Seeing the canals from a different perspective

THE Canal & River Trust is hoping to return to in-person open days so people can find out what lies beneath the surface as it carries out a £59 million repair programme.

Every winter the trust replaces lock gates, dredges to ensure the water is deep enough for boats, undertakes maintenance on its mechanical structures and carries out a host of other heritage repairs and tasks to keep the network open and help ensure its resilience to climate change.

Chief executive Richard Parry said: “Our teams are out, often battling the elements, to keep the canals and rivers open, safe and accessible for boaters, local communities and other waterway visitors.

“The task of looking after this ageing network presents an ongoing challenge, particularly as extreme weather becomes more common, so we will continue to be unrelenting in our efforts to generate the funds and support needed to keep the waterways available for generations to come.”

Subject to the latest coronavirus Government guidelines, the trust plans to run a series of open days in February and March.

These will allow people to walk along the bottom of a drained waterway, see the working industrial heritage up close, hear from the teams involved and find out more about the essential work to keep this important part of the nation’s history flowing.

There will also be a programme of online ‘behind the scenes’ tours giving people who aren’t local, or who would prefer to join online, the opportunity to see the breadth of works taking place.

The open days are being planned across the country and will encompass a variety of sites and works.

People will be able to experience: Anderton Boat Lift on the River Weaver; a walk along the drained Hertford Union Canal in the heart of London; staircase locks at Grindley Brook on the Llangollen Canal; water-saving repairs at Hebden Bridge on the Rochdale Canal; replacing lock gates at Seend on the Kennet & Avon Canal and a chance to visit

Newark’s inland dry dock – the largest in the UK.

In addition, virtual events will include: Bingley Five Rise Locks on the Leeds & Liverpool Canal; works to pumping stations on the Kennet & Avon Canal and emergency breach repairs on the Leeds & Liverpool Canal at Rishton.

To find out more about the open days, please visit: https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/enjoy-the-waterways/ events/open-days-2021-22