Check out the latest events coming up in the world of waterways…
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April 17
Basingstoke Canal Society: William Sargent: Marine Policing Unit. In the Parish Pavilion, Recreation Ground, Station Road, Chobham, Woking, GU24 8AJ, 8pm. More details from chobham.talks@basingstoke-canal.org.uk
April 19, 21 and 22
Pocklington Canal Amenity Society: Easter trail and canal exhibition at Melbourne Arm (as well as usual boat trips). Noon to 4.15pm.
April 21
IWA Towpath Walks Society, London: Regent’s Canal: King’s Cross – Hitchcock’s Hackney. Starts 2.30pm from King’s Cross taxi rank. Costs £10, £8 student/concs. Contact Roger Wilkinson 0203 612 9624.
April 21 and 22
Grantham Canal Society: Easter Bank Holiday narrowboat trips on The Three Shires, 30 minutes. Departing from Lock 18 on the Grantham Canal, first trip at 10am. Park at The Dirty Duck pub, Woolsthorpe-by-Belvoir NG32 1NY. Adults £3, children £2. Canal depot open for refreshments. www.granthamcanal.org
Sandiacre Lock Cottages: Visit these historic 1779 cottages, 11am to 3pm. Erewash Canal, Lock Lane, Sandiacre NG10 5LA. Admission free. For details contact Glyn Stenson 0780 925 1441 or glynstenson@hotmail.com
April 22
Standedge Tunnel & Visitor Centre: Easter fair and tunnel trips including wide range of food and craft stalls as well as a barbecue, wood-fired pizza oven, gin bar and live music. For children there will be face painting and an Easter egg hunt.
April 23
Chesterfield Canal Trust: St George’s Day cruise on John Varley II departing 10am from Tapton Lock Visitor Centre with buffet lunch at Hollingwood Hub. Ring Tapton Lock Visitor Centre (Tel: 01629 533020) for details and to book. Fares are £26 for Adults, (no concessions) (Buffet Lunch included)
Derby & Sandiacre Canal Society: NOTE NEW VENUE Jeanne and Derek Smith present Cruising on Remote Waterways. The Coach and Horses, Victoria Road, Dracott, Derby DE72 3PS, 7.30pm. Members £2, non-members £3.
Wurzel Bush Folk Club: Peter Knight and John Spires. West Indian Club, Railway Terrace, Rugby, CV21 3HE. Host and organiser Dave Sampson, 01788 832021. Every Tuesday 8pm, doors open 7pm. There is no admission charge but a collection is taken. (Also: April 30, Isla St Clair.) Visit the website for programme updates at www.wurzelbush.co.uk
April 24
Pocklington Canal Amenity Society: AGM and history talk about the Pocklington Canal. Melbourne Village Hall, 7pm.
IWA Chiltern Branch: The River Nene and the Fenland Waterways, by John Pomfret. Little Chalfont Village Hall, Cokes Lane, Little Chalfont, Bucks HP8 4UD, 8pm. Contact Colin Bird on 01932 248178, ccbird@tiscali.co.uk
April 25
IWA Milton Keynes Branch: The Manchester Ship Canal, by Richard Thomas. At Bletchley Royal British Legion, Melrose Avenue, MK3 6PU. For further information contact Les Franklin 01525 385246, les.franklin@waterways.org.uk
IWA Lancashire and Cumbria Branch: Tony Entwistle will be celebrating the 200th anniversary of the opening of the Lancaster Canal and giving an update on what is happening with the CRT. St Chad’s Parish Centre, 235 Town Lane, Whittle-le-Woods, Chorley, PR6 8AJ. Venue open 7pm (bar available), meeting 7.30pm.
April 26
IWA East Yorkshire Branch: Social meeting, The Yorkshire Air Museum: A national Treasure, presented by Ian Richardson. Methodist Church Hall, Cottingham HU16 4BD, 8pm.
April 27
Coal & Canals: Multi-media show telling the histories of coal and canals. From the five-piece Zouch Band, 14 great songs telling the stories of these industries alongside film and narration. Written and produced by Brian Langtry. Armitage Village Hall, 7.30pm. Entry £10. More details from Brian on 01530 416251.
