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P4 Welcome
From our National Chair, Mike Wills
P6 News
Round-up of the latest happenings at IWA and beyond
WAteRWAYs edItOR: Ross Stokes Tel: 01283 742962 r.stokes@wwonline.co.uk
ARt edItOR: Claire Davis
AdVeRtIseMeNt MANAgeR: Laura Smith Tel: 01283 742956 l.smith@wwonline.co.uk
For press enquiries contact: pressoffice@waterways.org.uk
All IWA national and branch committee volunteers can be contacted by email: firstname.lastname@waterways.org.uk
Nothing printed in Waterways may be construed as policy or an official announcement unless stated, otherwise IWA accepts no liability for any matter in the magazine. Although every care is taken with advertising matters no responsibility whatsoever can be accepted for any matter advertised. Where a photo credit includes a note such as CC-BY-SA, the image is made available under that Creative Commons licence; full details at www.creativecommons.org
P10 Obituaries
Gone but not forgotten. We pay tribute to recently deceased waterways stalwarts
P12 campaign update
The latest news on IWA’s campaigns, including Aberdulais Aqueduct update
P14 Youth volunteers
We talk to two volunteers who attended our canal camps to qualify for a DofE Gold Award
P18 Branch focus
A round-up of all the activities of the IWA Northampton Branch
P20 Love Your Waterways
We interview Hugh Pearman, the new chair of the Heritage Advisory Panel
P24 Monks Lode adventure
A rare trip to this less visited waterway
P26 Q&A session with MLc
The challenges facing the Middle Levels
P30 Living afloat
10 top tips from a seasoned boater
P32 Pocklington walk
Our guide to a stroll beside the canal
P34 summer events
S E v EN REASONS WHY YOUR MEMBERSHIP CONTRIBUTION IS v ITAL
1. Your voice is counted when IWA speaks up for all those who enjoy the country’s canals and rivers
Festivals/events for your 2025 calendar 14 32 20 24
2. IWA lobbies national and local government and works with other organisations to repair, improve and protect our waterways heritage
3. Restoration is kept high priority through IWA’s Waterway Recovery Group
4. IWA campaigns to defend the waterways from unwelcome development
5. IWA branch Canal Clean-ups keep many waterways clear of rubbish
6. Over 10,000 days of volunteering each year will be supported with the right training, tools and materials
7. IWA provides training in traditional and worksite skills for the waterway restoration sector
COVER PICTURE: Bollington Wharf moorings. Ray EdWaRds
Welcome from NATIONAL CHAIR Mike wills
“… we have been bedevilled by lack of money. We have been unable to maintain our canals, tunnels and reservoirs to a proper standard, and so few funds have been available to repair and improve …”
An accurate summary of the present position? In fact, this is an extract om a publication by Sir Frank Price who was chair of British Waterways Board om 1968 to 1983. So 40 years on, nothing seems to have changed.
Have our calls for proper waterways funding always fallen on deaf ears? Do we need to adopt a new approach to campaigning? In the absence of adequate government funding, how can we meet our primary role in supporting and regenerating Britain’s navigable rivers and canals as places for leisure, living and business?
remarkable. Long derelict waterways have been saved and new routes opened, with much more to come. Some of these restorations would have seemed nigh impossible in Sir Frank’s day.
So clearly IWA and the waterways communi have got many things right, despite the lack of central funding. These achievements are the result of the determination of many individuals and organisations and the millions of hours devoted by volunteers to our waterways. If our e orts to obtain government funding have fallen on deaf ears, we have been spectacularly successful with our restoration achievements. While we should celebrate this, it is essential that we also build upon our successes.
In 1947 Tom Rolt wrote: “… the canals and rivers of England, threatened as they are by neglect, maltreatment and pollution, have hitherto had no organised body specifically devoted to championing their cause”.
Sir Frank’s comment actually started: “Since the Board’s inception we have been bedevilled by lack of money …” Penury has been an apt description of the financing of the waterways throughout our lifetimes and longer. Since it was founded, IWA has sought to achieve its objectives despite this and in many ways it has.
