Lancaster Canal Camp CC202401

The reason: Having completed its ‘First Furlong’ project to rewater 200 metres of dry canal from Stainton towards Kendal, Lancaster Canal Trust plans to reinstate the next 360m. But first it needs to find out whether the clay lining will hold water - so it needs to be uncovered, temporarily flooded in sections separated by dams, and tested for leaks.

The restoration: The Canal Trust aims to reopen the northern 14 miles of the canal, abandoned and blocked by the M6 motorway and other new roads built in the 1960s. The first nine miles from Tewitfield to Stainton are still in water, and a trip boat operates at Stainton. By rewatering sections north from there, the Trust can show some physical progress towards its ultimate aim, and in the meantime extend the range of the trip boat operation.