The Lancaster Canal opened in 1797, running south from Kendal to Preston, and passes through the heart of the city. The towpath is flat and easy to walk or cycle, with the canal lined by old stone warehouses, lock-keeper cottages, and a handful of good canalside pubs. It's a good way to get a feel for Lancaster's industrial past and to escape the main streets. The stretch north toward Tewitfield, through open countryside with views toward the Lakeland fells, is worth an afternoon if you have a bike.
Lancaster Canal
Historic 18th-century towpath walk through stone warehouses and countryside