Cycling along Lancaster canal

[Paula]

I'm going to spend the last weekend in May cycling from Preston to Lancaster, yes I know its not that far, but I do like to take my time and stop at pubs for a long lunch

 

has anyone got advice such as good/bad pubs, places to stay, places to visit?

 

Hope you guys can help

 

Paula XX

[Noah]

Hi Paula

 

We are about to cross over to the Lancaster Canal and stay until the third weekend in May. So we’ll miss you by a week!

 

It will be the first time that I’ve cruised along the whole canal but I’ve canoed and walked on sections. I can recommend a couple of canalside pubs that I call in occasionally:

 

At Bilsborough is “Guys Thatched Hamlet” with Old Nells pub, which is good for meals and real ales with good outdoor seating. Gets busy when the sun shines though.

 

In Lancaster is the Waterwitch. I haven’t eaten there but the beer selection is brill! (if that’s your thing). Busy with students in the evenings.

 

The Glasson branch is also well worth a detour and there are several good food (and beer pubs at and around the sea lock basin.

 

Noah

[ian west]

I'm going to spend the last weekend in May cycling from Preston to Lancaster, yes I know its not that far, but I do like to take my time and stop at pubs for a long lunch

 

has anyone got advice such as good/bad pubs, places to stay, places to visit?

 

Hope you guys can help

 

Paula XX

 

Hi Paula,

The first pub you will come to is off bridge 19, maybe about 100yards off the canal the Smiths Arms - OKish pub with cheap food. Then there's the Hand and Dagger acanalside at bridge 32, well worth a visit. Then to bridge 32, with a longish walk to (past the first pub) to the Running Pump, (appropriately for you?) with good food. Also it would be worth a run up to the Plough at Eves, maybe a mile away - one of my favourite pubs. Then I guess as Noah says it's to Bilsboro but there are also 2 other pubs canalside here, the Roebuck and probably the best is by the sanitaryu station but for the life of me I can't recall the name. if you want to stay at Old Nells I think its £49 for an ensuite room - it also has a late bar/club as well as a pub abd Italian pizza place.

Bridge 57 (I think) has the Kenlis Arms - traditional pub with good food last time I went.

Garstang (br 62) has more pubs than you can imagine for the size of the town - some also do beds. Too many to list really. I imagine it would be a very pleaseant place to stay, market day is on Thursday. The canal goes a bit rural after that - around bridge 75 there is the Bay Horse - very good food though a bit expensive for me. Then there I think 4 pubs in Galgate - all seem OK to me. I dont really know anything else between there and Lancaster.

Why stop there ? For cycling the Lancaster - Carnforth stretch is great - Id strongly advise on going even a bit further - you have to cycle over the aquaduct...

[Paula]

Thanks for this guys....I'll print off your replies and take them with me. I've walked the upper section....beautiful... but never done the Preston/Lancaster bit hence the cycling.

 

Don't think I'll ever get the boat up there....mind you, you should never say never.

 

Lets hope the weather is good and the towpath not too bumpy

 

Paula XX

[Carrie]

Paula - Hello! Been a while since I saw you here - I was just thinking that the other day when I saw Dorlan's avatar of a kingfisher. Hope you have a fantastic holiday. I'm going to see family in the outer hebrides at that time - can't wait! (and no .. I won't be taking the boat either!)

[Paula]

Carrie...yeah..hi its good to be back!!!

 

Paula XX

[ian west]

Hi Paula,

The first pub you will come to is off bridge 19, maybe about 100yards off the canal the Smiths Arms - OKish pub with cheap food. Then there's the Hand and Dagger acanalside at bridge 32, well worth a visit. Then to bridge 32, with a longish walk to (past the first pub) to the Running Pump, (appropriately for you?) with good food. Also it would be worth a run up to the Plough at Eves, maybe a mile away - one of my favourite pubs. Then I guess as Noah says it's to Bilsboro but there are also 2 other pubs canalside here, the Roebuck and probably the best is by the sanitaryu station but for the life of me I can't recall the name. if you want to stay at Old Nells I think its £49 for an ensuite room - it also has a late bar/club as well as a pub abd Italian pizza place.

