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    In the battle between bonfire night vs. wildlife. In the battle between bonfire night vs. wildlife. Swipe to meet the crew… and how we can be their accomplices tonight.

How to keep it calm for our wild neighbours:

🚫 No fireworks or sky lanterns on or near the canal towpaths or water.
📍 Choose organised displays away from the canal.
🐶 Walk dogs earlier, keep them close after dark.
🔦 Use torches on low; don’t shine into trees, hedges, bridges or the water (bats & birds roost there).
🔥 If you’re lighting a bonfire at home, check for wildlife first (hedgehogs love a log pile).
🗑️ Take litter home with you - wrappers and sparkler sticks are toxic to wildlife.
🕊️ See an animal in distress? Keep distance and contact a local wildlife rescue.

We’re all for cosy nights, hot chocolate and stargazing - just keep the bangs off the towpath so the bat recon team, barn owl ops and badger security can clock off in peace.

Thanks for looking after our wild neighbours 💚

#LancasterCanal #TowpathTrail #KeepWildlifeWild #BonfireNight #FamilyFriendly #DogFriendly #LeaveNoTrace #Cumbria #Lancaster
    Autumn along the Lancaster Canal Towpath Trail is Autumn along the Lancaster Canal Towpath Trail is a magical time - golden leaves and fungi popping up in all shapes, colours and sizes.

From tiny fairy caps nestled in the grass to bright orange brackets on old tree stumps, our towpaths and woodier stretches are full of fascinating fungi to spot this season.

Where to find them:
- Shady, damp spots along hedgerows and woodland edges
- Around tree roots and fallen logs
- Mossy canal banks and grass verges after rain

Common types you might see:
🍄 Fly agaric – the classic red toadstool with white spots
🍄 Shaggy ink cap – tall, white and feathery before turning black and inky
🍄 Bracket fungi – fan-shaped and found growing on tree trunks
🍄 Puffballs – small, round fungi that release a puff of spores when touched
🍄 Honey Fungus – grows in clusters at the base of trees; a common sight in autumn

A gentle reminder: as beautiful as they are, please don’t touch or pick fungi. Many species are fragile and some can be poisonous. Enjoy them where they grow and take photos from a distance.

Next time you’re out walking or cycling the towpath, take a moment to look down and see what’s growing underfoot - it’s a whole hidden world waiting to be discovered.

Tag us in your photos too - we'd love to see your fungi finds!

#LancasterCanal #TowpathTrail #FungiSeason #AutumnWalks #WalkIt #CycleIt #EnjoyIt
    Did you know our canals are some of the best place Did you know our canals are some of the best places to see bats swooping and gliding at dusk?🦇

These incredible little mammals come out after dark to hunt for moths, midges and mosquitoes – a real treat to watch on a still autumn evening.

Tips for your bat walk:
✨ Head out just after sunset when bats are most active
✨ Look out for them skimming low over the canal or weaving through trees
✨ Stay quiet and keep torches low – they rely on their amazing echolocation to find their way

Why not spend Halloween doing something a little different? Get wrapped up warm, grab a torch (for your path, not the bats!) and head out for a Bat Walk to see what you can spot on the Lancaster Canal Towpath Trail 🎃

There's some great tips on the Canal & River Trust website - head over to the link in our bio to read more!

#LancasterCanal #TowpathTrail #HalloweenWalks #BatSpotting #CanalWildlife
    Today we wanted to highlight amazing local artist Today we wanted to highlight amazing local artist @_emmafieldart_ who has been feeling inspired by the reflections and colours along the Lancaster Canal Towpath Trail!

Emma has taken inspiration from morning walks with friends and lunch break walks to create several stunning paintings including 'Winter Reflections on The Lancaster Canal' & 'Dappled Light on the Towpath by Haverbreaks'.

"I'm really happy with how it has captured the feeling I experience admiring the changing seasons along the canal, which is somewhere I enjoy running, walking with my family and friends. I feel very lucky to have this constant source of inspiration so close to home and my work and will be excited to sit by the canal soon to paint en plein air!"

Emma was also a 2025 Lancashire Landscape Artist of the Year finalist (@lancashirecc and @creativelancs) for Winter Reflections on The Lancaster Canal and The Pepper Pot, Silverdale.