April 27-28
River Canal Rescue boat and engine maintenance course: RCR Baswich head office (by bridge 101 on the Staffordshire & Worcester Canal). £120 (two days). Enquiries to enquiries@rivercanalrescue.co.uk or call 01785 785680.
The 39th Carole Nash International Classic Motorcycle Show: County Showground, Weston Road, Stafford ST18 0BD. www.classicbikeshows.co.uk
May 2
River Foss Society: 5.5 mile evening walk Moor Monkton. Meet 5.45pm Main Street / Church Lane near telephone box. Optional meal at Red Lion, Poppleton, afterwards. Contact Anne Bednarski 01904 764086. (Volunteers also needed for Himalayan balsam pulls along the river above Yearsley Baths during May and June. See www.riverfosssociety.co.uk)
May 4
Coal & Canals: History, heritage, film, song and narration with the five-piece Zouch Band. Willington Village Hall, 7.30pm, £10. Pay on the door. Phone 01530 416251 for details.
Puppet Theatre Barge presents A Child’s Garden of Verse: Floating theatre moored in Little Venice, Blomfield Road, London, W9 2PF. Performances from today until Sunday, July 7. May 4-6 daily at 11am, 2pm and 4pm; from May 11 Saturdays 11am and 3pm, Sundays 3pm; May 27-30 daily at 3pm; May 31 11am and 3pm; May 25 11am (relaxed); June 29 11am (captioned). Children £9, concessions £10, adults £13, booking on 020 7249 6876 or www.puppetbarge.com
May 4 to 6
Canalway Cavalcade: London’s biggest waterways festival. Little Venice.
Norbury Canal Festival: All the traditional attractions, plus live bands. Traditional Sunday canalside church service 3pm. Norbury Junction, Staffordshire, ST20 0PN.
Roving Canal Traders’ Association May Day floating market: On the Grand Union Canal towpath alongside Waitrose in Berkhamsted HP4. There will be lots of trading boats with interesting crafts on sale. More details at www.rcta.org.uk
May 5
IWA Towpath Walks Society, London: Regent’s Canal: R. Tyburn – Little Venice. Starts 2.30pm from Baker St tube station (Baker St north/Lords exit). Costs £10, £8 student/concs. Contact Roger Wilkinson 0203 612 9624.
May 6
Sandiacre Lock Cottages: Visit these historic 1779 cottages, 11am to 3pm. Erewash Canal, Lock Lane, Sandiacre NG10 5LA. Admission free. For details contact Glyn Stenson 0780 925 1441 or glynstenson@hotmail.com (also May 19, 1.30pm to 4.30pm and May 27, 11am to 3pm).
May 9
IWA Lichfield: Penkridge and Rodbaston College Walk. An easy 5½ mile walk with five stiles on quiet lanes. Meet at 10.15am for a 10.30am start in the car park of The Cross Keys, Filance Lane, Penkridge ST19 5HJ.
May 11
Coal & Canals: History, heritage, film, song and narration with the five-piece Zouch Band. Century Theatre Coalville, 7.30pm, £10. Pay on the door. Phone 01530 416251 for details.