Bridge 57 (I think) has the Kenlis Arms - traditional pub with good food last time I went.

Garstang (br 62) has more pubs than you can imagine for the size of the town - some also do beds. Too many to list really. I imagine it would be a very pleaseant place to stay, market day is on Thursday. The canal goes a bit rural after that - around bridge 75 there is the Bay Horse - very good food though a bit expensive for me. Then there I think 4 pubs in Galgate - all seem OK to me. I dont really know anything else between there and Lancaster.

Why stop there ? For cycling the Lancaster - Carnforth stretch is great - Id strongly advise on going even a bit further - you have to cycle over the aquaduct...

[moonshadow]

here goes . .not many posts to my name, and I'll sound like a moaner ha ha thing is me & her indoors have worked in food places me 11 years, her getting on for 15 years

 

Hand & Dagger nice welcome, food is a little bit erm . . big chain-y? Frozen? Think 2 meals for £5 kinda quality but without the money off

 

Guy's court surprisingly good prices for what turned out to be a very nice italian-esque meal. A* effort

 

Owd Nell's very lively, can take forever to get a drink, food as Hand & Dagger

 

Owd Tithe Barn 4 chances to impress, failed miserably on every attempt. Flat beer, terrible service, dirty tables inside & out, cold / late food (even when quiet). Such a pretty pub in a cracking location . ..shame . .

 

Plough Inn pick of the bunch in Galgate, nearest one to the canal, friendly staff etc. Not eaten here yet though

 

Water Witch good place to stop for 1 drink, nice seated area out front etc. Food? No dish consisting mostly of mushrooms should cost more than £10

 

 

Glasson Arm

 

The Mill Inn only been in once, great looking place by a lock, nice garden area but flat cider, off coleslaw, luke warm pannini's. Will try again, might have been an off day

[buccaneer]

You are only allowed to cycle along a very few miles of the lancaster canal,for those few miles you need a permit badge obtainable from BWW,

From Preston start of canal you can cycle about 3 miles to Cottam and the new sports centre then there are signs that say no further cycling.

 

I think the next bit of cycling on the towpath starts around Carnforth well past lancaster.

 

I would first check with BWW and obtain the ' permission to cycle on designated towpaths' but you will find this only allows you to walk most of the way from Preston to lancaster.

 

I went into this years ago and have the permits but they are very limited.

[moonshadow]

yeh, everything buccaneer said there are few places your allowed to cycle on the Lancaster.

 

BUT . . from what I've seen, this is largely ignored, the towpath is always busy with cyclists right along the canal

 

Not that I'd condone flouting the rules *ahem*, just passing on what I've seen

[buccaneer]

Well thts the offical position, I now have my cycling permit which I wear and if I was asked first I would say I have got my permit and 2nd I did not know I could not cycle on this bit.

The permit also says not valid for mechanically power cycles so that excludes those 2 strokes which you sometimes see with 2 youths on and electric/battery powered bikes.

Edited April 26, 2007 by buccaneer

[buccaneer]

A bit more info here

 

http://www.alucard.co.uk/lancaster/cycle.htm

[Paula]

Buccaneer

 

Thanks for the link, it will be useful. In previous years I have downloaded a permit and attached to my bike. I must get round to it this year.

 

Hopefully there shouldn't be too much of a problem as regards access.

 

Paula XX

[whammy]

Reference the Hand and Dagger pub, we had lunch there today and the food was excellent, best bit of Gammon I have had for a long time and the Sweet Chilli Chicken was excellent according to her in doors, definately not two for a tenner food.

[Paula]

Just got back.....fantastic. What a lovely waterway, mind you the weather made it....hot sun...just had to have pub stops. Went down the Ribble link, saw two terrapins sunbathing in Preston !!! We went down the Glasson Branch, that was great it was like being it the seaside!!!!

 

Thanks for all the advice for pubs...managed to try most of them....loved the Water Witch in Lancaster...fab beer (couple of pints of Flaming Nora!!) and great food

 

Paula XX