For years ago there was only one navigable trans-Pennine canal, now there are three, even though each of them is creaking and in need of support. The recent Bridgewater breach adds an additional challenge.
Many of the achievements of restoration societies and trusts have been
The formation of IWA filled this gap, yet nearly 80 years on, “neglect, maltreatment and pollution” still apply to our waterways. We have made some progress with dealing with the neglect, and have hopefully reduced maltreatment, but how well have we addressed the problem of pollution? Indeed, has the problem of pollution even been on our agenda? It is certainly now on the government’s agenda.
At a recent meeting I a ended, Steve Reed, Secretary of State at De a, stated categorically that his department’s number one priori was ‘water’. Pollution
in our waterways was a major problem and the water companies were clearly in his sights. He wanted this administration to be the most pro-nature government ever. We should be ready to support this aspiration; who could possibly not want to reduce pollution and be pro-nature?
Our campaign e orts need to reflect the current realities. Yes, we want more money for the waterways but government money is very hard to come by. Yes, we need to redouble our restoration e orts and publicise the results. The waterways are changing and we cannot ignore this.
The diverse range of users, the di ering pes of participation and the many economic, educational and social benefits now being recognised mean that pollution, the impact on nature and conservation generally have rightly become high profile.
The question is how best to address these issues in 2025 and beyond.
All-Party Parliamentary Group elected
The Waterways All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) hosted its inaugural meeting in parliament on Tuesday 12th November 2024. The meeting was an opportunity for parliamentarians to meet the APPG’s secretariat (IWA) and elect APPG officers.
Bill Esterson MP was appointed its new chair, and Wendy Morton was elected vice-chair, with Uma Kumaran and Lord German co-chairs.
Existing rules meant that one elected member must be from the governing party, and at least one from the main opposition party. Among the vicechairs and officers of the group are a number of newly elected MPs as well as some longstanding waterway supporters.
APPG chair Bill Esterson said: “It is not just boaters who make use of our waterways. Canals and rivers are a valuable resource for leisure, active travel, industry, energy and, even in the case of the Leeds & Liverpool Canal, as a source for water-borne district heating.
“The tranquillity of time spent by the water, along with the wildlife that thrives around clean waterways, is truly something to be cherished and enhanced. All these interests can coexist, and I look forward to chairing this influential All-Party Group and highlighting, both in parliament and beyond, the importance of waterways to our nation’s economy and environment.”
Charlie Norman, IWA’s director of campaigns and public affairs, said: “IWA warmly welcomes Mr Esterson’s appointment as chair of the APPGW. It’s clear that he really grasps the importance, value and relevance of the UK’s inland waterways and the need for adequate funding. We look forward to working both with him and an almost entirely new slate of members over the course of this parliament.”
Trip-boat register
A new page has been added to the IWA website listing the various passenger-boat operations on Britain’s waterways. Many waterway restoration groups and other organisations operate tripboats to enable you to explore new waterways without having to charter the whole vessel. You might even be able to get to some of IWA’s Silver Propeller Challenge destinations.
The new webpage lists passenger-boat operations that we are aware of but there are probably many others so please drop us a line if you come across any not mentioned here, or if you have any corrections to the information listed. tripboats@waterways.org.uk
New chapter for Chelmer & Blackwater Navigation
Since stepping in to save it from closure in 2005, IWA, through Essex Waterways Ltd, has successfully restored and managed the Chelmer & Blackwater Navigation, increasing its use, creating jobs and preserving its heritage. Now IWA and Essex Waterways Ltd are planning the next phase: the creation of a new charity to take ownership of the navigation’s charitable activities, which will simplify IWA’s accounting. The move will also streamline fundraising and reduce administrative costs.
Essex Waterways Ltd and the new charity will remain part of the wider IWA family of waterways charities.
Details have yet to be finalised, but the new structure is set to be in place this spring. IWA is confident of a bright future for this navigation and is proud of the part it has played to ensure its ongoing success.