May 11 and 12
Roving Canal Traders’ Association floating market: On the Shropshire Union Canal in Market Drayton between Betton Bridge 63 and Lords bridge 64 opposite Ladybird Pontoons (formerley Toms Moorings) TF9 1RJ. There will be lots of trading boats with interesting crafts on sale. More details at https://www.rcta.org.uk
May 12
IWA Chester & Merseyside Branch walk: Three-and-a-half-mile walk, featuring the Appleton Reservoir and the Bridgewater Canal. Arrive at 10.45am for an 11am start and look for the damson Toyota. If you will be using a map first find Warrington; then about 2.5 miles south and slightly east find Higher Walton on the A56. The walk starts from the Walton Arms pub car park on the Old Chester Road. Grid ref: SJ 596 851, sat nav: WA4 6TG. Further information on 07500 300347 or email derek.smith@waterways.org.uk
The Pod: This floating studio of glass artist Kathryn Webley, who creates handmade fused glassware inspired by the inland waterways, will be trading at the National Glass Fair, National Motorcycle Museum, Solihull. Featuring a new display of bespoke boat windows and portholes. See www.pod4art.com
May 14
IWA Middlesex Branch: Barbecue with Hillingdon Canal Club. Hillingdon Canal Club is located on the Grand Union Canal next to Uxbridge Boat Centre, UB8 2QX. For more information email middlesex.socials@waterways.org.uk
May 17
IWA East Yorkshire Branch: An evening of sea shanties performed by Spare Hands. Methodist Church Hall, Cottingham HU16 4BD, 8pm. For further information contact Roger Bromley on 01482 845099, roger.bromley@waterways.org.uk
May 18
Kempton Park Motorcycle Autojumble: Southern Classic Motorcycle Show and Motorcycle Jumble: Sunbury-on-Thames, Middlesex, TW16 5AQ. www.kemptonparkautojumble.co.uk
Montgomery Canal Triathlon: Organised by the Friends of the Montgomery Canal. 35 miles by bike, foot and canoe. See www.montgomerycanal.me.uk for more details.
Pocklington Canal Amenity Society: 50th anniversary dinner. The Oaks, Aughton. Contact 07761963565 or email dejaysmith@btinternet.com for more information.
May 18 and 19
Brownhills Canal Festival: Trade boats, stalls, historic boats, trips, entertainment. Canalside, Silver Street, Brownhills, WS8 6DZ. 10am to 5pm.
May 19
Pocklington Canal Amenity Society: Pond Life at Melbourne Arm. Drop in and have a go at pond dipping with an ecologist, noon to 4pm. Boat trips running as normal. Contact 07761963565 or email dejaysmith@btinternet.com for more information.
IWA Towpath Walks Society, London: Regent’s Canal: King’s Cross – Granary Square – Camden. Starts 2.30pm from King’s Cross (taxi rank). Costs £10, £8 student/concs. Contact Roger Wilkinson 0203 612 9624.
May 21
Montgomery Canal Forum: Organised by Montgomery Waterway Restoration Trust, 2.30pm, Memorial Hall, Smithfield Street, Oswestry SY11 2EG. Annual event reviewing the progress of restoration and plans for the future.
May 25
Coal & Canals: History, heritage, film, song and narration with the five-piece Zouch Band. Crick Village Hall, 7.30pm, £10. Pay on the door. Phone 01530 416251 for details.
May 25 to 27
Crick Boat Show: Britain’s biggest inland waterways festival. Crick Marina, Northamptonshire NN6 7SQ.
Gloucester Tall Ships: A great spectacle of tall ships, plus adventure and fun activities for all the family. At Gloucester Docks, 10am to 5pm each day.
Boxmoor Canal Weekend: The Roving Canal Traders’ Association are holding a Spring Bank Holiday floating market on the Grand Union Canal towpath alongside Fishery Wharf Café, Fishery Road, Hemel Hempsted, HP1 1NA from 10am until 4pm. There will be lots of trading boats with interesting crafts on sale. More details at https://www.rcta.org.uk
Roving Canal Traders’ Association Spring Bank Holiday floating market: On the Shropshire Union Canal towpath alongside The Lock Keeper Public House in Chester, CH1 3LH from 10am until 4pm. There will be lots of trading boats with interesting crafts on sale. More details at https://www.rcta.org.uk
May 26
Pocklington Canal Amenity Society: Canal open day at Melbourne Arm, 11am to 4pm. Pond dipping, boat trips and theatrical time travel family walks. Contact 07761963565 or email dejaysmith@btinternet.com for more information.
IWA Towpath Walks Society, London: Regent’s Canal: Little Venice – Camden. Starts 2.30pm from Warwick Avenue tube station. Costs £10, £8 student/concs. Contact Roger Wilkinson 0203 612 9624.
May 28
Derby & Sandiacre Canal Society: Norman Stainthorpe presents Ellesmere Port, 1974-1996, a personal history. The Wilmot Arms, 49 Derby Road, Borrowash, Derby DE7 2HA, 7.30pm. Members £2, non-members £3.
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