This section of the River Lune is scheduled for a new road crossing, as part of the proposed Heysham Link Road and M6 J34 junction improvement scheme, which will cut through the open green space between the cache location and the current M6 motorway bridge, as well as the woodland on the opposite bank of the river.
This same area has recently been identified as home to one of the most nationally significant otter populations, with upwards of 14 individuals.
The cache is located close by the River Lune Millennium Park and Cycle Way. This stretches some 15km along the line of the former "Little" North Western Railway branch line that once connected Wennington to Morecambe via Salt Ayre as part of NWR's main line operation between London St Pancras and the Heysham Packet Boat terminal. The stretch of the old railway line between Green Ayre and Bull Beck, Caton, was paved and lit as part of a Millennium project undertaken jointly by Lancaster City Council, Lancashire County Council and The Millennium Commission. Various permanent artworks are installed along its length and it is worth taking the time to hunt some of these out (although not all of them have survived).
This route between Lancaster and Caton is a good way to see some interesting features as well as wildlife on and around the river, throughout the year. There are various points of access to it from the main Lancaster - Kirkby Lonsdale road (A683) if you don't have the time or energy to venture along the whole pathway.
Please Note: This cache was planned and placed when the plans for the Heysham Link Road and its associated works were fully known and published. It remains unaffected by the on-going works, which are now under way, although you may need to plan your approach with care. There is no need to enter the works area to access this cache.
Thanks to taurus-littrow for sowing the idea for this cache; congratulations to same for FTF! We didn't tip him off beforehand, honest! :)