IWA calls for widening perspective of Taunton Waterways Strategy
IWA’s West Country Branch thinks that Somerset Council has overlooked the significant benefits of waterways-focused development in its consultation document on its proposed Taunton Waterways Strategy. The branch is otherwise supportive of the document which was issued by Somerset Council last September.
The draft strategy focuses on the opportunities that waterways offer to mitigate flooding, enhance biodiversity, encourage active and sustainable travel, and build a sense of community. But IWA West Country Branch points out that the role waterways play in creating jobs and bringing financial benefits through tourism and leisure was hardly mentioned.
The branch has made a series of suggestions intended to provide the council with a wider perspective on the benefits of navigable waterways. It also pointed out that the Grand Western Canal had been omitted from the strategy, despite its origins in Taunton, and there was the need to address wider waterways issues in Somerset, which could have a positive and lasting impact on the town.
The branch referred Somerset Council to IWA’s comprehensive report Waterways for Today which explains how navigable waterways can act as a catalyst for investment and regeneration. The report also provides evidence showing why waterways-focused projects are perfect for including in regeneration projects and thirdparty funding bids.
Left to Right: Ruth Jones MP (Newport West), Wendy Morton MP (Aldridge and Brownhills), Bill esterson MP (Sefton Central), Lord german and Adam thompson MP (erewash).
Concerns over breach of the Bridgewater Canal
IWA is deeply concerned by the implications of the collapse of the Bridgewater Canal embankment at Dunham Massey.
A section of the Bridgewater Canal embankment near Dunham Massey in Greater Manchester collapsed on New Year’s Day after sustained heavy rainfall, resulting in water pouring into neighbouring fields and flooding a sewage works.
The BBC reported that 90mm of rain fell on northwest England over the New Year period. A major incident was declared because of serious flooding across Greater Manchester, Lancashire and Cheshire, including the breach of the canal. Greater Manchester Fire & Rescue Service reported evacuating nearly 1,000 people during the incident.
The collapse has attracted widespread public attention: drone footage and photos of the breach have been widely shared across social media and one video became the ‘most watched’ on the BBC news website. Canal & River Trust issued a statement making clear that the canal is not one of its waterways, and also stressing the vulnerability of all canals and infrastructure of this age to extreme weather arising from climate change.
The Bridgewater Canal belongs to the Bridgewater Canal Co Ltd, which is owned by Peel L&P, a division of Peel Holdings plc. It forms part of the popular Cheshire Ring cruising circuit and is also an important north-south link between the Leeds & Liverpool Canal at Leigh and the Trent & Mersey Canal at Preston Brook, as well as part of the east-west routes across the Pennines on the Rochdale and Huddersfield Narrow canals.
In 1971 there was another major breach nearby, at the Bollin Aqueduct. There was a real fear that the canal might never be reopened, and IWA mounted a vigorous campaign including holding the 1972 National Rally at Lymm and putting the proceeds towards the restoration of the canal. After a protracted stoppage the canal was reopened in 1973.
The Bridgewater Canal Trust was set up in 1974 by the Bridgewater Canal Co and the local authorities through whose areas the canal flows, to allow the local authorities to take an active interest and financial responsibility for the maintenance. While it is too early to know the likely outcomes and timescales, several points are immediately clear. This is the latest in a series of events that have affected various navigation authorities in the last couple of years, all arising from weather that would formerly have been viewed as extreme but which is increasingly becoming more common. The failure of waterway infrastructure can put communities at real risk, as was shown only too clearly at Toddbrook Reservoir in 2019. The cost of rectifying the damage is substantial: for instance, CRT quotes an additional £10m spend after the storms of winter 2023/24. Waterway businesses have already been affected by a number of long-term closures and more damage may result. This is to say nothing of the impact on both leisure and residential boaters.
