The charity making life better by water
Making life better by water
Linking Preston to Kendal, the Lancaster Canal is one of the UK's few coastal canals and is popular for walking, cycling and boating.
Built along the natural lie of the land and stretching for 41 miles, the Lancaster Canal in the North West offers one the longest lock-free cruising stretches in the country.
As well as spectacular views of the Silverdale Coast, Forest of Bowland and Wyre countryside, it also features some of the most impressive canal architecture in the country.
All you need to know about boating the Lancaster Canal
As the Lancaster Canal is naturally level, it lends itself to gentle walking and cycling routes, whilst its lock-free status offers stress-free canoeing and paddling opportunities.
With four routes to chose from, you can paddle your stresses away
Enjoy a two mile walk from the Lune Aqueduct and listen to our fascinating audio trail along the way
Find out everything you need to know about fishing on the Lancaster Canal
Hop on board and discover the Lancaster Canal by boat
From canalside villages to excellent wildlife-spotting areas, the Lancaster Canal has it all.
A must-see is the magnificent Lune Aqueduct, which has recently benefited from a £2.4 million transformation and is one of John Rennie's finest works.
Lune Aqueduct is not only an impressive structure, it's the starting point for many walking, cycling and canoeing trails
The Penny Street Basin sits in the heart of the city, making for a calming space for lunch or to meet up with friends
A super spot to get away from the everyday stresses and see the likes of kingfishers and other wildlife
This lovely canalside village boasts plenty of places to sit, eat and gongoozle away your day
Out on the Glasson Branch where the canal meets the sea, sits Glasson Basin
Discover more about the history of the Lancaster Canal
Much of the water in the Lancaster Canal comes from Killington Reservoir, feeding along Peasey Beck for eight miles before entering the canal. The Lancaster Canal north of Tewitfield Locks is not navigable, but transfers water to the navigable section. Many feeders supply the canal, between them contributing about the same amount of water as the reservoir.
The Glasson Branch receives water from the canal main line, supplemented by the River Condor feeder below lock 4.
Locks 1-3 on the Ribble Link get their water from the Lancaster Canal, below lock 3 the water comes from Savick Brook.
Work began constructing the canal before the southern link into the main canal had been finalised. The canal was not joined to the rest of the network until the completion of the Ribble Link in 2002.
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The Lancaster Canal is one of our waterways with Green Flag status
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