News

BRIDGE REFURB set to improve towpath

by

Web Editor

–

September 1, 2025

STOKE City Council and the Canal & River Trust are working together on a project which includes removing and replacing the Whieldon Road towpath bridge deck as it has now reached the end of its serviceable life. To carry out the work safely, the towpath and bridge between Whieldon Road and the incinerator has been…
Continue reading »
MONTH LONG Totally Thames festival returns

by

Web Editor

–

August 30, 2025

The Totally Thames festival is celebrating the world-famous River Thames’ past, present and future. Lucy Wood reports… RUNNING throughout September, the festival features arts events, active adventures, environmental initiatives and more. First held in 1997, it is organised by the Thames Festival Trust, a charity which also works year-round to deliver a programme of heritage…
Continue reading »
ULTRAMARATHON challenge inspired by salmon migration set to raise vital funds

by

Web Editor

–

August 29, 2025

To raise awareness of the plight of salmon and raise funds for the vital work of The Rivers Trust, the organisation’s CEO, Mark Lloyd, is taking part in the Salmon Run this September – a 43-mile ultramarathon challenge along the River Exe, following the species’ migration route upstream – and will be joined by Olympian…
Continue reading »
FUTURE SECURED for old Cornish lugger

by

Web Editor

–

August 28, 2025

A historic Cornish lugger has been saved from destruction following a complex rescue and 12-month search for a new owner. Lucy Wood reports… WHITE Heather, a wooden-hulled sailboat, was originally built in 1926 for fishing off the Cornish coast and later became a popular passenger boat in Fowey during the 1980s and 1990s. In 2003 it…
Continue reading »
RESTORATION WORK DONE on historic lifting bridge

by

Web Editor

–

August 27, 2025

A LIFTING bridge designed by Robert Stephenson and built in 1834 to carry a railway line over the Grand Union Canal has been restored. Robin Jones reports… The bridge is one of the few remaining examples of Victorian engineer Stephenson’s early work near the dawn of the steam age so is of immense historic importance.…
Continue reading »
BOATER SATISFACTION UP but still work to do

by

Web Editor

–

August 26, 2025

The results of the Canal & River Trust’s Annual Boaters’ Survey have been released. CARRIED out in November and March, the survey showed that boater satisfaction has increased to 55%, up from 46% in 2024. The charity said this follows the introduction of its Better Boating Plan, which was developed in partnership with boaters and…
Continue reading »
MON & BREC: Brighter Future?

by

Web Editor

–

August 25, 2025

THE Welsh Government’s commitment to finding a solution for the future of the threatened Monmouthshire & Brecon Canal has been welcomed by waterways bodies. Lucy Wood reports… The Mon & Brec, as previously reported, has suffered from water supply issues due to legislative changes imposed on the Canal & River Trust, which manages the canal,…
Continue reading »
THE FORTH & CLYDE canal

by

Web Editor

–

August 23, 2025

SOMETHING remarkable has been quietly unfolding north of the border, and the vital player at its centre? The Forth & Clyde Canal. Once a throbbing artery of trade and profit before its decline and closure in 1963, it is once again helping to shape the future of Glasgow. Helen Gazeley reports… The Forth & Clyde is…
Continue reading »
OUTDOOR EXERCISE classes in heart of the capital

by

Web Editor

–

August 22, 2025

This summer, the much-loved morning classes on the canalside steps at King’s Cross, London, are back, so fitness fans can take in some vitamin D while they exercise. The classes run every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday until August 28. Londoners are celebrating the warmer months by starting their day on the grassy steps in Granary…
Continue reading »
EXPLORE the magical world of dragonflies

by

Web Editor

–

August 21, 2025

There’s plenty of time to get involved in the Wildfowl and Wetland Trust’s summer Dragonfly Festival. It’s taking place until September 22 at all 10 of the WWT’s wetland sites in the UK. “Dragonflies are some of nature’s most dazzling creatures, with their shimmering wings, acrobatic flight, and vibrant colours,” said the trust. “A living…
Continue reading »
LOW WATER LEVELS: some thoughts from CRT

by

Web Editor

–

August 20, 2025

There have been a few videos launched via The Canal & River Trust YouTube channel, offering some insight into low water levels, etc: Daniel Greenhalgh – the impact of scarce water: Matthew Symonds – the impact of low water levels: Dr. Adam Comerford – water resources update:
Continue reading »
SURVEY YOUR RIVER with the Big River Watch app

by

Web Editor

–

August 19, 2025

Twice a year, The Rivers Trust runs Big River Watch, and the next one is on September 19-25. Anyone can take part in these week-long citizen science surveys that help to build an important picture of river health in the UK and Ireland. The trust said: “Our rivers are far from healthy. They are polluted…
Continue reading »
ICONIC PADDLE STEAMER returns to the water

by

Web Editor

–

August 18, 2025

The historic steam-powered Kingswear Castle – the last remaining coal-fired paddle steamer in the UK – has set sail on its summer cruises on the River Dart. The circular route takes in the lower part of the river, viewing the castles at the estuary, the Britannia Royal Naval College, and towards famous crime novelist Dame…
Continue reading »
FIRE in nature reserve

by

Web Editor

–

August 17, 2025

A wildfire broke out in a popular nature reserve in Essex on August 5. About 10 hectares of field were alight in Creeksea Ferry Road on Wallasea Island. By 5pm, firefighters had extinguished the blaze and dampened down hotspots. Essex County Fire and Rescue Service did not state the cause, but said it was working…
Continue reading »