News

  • CELEBRATING River Welland

    CELEBRATING River Welland

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    Lucy Wood reports ARTISTS, volunteers and the community came together to create beautiful willow sculptures, nature-inspired waymarkers and a community banner inspired by the riverside heritage of a market town. Over a three-year period Spalding, in the South Holland district of Lincolnshire, was revitalised with a creative and artistic show of strength. Twisting eels and…

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  • SAFEGUARDED! Centuries-old lock gate crafting tradition

    SAFEGUARDED! Centuries-old lock gate crafting tradition

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    THE BUILDING of a new craft centre in Ireland will lead to the preservation of a traditional woodworking skill. Alison Alderton reports… Pat Loftus Construction has been officially appointed by Waterways Ireland (WI) to develop a new Craft Centre of Excellence to replace the Tullamore Harbour depot which has been a regional base for the…

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  • BOAT VANDALISM: Worst case ever seen

    BOAT VANDALISM: Worst case ever seen

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    A NARROWBOAT that was broken into, vandalised and scuppered – blocking boats cruising the Hawkesbury junction area of the Coventry canal – was the worst case of wanton destruction River Canal Rescue’s teams had ever seen. The distraught owner visited narrowboat Rosie the week before it was vandalised, and on the weekend of February 15/16…

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  • £500M REVITALISATION with canal restoration at the heart

    £500M REVITALISATION with canal restoration at the heart

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    THE RESTORATION of the Chesterfield Canal could be at the heart of a rejuvenation project which may bring £500m to the region.  The vision is for the Chesterfield Canal corridor to be reclaimed as a place for the local community to live, enjoy and be employed; for tourists and visitors to come, play and stay;…

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  • £3M UPGRADE to tackle climate change

    £3M UPGRADE to tackle climate change

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    AN EAST Lancashire reservoir which provides a vital supply of water to the Leeds & Liverpool Canal will shortly undergo a £3m upgrade to ensure it remains resilient to climate change and continues to meet safety standards. The Canal & River Trust project will involve essential maintenance to strengthen Rishton Reservoir, near Rishton, and increase…

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  • £300 MILLION BLACK HOLE: CRT pressures government

    £300 MILLION BLACK HOLE: CRT pressures government

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    THE Canal & River Trust is hoping to persuade the Government it has a strong case for increased funding so it can continue to maintain and enhance the canal and river networks. The charity made its case as part of a submission to the Spending Review process, asking for “a contribution to its funding sufficient…

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  • WATERSIDE respite lodge dream nears reality

    WATERSIDE respite lodge dream nears reality

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    COURAGEOUS brain cancer sufferer Hannah Roberts is hoping she will see the £203,000 waterside holiday home for other patients and their families finally become a reality. The 21-year-old has now raised £189,225 towards the cost of the respite lodge at Mercia Marina in south Derbyshire and her mother, Gail Iredale, is hoping they will top…

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  • HYDROGEN fuel cell domestic power for boats

    HYDROGEN fuel cell domestic power for boats

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    GREENER solutions are a subject that Towpath Talk reports on frequently and something we like to update our readers on, as and when the opportunities arise. Hydrogen fuel cells are one of the key components in that discussion and liveaboard boater, Neil Trevithick, has supplied us with an independent review of the HyArk hydrogen cell…

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  • BRAUNSTON’S rudder mystery

    BRAUNSTON’S rudder mystery

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    Tim Coghlan reports… THE waterside setting of the Red Wheel Plaque, awarded in 2024 to Braunston Marina by the National Transport Trust in 2024, has been enhanced as a historic canal transport hub by the placing beneath it of an old iron working boat rudder. Its origins remain something of a mystery but various suggestions have…

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  • IWA Canalway Cavalcade 2025

    IWA Canalway Cavalcade 2025

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    IWA Canalway Cavalcade returns to London’s Little Venice on Saturday, May 3, for the full Early May Bank Holiday weekend. Each year the best of life on the waterways in London and its community is celebrated at IWA Canalway Cavalcade. There’s something for everyone at this vibrant canal festival in the heart of London’s waterways.…

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  • BOATING BREAKS get top marks

    BOATING BREAKS get top marks

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    NEW research reveals that 87% of people who took a quintessentially British holiday on the nation’s historic navigable canals and rivers would definitely recommend it to others. Of the domestic holidaymakers and those from all over the globe who were questioned, an impressive 92% felt their holiday was value for money and overall satisfaction with…

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  • WINNERS of photo competition announced

    WINNERS of photo competition announced

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    CANAL holiday business Foxhangers was thrilled to announce the winners of its highly anticipated Memories photo competition. In the run up to the competition the hire firm was inundated with an array of stunning entries, each capturing the essence and beauty of canal holidays. First prize went to Reeling in Holiday Memories by Estella Rich, who…

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  • MUSEUM FOCUS: Celebrating the rich history of the Thames

    MUSEUM FOCUS: Celebrating the rich history of the Thames

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    Nicola Lisle explores the story of the Thames at the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich, from its royal connections to its industrial heyday. A MARITIME museum might not seem the obvious choice for anyone interested in Britain’s inland waterways, but the National Maritime Museum is not just about our seafaring past. There is also a…

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  • DOUBLE your donation and unlock the future of the Lichfield Canal

    DOUBLE your donation and unlock the future of the Lichfield Canal

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    In April, Lichfield and Hatherton Canals Restoration Trust (LHCRT) will take part in the Big Give Green Match Fund appeal to raise £180,000 in just one week! These funds will be used to construct a vital lock on the Lichfield Canal along Tamworth Road. This crucial appeal aims to raise a game-changing £90,000 in donations…

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