If you want to check out some of her beautiful artwork it will be on display at @arteriawithgallery23 in Lancaster from October 2025 - January 2026.

#LancasterCanal #CanalTowpathTrail #Lancashire #Cumbria #Lancaster #ArtistInspiration
    A little bit of Hollywood in Carnforth 🎥 Follo A little bit of Hollywood in Carnforth 🎥

Following our Carnforth loop? Don’t stop at the station doors - wander under the tunnel and you’ll discover the incredible Carnforth Station Heritage Centre on the far side of the tracks.

It’s the very setting that earned cinematic fame in David Lean’s 1945 classic Brief Encounter, starring Celia Johnson and Trevor Howard. A perfect post-walk detour for film buffs and families alike!

The station has been lovingly restored and is now an award-winning heritage centre. The tea rooms have been restored to resemble the set used in Brief Encounter and now serve refreshments daily, while the extensive heritage centre tells not only the story of the making of the film, but delves into the history and heritage of Carnforth, its workers and its families.

Make a day of it by strolling the towpath, nip through the tunnel to the Heritage Centre, and soak up a slice of British film history before heading back to the canal.

@visitlancashire @lancashire_in_focus @bbclancashire @visitheritageuk @briefencounterbistro

#LancasterCanal #TowpathTrail #BriefEncounter #Carnforth #Heritage #DaysOut #WalkIt #CycleIt #EnjoyIt
    Looking for an accessible adventure that blends ca Looking for an accessible adventure that blends canal side calm with café culture?

Our Carnforth Loop walk is approximately 2 miles (1 hour) along a surfaced, wheelchair-friendly stretch of the Lancaster Canal Towpath Trail - which takes you right into the heart of Carnforth Town Centre.

Think peaceful waterside strolling, charming shops, café pit stops and the iconic Brief Encounter Heritage Centre at the railway station.

Check out the full trail and download your map from our website "Walk It" page via the link in our bio.

#LancasterCanal #TowpathTrail #CarnforthLoop #FamilyDaysOut #ExploreLocal #CanalHistory #AccessibleWalks #WalkIt #Carnforth
    Not all heroes wear capes! 🦸‍♀️ We want Not all heroes wear capes! 🦸‍♀️

We want to say a huge thank you to Nick who is a Lancaster Canal Regeneration Partnership CIC director and Canal & River Trust volunteer ranger.

Nick spent the best part of a week out along the new section of Lancaster Canal Towpath Trail strimming and cutting back the overgrowth to prepare our paths for our visitors. Including a group of lovely mums and tots who got together for a day out along the Towpath Trail earlier this month.

We absolutely love seeing people out enjoying the Towpath and want to thank Nick for doing such a fabulous job of tending to the paths and making them more accessible for visitors.

#MakeADifference #Volunteers #VolunteersInAction #TowpathTrail
    It's UK Coffee Week this week and we wanted to sha It's UK Coffee Week this week and we wanted to share some of our favourite places to grab a brew along the Lancaster Canal Towpath Trail!

1. @fuellingthebold_ (by Carringtons Coffee Co.)📍Hest Bank
A specialist coffee shop serving locally roasted beans, and right close to the towpath at Hest Bank. Perfect for a takeaway coffee before or after a walk. 

2. The Dairy Shed📍Natland
A lovely open-barn spot with self-serve drinks, cake, fresh milk vending, teas and coffee.

3. The New England Tearoom & Shop📍Capernwray
Vintage style tearoom, family-run, just off the Lancaster Canal. Offers breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea. Beautiful countryside views too. 

4. @lowsizerghbarn📍Sizergh
A farm shop and café where you can enjoy coffee with views into the dairy shed to watch the cows being milked!

5. @longlandshotel📍Tewitfield
A welcoming canal side spot with fresh coffee, great food and space to relax after a towpath walk.

6. @the_crooklands📍Crooklands
An independent family run hotel, restaurant and pub just a stones throw from the Towpath and Water Witch Boat trips.

Do you have a favourite brew spot along the towpath? Tag them in the comments below!

#CoffeeWeek #LancasterCanal #TowpathTrail #BrewWithAView #ProperBrew

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