Garstang |
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You are now on the outskirts of Garstang but as the canal skirts round the Southwest side of this small town, urbanisation does not intrude. The River Wyre is crossed on a majestic single arch aqueduct with the river thirty feet below. The aqueduct is best viewed from the footpath running along the riverbank, which can be accessed from the towing path. Just beyond lies Garstang basin.
The building on the north side is a Tithe Barn, predating the canal by over a hundred years and built of brick, a rarely used material at that time. The building is now used as a restaurant and also houses the Lancaster Canal Museum, administered by the Lancaster Canal trust. Many old industrial and agricultural artefacts hang from the roof and walls of the barn. Mooring is available opposite the basin on the towpath side. From here it is a couple of minutes walk to the town centre
The Pipe Bridge to the north of Garstang carries water from Barnacre Reservoir to Blackpool and the Fylde. At Bridge 64 there is a handy shop selling home-made pies, pastries and sandwiches. The canal passes quickly back into rural Lancashire. On the offside is Bridge House Marina with all facilities for boaters. A little further north is the dismantled 'Pilling Pig' railway line which was a railway running from Garstang to Knott End at the mouth of the River Wyre. One mile east of Bridge 68 is Winmarleigh Hall, a stately mansion surrounded by trees and a former home of Lord Winmarleigh. It is now owned by Lancashire County Council and is used as an institute of agriculture.
Petrol may be obtained from the garage at Bridge 71. The canal continues to wind through the countryside, hugging the 70 foot contour. The canal sides are rich with yellow flag, yellow water lily and watermint. A few miles to the offside are the windswept fells of the Forest of Bowland, which rise to 561 metres at Ward's Stone.
Garstang is a charming market town, one of the most important in Lancashire and mentioned in the Doomsday Book. The 18th century Church of St. Thomas is near Bridge 62. The interesting little Town Hall was rebuilt in 1939 to replace the original 1680 building, which was constructed when King Charles II conferred Borough status on the town. There is a good selection of shops, including supermarkets, hardware stores and a garden centre There is a market on Thursday on the cobbled market place and up the High Street: Buses run from here to Preston, Blackpool and Lancaster.
