From Canal to Sea

Saturday, 20 June 2009 17:16

There are a number of canals that link to the sea, via branches, rivers and "heads of navigation". I could sit here and think hard (grind, grind would go the wheels!) and then list them all but to disappoint you I am not going to!

It is quite satisfying to have reached another head of navigation (or is it a foot?) and in this case it does lead to the sea! It is also possible to sail up the River Lune into Lancaster, but not for us - it has to be booked and on the right tide and not recommended for narrowboats!

Nearby us though, are a number of sea going vessels and they would have to descend through the lock into the dock basin and thence out of the sea lock into the Lune Estuary turning left towards the Irish Sea.

Top lock gates into Glasson Basin

There is a swing bridge over the lock to allow large vessels passage

Sea lock at the end of the dock basin

The harbour (dock basin) opened in 1787 and with  the demise of Lancaster as a port it became the principal port in the North West. Cotton, sugar, spices, grain and timber were the main imports. Coal was exported to Ireland too.

Anchor commemorating the Bi-Centenary of the dock

The building of the Glasson Branch of the Lancaster Canal in 1826 enabled swift transport of these goods into the heart of industrial Lancashire. Glasson Basin could accommodate vessels up to 200 tons and small sea-going ships sailed up the canal to Kendal and Preston.

Glasson Dock around 1890

The Dock was superseded by Preston dock in 1892 but it is still busy with exports to the Isle of Man and Western Isles of Scotland - over 150,000 tons annually. It looks very different today!

Silver River at the dock yesterday

The other side of the dock

Close up of the dock chapel by the sea lock

Glasson village was built to service the port and has a number of interesting buildings around the basin - so more to come!

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