Sue O’Hare, chair of IWA’s Navigation Committee, said: “This is clearly a very serious breach with major implications for both the Bridgewater Canal and our waterway network. It is gratifying to see its significance recognised through attention by the mainstream media, but this needs to translate into action to secure our waterways against the effects of climate change. IWA is campaigning through Fund Britain’s Waterways for adequate national and local government funding for all Britain’s navigable rivers and canals to ensure that future generations can continue to enjoy their many benefits.”
The recent Bridgewater Canal breach. INSET: Breach in canal at River Bollin Aqueduct Bridgewater Canal, August 1971. Don VAlentIne
Concern over Kelpies closure
IWA is deeply concerned about the length of the closure of the 15 locks near Falkirk at the eastern end of the Forth & Clyde Canal where it joins the River Carron and the Firth of Forth. The closure began in November 2024 and is planned to continue until March 2026. Although Scottish Canals has funding to build the necessary replacement lock gates, the Scottish government has not yet made available the funds to fit them and for associated lock repairs. If all the funding had been available at the same time, the work could have been completed much more quickly.
Construction of the waterway commenced in 1768 and was finally completed in July 1790. For it to have lasted so long is a tribute to both engineering prowess and the restoration work undertaken at the turn of this century. The Forth & Clyde Canal deteriorated in the second half of the 20th century and was finally closed in 1963.
In March 1999 National Lottery Funding, totalling £100m, was secured to reopen and improve the navigation. New channels have been engineered, blockages circumnavigated and more than 30 bridges rebuilt to reinstate the coast-to-coast waterway we see today.
The waterway is seen as playing an import role as a transit canal allowing seagoing leisure vessels to move between Scotland’s east and west coasts. Completion of this restoration was almost 25 years ago, which is the useful life of a lock gate. Across the waterway’s 34 miles there is a total of 39 locks, few of which have received significant attention since the reopening.
The eastern end of the navigation – running from Lock 16 near the Falkirk Wheel for 2¾ miles down to Lock 2 at the Kelpies – has now been closed for 18 months. This is to allow for re-gating of five of the 15 locks in the flight and a thorough investigation of all the locks themselves. This section of the navigation includes several short pounds which will be totally dewatered (preventing navigation) to make the whole operation more efficient.
Designed by prominent engineer John Smeaton, much of this end of the waterway crossed unstable ground and the locks were constructed on what were effectively timber rafts using pitch pine. While it is not unusual to find wooden floors in locks, running the timbers under the lock walls for added stability is uncommon.
Timbers forming the lock floors are in poor condition with significant holes visible in places. These are relatively easy to replace but the condition of the timber under the masonry forming the lock chambers is unknown.
While funding is now in place for the five sets of lock gates, money still needs to be found to cover the cost of their installation and to underwrite any issues that may be revealed in this highly unusual construction. This uncertainty explains the extended closure. Current diving investigations can only determine the extent of lock-related works and the state of the visible sections of the timber flooring.
Scottish Canals has been in touch with Transport Scotland, arguing that navigation is a public rather than a private benefit and therefore deserves government funding. RYA Scotland, the Lowland Canals Association and IWA have supported this stance. IWA believes the Scottish government should recognise the value of navigation to the public as a general principle, together with the importance of the Forth & Clyde Canal as a sea-tosea link.
Volunteers' efforts appreciated
I have been a member of IWA for a very long time and I would like you to know how much I enjoyed reading your Winter issue.
I was very interested to read your interview with Howard Worth, including his critical view of the Canal & River Trust. Up until now, I had imagined that CRT was entirely a force for good.
People like me, following the line adopted by IWA, had high hopes of opportunities for better times ahead following the establishment of CRT.
Maybe things can get better, even with the current structure in place. When a national infrastructure is as poorly supported – or shall we say financially assisted – as UK waterways are by the central authorities, then any organisation would be hard-pressed to provide a good service.
It might interest you to know that I pass my copies of Waterways on to other members of my wider family, the next generation down, to encourage them to take an interest in the inland waterways of this country.
Many of us are aware of how massively societies like IWA and its many linked organisations depend on voluntary effort, both the goodwill of the volunteers and the immense skills that many of them bring.
