An audio trail telling the story of the rich heritage and wildlife of the two-century old Montgomery Canal has been created.
VOICES of the Canal is the work of schoolchildren and members of the local community who have come together to create the trail for people to enjoy while exploring the canal or from home.
With 126 listed structures and designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest, the 33-mile canal crosses from England into Wales at Llanymynech and boasts a reputation as the best location in the world for floating water plantain.
Children from Ardleen CP School, Carreghofa CP School and Llandysilio School have worked with Glandŵr Cymru, the Canal & River Trust in Wales, to produce the audio trail, speaking to local people who have lived alongside the canal throughout their lives.
CRT project manager Sara James explained: “The Montgomery Canal holds a special place in the hearts of those who live nearby, rich with personal stories and historical significance. Recognising the importance of preserving these narratives, we embarked on a mission to capture these tales before they fade away.
“Collaborating with local schools presented the opportunity to share the knowledge of the canal with a new generation while giving the children a chance to develop their communication and research skills.
“Alongside this, they met with older people who have been able to pass on their memories and experiences of the canal and the importance it has had for them throughout their lives.
“The audio trail features guides for people to enjoy along the canal and interviews recalling people’s memories of the canal and detailing some of the things they still enjoy seeing today. They cover a broad range of subjects, and we are thankful to heritage specialist Keystone Heritage for their support in helping to create the trail.”
The audio trail is available to listen to on the Canal & River Trust website; search for Voices of the Canal.
Glandŵr Cymru has been working in partnership with Powys County Council to restore a 4.4-mile stretch of the canal between Llanymynech and Maerdy thanks to a grant largely funded by the UK Government. The audio trail project was funded as part of this.
The restoration, as previously reported, will secure the canal’s future for this and coming generations, saving it from falling into the disrepair and providing economic, social, and environmental benefits to biodiversity.
The Montgomery Canal was built more than 200 years ago, providing a 35-mile-long transport link into mid-Wales and connecting Newtown (Powys), Welshpool and Llanymynech to the rest of the UK waterways network. Falling derelict in the 1930s, restoration began in Welshpool in 1969 and soon attracted the attention of the then Prince of Wales, leading to seven miles around Welshpool being reopened.
Through a mixture of paid and volunteer labour, more than 60% of the canal has now been restored, with the latest stretch being to Crickheath, Shropshire, funded in the majority by the National Lottery Heritage Fund.
Part of the canal in Shropshire is a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), but most of the Shropshire section was allowed to dry out. Almost all the canal in Powys is in water and is not only a SSSI but also a Special Area of Conservation, one of only seven in Wales.
Umbrella organisation the Montgomery Canal Partnership, which has been making progress for 20-plus years, brings together the county councils and other statutory agencies with the CRT and voluntary groups. The partnership and the trust have developed a 10-year restoration strategy which can be read at https://tinyurl.com/montgomeryrestoration
