Wey and Arun Canal Trust

WACT News

2023 is the 50th anniversary of the Wey & Arun Canal Trust which was formed on 5th February 1973, replacing the Society founded in 1970. We will be marking this occasion with a small boats event at Loxwood on the morning of our Annual Meeting (22nd April) and the 50th Poddle (sponsored walk – 4th June). The Poddle will be around Petworth, the home of the 3rd Earl of Egremont who was the driving force behind the building of the Wey & Arun Junction Canal. If you would like to participate in the small boats festival, please look at our website www.weyarun.org.uk for further details and online booking. If you would like to join our walk, please email support@weyandarun.co.uk who will send you a sponsor form as soon as it has been finalised.

A private boat trip on the Loxwood section of the canal can be a great way to celebrate a special occasion, or a fun outing for your group or society. We provide the boat and the crew and we can also help with refreshments. If you are a Wey & Arun member and book a private trip then you will receive a member’s discount on the standard price. We are also offering a discount for all 2023 private trips booked by 28th February. To find out more or to book, the best way is to use the online enquiry form on our website or you can contact support@weyandarun.co.uk. We have a small number of 2023 calendars available , now at half-price. You can order online at www.weyarun.org.uk/shop or e-mail canalcentre@weyandarun.co.uk.

Our Loxwood Canal Centre will open for visitors on 10th March. For the warmer months, we are looking for more volunteers to help keep the Canal Centre open. If you are enthusiastic about the canal, you enjoy meeting people, you live within range of Loxwood and can spare a couple of hours from time to time, please get in touch (canalcentre@weyandarun.co.uk). And finally ....our Hunt Nature Park team is currently harvesting willow from our osier bed. If you would like to collect some freshly cut willow in various colours (donation requested), please contact support@weyandarun.co.uk .

Oak Tree Planted as a Special Reminder

On a blustery day in November 201 8 Stewart Paton proposed to Louise Williamson at Gennets Bridge Lock at Loxwood. To mark the occasion Stewart picked up a fallen acorn, brought it home and put it in a pot. He hadn’t really expected it to grow, but grow it did and now four years to the day the couple have replanted the sapling in the same spot at Gennets Bridge Lock.

Keeping the sapling alive during the heat of this summer was a challenge but the sapling survived and now looks set to thrive in its new home by the lock.

The pair, from Loxwood, are regular visitors to the canal, walking their two dogs along the towpath, and the little oak tree is now a permanent reminder of their special day. “We wanted to have a legacy of us coming together as a couple and this way people can see our mark on Loxwood and the canal as we love the place so much,” says Louise.

“It’s such a nice place to walk the dogs and it’s free for everyone to enjoy,” adds Stewart. “We’ve seen adders swimming, badgers, mink, loads of wildlife.”

Louise pays tribute to the Wey & Arun Canal Trust volunteers who maintain the canal and are restoring more of the 23-mile waterways for leisure use. “It’s so inspiring seeing the work all the volunteers do,” says Louise. “It’s just amazing.”

50th Anniversary Gala Small Craft Rally

Help us to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the Wey & Arun Canal Trust at our small craft rally to be held on the Canal in Loxwood on Saturday 22 nd April 2023 at 10:00.

Canoes, Kayaks and Paddleboards are welcome and we invite all participants to donate £5 which includes your day licence* together with refreshments at the canal centre when you arrive and a copy of our Loxwood guide giving you all the information about what you are going to be seeing.

When you arrive, please check in at the Canal Centre where additional facilities will be available including a toilet. Free car parking is behind the Onslow Arms pub (on the B2133 Loxwood High Street) which will be open for lunches and drinks from 12pm onwards.

Please note that we will be running boat trips on the day so no powered craft will be permitted.

*Since this is our special day, please note that the day licence fee is also applicable to BCU members.

Sun 4th Jun: The 50th “Poddle”. The Poddle will take place around Petworth, the home of the 3rd Earl of Egremont who was the driving force behind the building of the Wey & Arun Junction Canal.

Boat Trips. A private boat trip on the Loxwood section of the canal can be a great way to celebrate a special occasion, or a fun outing for your group or society. We provide the boat and the crew and we can also help with refreshments. If you are a Wey & Arun member and book a private trip then you will receive a m ember’s discount on the standard price. We are also offering a discount for all 2023 private trips booked by 28th February. To find out more or to book, the best way is to use the online enquiry form on our website or you can contact support@weyandarun.co.uk .

Our first 2023 public boat trips are now open for booking and include:

Sun 19th Mar, 11.30am - Mothering Sunday: Treat Mum to a wonderful short cruise on this restored canal in Loxwood . Price Adult £9, child £4.50

Sun 19th Mar, 1.30pm - Mothering Sunday: Treat mum (and yourself!) to a Cream Tea Cruise. A 90 minute trip. Price £19

Wed 5th, Fri 7th, Sat 8th, Sun 9th and Mon 10th Apr. 11am & 12.30pm. Easter - trips on all these days include refreshments and an Easter Egg Hunt for children. Price £13.

Sun 9th Apr - Easter Sunday afternoon Cream Tea Trip Celebrate Easter on the Wey and Arun Canal. Ticket price includes two scones, jam, cream and tea or coffee. (Fruit Shoot for younger guests). Price £19.

Please book online via our website for any of these trips .

For general information on the work of the Trust, please telephone our Northern Office on 01483 505566, or visit www.weyandarun.co.uk

River Thames News

There is no doubt that lack of certainty about funding on the River Thames makes forward planning almost impossible. While the staff do their best to keep on top of infrastructure maintenance, the length of time i t takes to mend lock structures is hard to justify. Added to the lack of usable water points and pump out facilities plus the well-publicised unacceptable levels of pollution the Thames is in a sorry state.

I understand that the EA now has an idea of funding for the next year but not beyond that and the figures have not been widely shared. A bit of good news - There is now a new Thames river conditions website that has been well received and is said to be a big improvement on the old one : https://www.gov.uk/guidance/river-thames-current-river-conditions

Verna Smith

Editor’s note: I have tried it and it does seem to work!