I hope this letter contributes to the sense that your efforts, along with those of so many others, are genuinely appreciated by people who you do not know…like myself.
Michael Corcoran
Ed: We always like to receive feedback about the magazine. We also welcome interesting contributions (photos or articles) about our waterways. Please send them to r.stokes@wwonline.co.uk.
The Kelpies, Forth & Clyde Canal.
Grand Union Water Transfer Scheme Consultation
Severn Trent Water, Affinity Water and Canal & River Trust have consulted on plans to transfer treated recycled water from the Birmingham area, via the canals, to an area supplied by Affinity Water in Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire.
Under the scheme water would be piped into the Coventry Canal, probably at the top of Atherstone Locks, and would flow south via the Oxford and Grand Union canals to an abstraction point near Leighton Buzzard. It would then be piped to a reservoir near Luton to help alleviate shortages in part of Affinity Water’s public water supply area.
This is not a new idea. The Llangollen Canal, Gloucester & Sharpness Canal, Bridgwater & Taunton Canal and Fossdyke have all been used for water transfer for many years and this brings in extra income for CRT. However, every canal has its own specific character and we need to make sure we get the best deal for the Grand Union out of the scheme.
IWA submitted a response supporting in principle the concept of water transfer schemes if they facilitate improved navigation in areas that are currently subject to a water shortage. The consultation does not provide any of the detail required in order to assess heritage impacts or the effects of engineering modifications. The next stage of consultation needs to closely define the extent and costs of all these interventions, well in advance of any Development Control Order (DCO) application, so that IWA and others can provide detailed advice and take an informed position on this proposal.
While the use of the canal for water transfer in drought periods has the potential to eliminate the sort of lock-use restrictions we have had in the past in dry summers, we will want to be assured that the scheme will not have negative effects on canal users. So we will be looking for answers and reassurance on matters such as:
• the impact of raised water and bank levels on bridge headroom, flood risk, water depth, moorings and heritage;
• the location, design and power supply for pumping facilities;
• the currents that will be generated in the canal, especially through the fixed cross-section of Braunston Tunnel;
• the way the scheme will be operated during drought periods;
• water quality of the transferred water.
This will be a project authorised by central government under a DCO and the aim of the promoters is to apply for the DCO early in 2026. This will be followed by a period of Examination in Public by the Planning Inspectorate, then a decision on the DCO, probably in 2027, with a view to the scheme being operational by 2033.
IWA will feed in its views as the scheme is developing and, at the appropriate time, will consider whether to make what is called a ‘relevant representation’, which would enable us to participate in the Examination in Public.
The public consultation closed on 25th October 2024. Details of the scheme and consultation arrangements are available at guctransfer.co.uk. There will be further opportunities to comment as the scheme progresses.
Depths of Braunston Tunnel. Ad A m
FareWell to WaterWay StalWartS
Chris Howes 1960-2024
IWa is saddened to hear of the passing of IWa member and longstanding volunteer Chris Howes. a former Deputy National Chair, Chris also served as Chair of the eastern region and Peterborough branches.
Chris spent much of his life living on or near the river Great ouse and wrote two Imray guides: The River Great Ouse and its Tributaries and The Fenland Waterways which covers the Middle levels and both the old and New Bedford rivers. His navigation notes, accompanied with narrative and photographs, inspired many boaters to explore these fascinating navigations.
Chris was instrumental in helping IWa Peterborough Branch to organise a series of campaign cruises in recent years. these involved repeated attempts to reach the historic Welches Dam lock. the lock is one of IWa’s Silver Propeller locations, having been selected to support an IWa campaign to reopen navigation through Welches Dam to Horseway lock.
Some of the campaign cruises reached Welches Dam although other attempts proved less successful. In april 2023, a build-up of silt prevented Chris from passing through the gates leading to old Bedford river. His efforts were not in vain, however, as the challenges he faced demonstrated how a lack of funding can result in waterways becoming impassable.
