begins inconspicuously on an embankment, just to the south of Ashton Basin. It formerly continued for a little under a mile to a basin where it connected to the Lancaster Canal Tramroad.{{sfn |Nicholson |2019 |pp=70-71}} The towpath is on the left hand bank when heading to the north for almost all of the canal. With the exception of Preston and the [[City of Lancaster]], most of the canal runs through open countryside, while all of the navigable main line follows the same [[contour line|contour]], and is therefore free of [[canal lock|locks]].{{sfn |Nicholson |2019 |pp=70-92}} At Preston, the canal runs through urban surroundings for around {{convert|2|mi|km}},{{sfn |Nicholson |2019 |pp=70-71}} passing the junction with the [[Ribble Link]] at {{convert|1.4|mi|km}}, where there was a large sculpture, ''Gauging the Ripple'', one of four nearby which were created by Thompson Dagnall.{{sfn |Cumberlidge |2009 |pp=166, 252}} However, the wooden construction suffered from rot, and it was removed in 2007. It has since been replaced by a statue of a canal barge with large hand tools on it, made from stainless steel, which is perched on top of a [[Weathering steel|corten steel]] plinth.<ref>{{cite magazine |title=What's that strange feature? |magazine=Waterways World |date=October 2022 |issn=0309-1422}}</ref>

The canal is crossed by the M55 motorway before reaching Swillbrook, to the south of Catford, and then crosses the Woodplumpton Brook at Woodplumpton Aqueduct,{{sfn |Nicholson |2019 |p=70}} before turning to the north. At [[Bilsborrow]] it is briefly joined by the A6 road, the West Coast Main Line railway and the M6 motorway. To the north of the village is Brock Aqueduct,{{sfn |Nicholson |2019 |pp=72-73}} and the canal continues to the east of [[Catterall]] to reach [[Garstang]], where it crosses the River Wyre on a stone aqueduct, which is {{convert|110|ft|m}} long and {{convert|34|ft|m}} high.{{sfn |Nicholson |2019 |pp=74-75}} The inlet from the canal to Garstang Marina is a visual reporting point (VRP) for [[general aviation]] aircraft in the local Blackpool airspace.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.blackpoolairport.com/visiting-by-air/ |title=Visiting by air |publisher=[[Blackpool Airport]]}}</ref> Beyond Garstang, the canal passes through open countryside, with few villages,{{sfn |Nicholson |2019 |pp=76-77}} before reaching the junction with the Glasson Dock branch, {{convert|24|mi|km}} from Preston.{{sfn |Cumberlidge |2009 |p=166}} A further rural section brings it to the southern edge of Lancaster.{{sfn |Nicholson |2019 |pp=78-79}}

Within Lancaster, the canal is hemmed in by buildings. The towpath briefly crosses to the east bank between bridges 98 and 100, before Bulk Road Aqueduct carries it over the A683 road. The aqueduct is relatively modern, having been built in 1961. Shortly afterwards comes the Lune Aqueduct, crossing the non-tidal part of the River Lune,{{sfn |Nicholson |2019 |pp=80-81}} which is {{convert|30.8|mi|km}} from Preston.{{sfn |Cumberlidge |2009 |p=166}} At [[Hest Bank]] the canal comes close to the sea at [[Morecambe Bay]],{{sfn |Nicholson |2019 |pp=80-81}} and follows the coastline through [[Bolton-le-Sands]], before turning inland at [[Carnforth]]. Its passage through the town is mostly in a cutting, and on the eastern edge of Carnforth, is crossed by the A601(M) motorway. Immediately afterwards, it follows a new route alongside the M6 motorway, before making a sharp turn through a new bridge under the motorway, and rejoining its historic course. It crosses the [[River Keer]] on a small aqueduct at [[Capernwray]], overshadowed by a much larger viaduct that carries the railway over the river and the canal.{{sfn |Nicholson |2019 |pp=82-83}} The Capernwray Arm, a short branch that once served a quarry, now offers secluded moorings to the east of the main line, and after passing along the western edge of [[Borwick]], the navigable canal ends at Tewitfield Marina next to the M6 motorway,{{sfn |Nicholson |2019 |pp=84-85}} which is {{convert|42.1|mi|km}} from Preston.{{sfn |Cumberlidge |2009 |p=166}}

Beyond lie the eight abandoned Tewitfield locks, isolated from the canal by Twitfield Culvert under the A6070 road at the southern end and Cinderbarrow Culvert under the M6 motorway at the northern end. Nearly {{convert|8|mi|km}} of canal above Cinderbarrow Culvert remain in water, and can be used by canoes and other small craft that can be portaged around obstructions. It remains in water because Killington Reservoir still acts as the main water supply for the navigable section below the locks.{{sfn |Nicholson |2019 |p=85}} [[Burton-in-Kendal]] is to the east of the canal, with [[Holme, Cumbria|Holme]] to the west. The former bridge carrying North Road has been lowered to become a culvert, and at Spinney Culvert, the M6 motorway again crosses the canal, while the towpath has been diverted away from the canal, to rejoin it at Duke's Bridge.{{sfn |Nicholson |2019 |pp=86-87}} To the north of [[Farleton, Cumbria|Farleton]], Farleton Aqueduct carries the canal over Farleton Beck. Moss Side Culvert blocks the canal where the A65 road crosses it, and the M6 motorway crosses for the third time at Millness Culvert. At [[Crooklands]], the canal crosses the [[Peasey Beck]], which carries water from Killington Reservoir to supply the canal, and from here to [[Stainton, South Lakeland|Stainton]] the canal is used by a trip boat operated by the Lancaster Canal Trust. The watered section ends just beyond Stainton Aqueduct,{{sfn |Nicholson |2019 |pp=88-89}} some {{convert|50|mi|km}} from Preston.{{sfn |Cumberlidge |2009 |p=166}}

Although dry and partly infilled, its route can be followed for the final {{convert|5|mi|km|0}} to Kendal. It passes through Hincaster Tunnel and over Sedgwick Aqueduct,{{sfn |Nicholson |2019 |pp=88-89}} which crosses the main street in [[Sedgwick, Cumbria|Sedgwick]]. Although the course is infilled, there are a number of bridges still in good condition, including the Changeline Bridge, where the towpath changes to the eastern bank of the canal. Shortly afterwards, it arrives at Canal Head, where a number of stone buildings date from the time of the canal's construction.{{sfn |Nicholson |2019 |pp=91-92}} The basin is {{convert|55.8|mi|km}} from Preston.{{sfn |Cumberlidge |2009 |p=166}}