News
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£6.46 MILLION Secures Restoration of Stroudwater Canal’s ‘Missing Mile’ After 70 Years
ONE of the UK’s largest and most significant waterway restoration projects has secured £6.46 million in funding, paving the way for the Stroudwater Navigation to reconnect with the national canal network for the first time in over 70 years. Through the Cotswold Canals Connected (CCC) partnership, the stretch of canal between Stonehouse and Saul will…
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WIGAN CANAL reopens to boats after water main burst
BOATS have returned to cruising the seven-mile length of the Leigh Branch of the Leeds & Liverpool Canal in Wigan following its closure due to a burst water main back in August. Engineers at the Canal & River Trust worked with United Utilities, which owns the water main, to carry out a bespoke repair to the canal bank between Poolstock Lock and Bamfurlong…
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MOORING PLAN allows for places trading
A MOORING benefits scheme is proving a hit with customers of Aquavista, which runs 32 marinas with more than 5300 berths around the UK. When customers moor with the operator via an annual contract, they gain access to Explore 100. It means they get more than just a mooring at their chosen marina – they…
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STAYING SAFE around water is crucial
Dramatic scenes unfolded at a West Yorkshire marina – but it was all in the name of training. Sally Clifford went along to find out more. THE serenity of the canal was momentarily disturbed by the cries of ‘man overboard.’ While the sight of a body in the water may have been alarming for those…
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CANAL BOAT DIARIES Series 7 now filming
WATERWAYS explorer Robbie Cumming will be back on the small screen in 2026 as the star of Canal Boat Diaries series seven. The popular programme, which will again be aired on U&YESTERDAY and UKTV’s free streaming service, U, is being filmed now. Robbie will begin a brand-new journey around the UK from Wales to West…
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CANAL MANIA documented in new film
Dan also looks into the stories of the people who inspired and designed the canals in Georgian and Victorian Britain – famous names like Josiah Wedgwood, Thomas Brindley, Thomas Telford – and the armies of humble navvies who did the dirty work. He said: “Thank goodness the industrial pioneers of 250 years ago built canals!…
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MUSEUM FOCUS: Industrial gem in Bristol
Nicola Lisle, in words and pictures, discovers an historic boatyard open to visitors at the heart of Bristol’s famous Floating Harbour. Clifton’s iconic Suspension Bridge and the SS Great Britain grab the lion’s share of attention in Bristol, but for anyone with an interest in the history of river and sea trade in this ancient…
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HISTORIC NORTHAMPTONSHIRE working boat celebrates 90th birthday
A historic Northamptonshire working boat which played a key role in fighting fires in London during World War II is set to celebrate her 90th birthday. Sculptor, which is owned by the Canal & River Trust and normally moored outside the Canal Museum at Stoke Bruerne, began her working life in November 1935 when she joined…
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MEET SANTA at Coombeswood Canal Trust’s Winterfest
Coombeswood Canal Trust presents its first Winterfest on Saturday, November 29. All are welcome to attend the fun-filled event which features live seasonal music, hot and cold food, real ale, children’s activities, stalls – and a visit from the man himself, Father Christmas, who will be setting sail on a Santa ferry. Visit Hawne Basin,…
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FOXTON LOCK festive feeling as Christmas illuminations are switching on
Foxton Locks is set to sparkle as the Canal & River Trust invites visitors to one of Leicestershire’s most spectacular Christmas events, taking place on Friday 28 November. The charity, working with Foxton Locks Inn, Foxton Canal Museum and other businesses on site, is organising the event, which will see the historic site decked out…
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A BASIN between times
From Exhall Basin: On a quiet stretch of the Coventry Canal, between the city’s edge and the winding turn at Hawkesbury Junction, lies Exhall Basin, a private mooring site that rests gently between the industrial past and the personal journeys of modern boaters. IT IS not dramatic or sprawling. It is not loud or urban.…
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EARLY SUCCESS in tackling ‘UK’s prettiest invasive species’
A biological trial to tackle one of the UK’s most pervasive and iconic invasive species has shown early success, said Yorkshire Wildlife Trust. As reported in Towpath Talk last month, working parties around the country have been balsam bashing this summer – removing Himalayan balsam from our riverbanks. Recognisable for its pink flowers, it has…
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COMMISSION REVIEWING BOAT LICENSING FRAMEWORK DELIVERS REPORT
The Report from the independent Commission set up to review the legal framework around boat licensing and whether it is appropriate for the canal network’s future has been published (19 November). Over the past ten months the Commission, chaired by Andrew Cowan, a former senior partner at law firm Devonshires, has undertaken an extensive review, engaging…
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SOLAR Thermal Pyramids
What, you might understandably ask, has doing the weekly wash in sub-Saharan Africa got in common with having a hot shower on the UK inland waterways system? IN both instances, it’s about an affordable form of hot water… in fact, extremely affordable, given that the sun doesn’t send a bill! SolarisKit is a company established…
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