A Circuit from Tewitfield.
Start. Tewitfield (Longlands Hotel).
Route. Tewitfield - Kendal/Lancaster Canal - Capernwray - Capernwray Viaduct - River Keer - Kellet Lane - A6 - Threagill Lane (track) - Borwick Lane - Warton - Main Street - Crag Road - Warton Small Quarry - The Perched Blocks - Warton Crag - Occupation Road - Three Brothers - Peter Lane - Peter Lane Kiln - Hayning Road - Yealand Conyers - Dykes Lane - A6 - Dykes Lane (track) - Tewitfield Locks - Tewitfield.
Notes. Something a little different today, a wander through low lying pastoral land, a canal tow path followed by the banks of the smallest of rivers, why not tag along as I explore the delights to the north of Carnforth, and just to get the heart racing we'll nip to the summit of Warton Crag, why?, because it's there. Tewitfield marked my starting point or to be a little more precise the Longlands Hotel did. A flight of eight locks lift the canal 75ft at Tewitfield, the only set of locks on the Kendal/Lancaster canal, I decided to ignore this staircase, visit it on the way back.
After gaining access to the canal I turned south, just over a mile and a half of easy rambling followed, several canal bridges came and went, after passing the dock at Caperneray a gate allowed access to a narrow lane which almost immediately led to field paths running under the arches of Capernwrey Viaduct. Now heading west I faithfully followed the banks of the River Keer, on reaching a tarmac lane (Kellet Lane) I crossed to access the north bank of the river. Under the motorway I strolled, a catwalk allowed safe passage, with Pine Lake to my right and the river my left I wandered on emerging at the entrance to Pine Lake on the busy roundabout of the M6/A6 junction. After risking life and limb crossing the A6 a pavement guided me safely north to be welcomed by a finger-post inviting me to Borwick Lane and Warton.
Turning my back on the song of traffic I followed the lane under the busy West Coast Railway to emerge into Borwick Lane, hemmed in by hedge rows with tarmac under foot I wandered west entering Warton village where I decided to ascend Warton Crag. Following Main Street south I slowly strolled through the village, this was once the all weather route north, hugging high ground avoiding the marsh lands in the valleys. A lot of history is hidden behind the stone walls of the rows of terraced houses guiding me along the main street, keep your eyes peeled for the Washington coat of arms, from a quiet corner of Lancashire to immortality in American history. Even walking slow I soon reached Crag Road emerging from the right. I turned right, only a few paces up hill took me to Warton Small Quarry home to an equally small car park, through the car park I walked to start my conquest of Warton Crag. After passing through a kissing gate the path guided me along a limestone shelf, gaining height with every step I was soon above the main quarry approaching a feature known as the Perched Blocks, just passed the blocks a narrow path (one of many ascending Warton Crag) guided me over a number of limestone shelves to the summit.
I sat a while, the weather was on the turn, a bank of rain bearing cloud sliding in over Morecambe Bay hastened my departure. Into the woods I wandered ignoring the finger-post to Crag Foot, my chosen path wound it's way down hill, passing a feature known as the split rock. It was a short walk to a gate and stile allowing access to Occupation Road (track), I turned right then immediately left to follow the path to the Three Brothers. Passing the row of limestone erratics I walked following the field boundary to a gate and stile leading onto Peter Lane. With tarmac under my boot soles I casually strolled north, hands in pockets it was getting cool, there was moisture in the air. A finger-post invited me to enter sheep pastures, I obliged descending passed Peter Lane Kiln then along the edge of a tall dry stone wall, at the bottom of the hill I stepped onto Hayning Road a few yards from the village of Yealand Conyers. I wandered through said village, on a mission, hunting for Dykes Road, this should guide me down hill to the A6, once found it did. I crossed the main road to access a bridleway leading up hill, over the railway line then through some rather tall imposing security gates then on down through a field on a little used path before passing under the M6 to emerge at Tewitfield Locks. Sauntering passed the Locks it occurred to me, apart from a couple of dog walkers on the canal earlier I hadn’t met a soul, hopefully the bar in the Longlands Hotel hidden just around the corner will be busier.
A glimps of another life, a canal boat near Tewitfield.
The icy waters of the Kendal/Lancaster canal.
On the canal approaching Capernwray.
The aspect south from the canal tow path near Capernwray.
Viewing Warton Crag, at this point ascending to it's summit had never entered my head, this was going to be a low level walk.
The dock at Capernwray, the trees hide a rather large caravan site.
Colourful aren't they, long boats moored at Capernwray.
I've turned my back on the Kendal/Lancaster canal, I'm wandering through fields having just passed under the arches of the Capernwray Viaduct.
Looking to the Capernwray Viaduct from the banks of the River Keer.
Testiment to a wet year, flooded fields north of Carnforth.
The River Keer, this small watercoarse rises on Docker Moor near the village of Whittington, it marks the boundery between Cumbria and Lancashire and the old county of Westmorland, bet you always wanted to know that.
I'm afraid there's no escaping this, passing below the M6 motorway.
On the approach to Borwick Lane with views to the sylvan slopes of Warton Crag.
On the slopes of Warton Crag with stunning views south over the Lancashire coast.
Blending into the horizon, under a light dusting of snow mighty Ingleborough.
The Perched Blocks above Warton Main Quarry.
Seen from high on Warton Crag the Lancaster city skyline.
Taking a breather on Warton Crag with this striking view to Jenny Brown's Point for company.
Morecambe and Heysham seen from the summit of Warton Crag.
Passing the Three Brothers.
Opened in 1890 Tewitfield Locks consists of a flight of eight locks lifting the canal 75ft, it closed in 1942, although the canal was still navigable north of the locks the building of the northern stretch of the M6 in 1968 put paid to that, cutting through the canal in a number of places.