Garstang – Discover market history and the canal

Garstang offers several distinct reasons to stay: its street market, historic buildings, the history of the Lancaster Canal, and walking and canoeing routes. If you are looking for a hotel in Garstang, these themes can help you choose the focus of your trip. Thursday is the day to visit the market; for excursions, routes along the canal and sections of the Wyre Way are among the highlights.

Market and historic buildings

Garstang’s street market takes place on Thursdays and extends along the High Street. The market has been running for more than 300 years. Nearby, the covered market is housed in the Market House, a building dating from 1843. The street market and covered market give the market activity distinct settings: the High Street on one hand and the historic Market House on the other.

Individual buildings also tell the story of Garstang. The Church of St Thomas is a Grade II listed building. The medieval market cross is a rare surviving example in Lancashire and remains in its original location. These historic features offer a concrete reason to plan a visit around more than just market day, and to explore the town’s architectural history as well.

The Garstang Heritage Trail explores the town’s heritage through a series of stops. Images, films, audio recordings and written contributions present the content in different ways. The Garstang Arts Centre building is also part of the town’s historic fabric: it is housed in a former grammar school building, constructed in 1756. The townscape thus brings together a medieval monument and an 18th-century building.

The Lancaster Canal and industrial history

The Lancaster Canal originally opened in 1791 for goods traffic. Its history can also be seen in its infrastructure: a single-span aqueduct built in 1797 carries the canal 34 feet above the River Wyre. It is 110 feet long and was designed by John Rennie. Its construction date, height and length give the structure its own historical significance; its function also shows how the canal crosses the river.

Another chapter in the area’s industrial history is the Corn Mill, which has been in existence for more than 300 years. There was already a fulling mill on the site in the 13th century, where cloth from the Cockersand Abbey estate was processed. Across from the canal, you can also see a restored 18th-century tithe barn. Together, the mill, barn and aqueduct offer different points of reference for the area’s economic and architectural history, without needing to be understood as a single building complex.

Walks, canoeing and nature

For a walk by the water, a path follows the canal from the bridge on Kepple Lane to Cornmill Care Home. Another option is for those interested in canoeing: the canoe route from Garstang to Lancaster starts at Kepple Lane Bridge. Both descriptions refer to the same named starting point, but outline different ways to include the canal and its surroundings in your travel plans.

A kingfisher or grey heron may be spotted along the Lancaster Canal near Garstang. These are possible, not guaranteed, sightings, and give the canal a natural side alongside its transport and industrial history. For those especially interested in walking routes, Section 3 of the Wyre Way offers another option: it starts in Garstang and initially follows the River Wyre. Its first stretch therefore differs from the walk along the canal.

Walking and golf in Garstang

Up to 50 walks are planned for the Garstang Walking Festival 2027, for people of all ages and with different abilities. The festival offers a particular focus for travellers who would like to combine their time in Garstang with organised walks. The figure refers to the festival as a whole; it does not mean that every individual walk is equally suitable for everyone.

Golf is also among the town’s listed leisure activities: Garstang Golf Centre has an 18-hole golf course. This makes it easy to distinguish between interests during a stay—from the market and historic buildings to walks, hiking and possible wildlife sightings, as well as the golf course. The side of Garstang that appeals most to you can therefore help guide your choice of stay.

Discover more destinations: Heysham, Ribchester, Scorton, Southfield, Sabden, Holcombe, Hoghton, Worsthorne

For the wider travel guide: Lancashire.