Chris assisted with the passage through parliament in 2018 of the Middle level Bill which enabled the Middle level Commissioners, water and drainage authority in the Fens to charge a licence fee for boaters. this fee provides funds to improve safety and facilities. His evidence to the parliamentary committee is recorded in Hansard.
Chris’s family have requested that donations can be made to Cancer research UK or Fund Britain’s Waterways Campaign either online or c/o r J Pepper & Son Funeral Directors, 14 Prickwillow road, ely CB7 4Qt (01353 665300).
John Prescott 1938-2024
another long-standing supporter of the waterways, John Prescott, died in November at the age of 84. anecdotes and memories on his colourful life are well documented, but he was less known for being a waterways champion and key to securing an 18% rise in grant funding for the British Waterways Board in 1999.
Mr Prescott hoped that the deal would “change the canals from decaying relics into catalysts for regeneration”. He wanted to see further action, as demonstrated by a regeneration plan for canals which he launched in 2000 with a policy document titled Waterways for tomorrow.
Mr Prescott was also influential in the transfer of property assets, including liverpool Docks and london Docklands, to British Waterways. this had a lasting impact on the organisation’s property portfolio which is now owned by Canal & river trust.
Timothy West 1934-2024
actor timothy West, who passed away in November at the age of 90, was a great champion of the waterways, Known for many roles in both television and theatre, he was a keen boater and his series Great Canal Journeys in which he appeared alongside his wife Prunella Scales became a surprise television hit.
Fenny MarinaBoats builtto any stage
CAMPAIGNING WITH YOU
Here are some recent issues we’ve been campaigning on with your help
Climate change and the waterways
This year started badly with sustained heavy rainfall causing the collapse of embankments on both the Bridgewater Canal (above) and the Huddersfield Narrow Canal on New Year’s Day. Both canals will need complex, lengthy and expensive repairs. Particularly in the case of the Bridgewater Canal, this will have a substantial impact on cruising opportunities for both private and hire-boaters, and consequently on businesses and local communities. The embankment collapses were accompanied by widespread flooding on river navigations across the country. This is not an isolated incident. Extreme weather events are becoming much more equent and severe as a result of climate change. The Canal & River Trust spent an additional £10m on emergency repairs a er last winter’s storms. These have already caused significant damage with more than 440 trees falling and the Shropshire Union Canal still closed at Woodseaves Cu ing. Adapting the waterway network for the future climate will not come cheap. CRT’s recent Climate Adaptation Report 2024 concurred with the Environment Agency’s estimates that maintenance budgets may need to increase by 30% to 80% compared with present levels. These figures are a stark illustration of the need for the Fund Britain’s Waterways campaign.
FBW events
FBW held a Q&A session with the Middle Level Commissioners in November. Questions were submi ed in advance of the meeting by FBW members. The session was live streamed for FBW members. Detailed notes of the meeting are now available on the website and a summation of the session is on page 26-27.
Changes at FBW
A er more than 18 months as the founding Chair of Fund Britain’s Waterways, Les Etheridge stepped down at the end of December 2024. IWA National Chair Mike Wills will succeed Les as Chair on an interim basis. Les has made an absolutely pivotal contribution and without his vision, knowledge, relationships and sheer hard work FBW would not exist in its current form. The steering group is extremely grateful to Les and delighted that he will continue to support FBW in less intensive ways. We extend a warm welcome to Mike and look forward to supporting him in the next phase of FBW’s development.
Fund Britain’s Waterways
Fund Britain’s Waterways was launched in June 2023 to highlight the impact of insu cient funding for Britain’s 5,000 miles of navigable inland waterways. Through FBW, 145 organisations, including IWA as a member of its steering group, are campaigning together for national and local government to act now and protect the public benefit and natural capital of our waterways.
FBW plans for 2025
The major event for 2025 will be another Campaign Cruise to the Palace of Westminster. This time it will be expanded to visit more navigation authorities and generate more publici en route. A group of boats will set o om Strawberry Island Boat Club in Doncaster at the end of March for London, culminating in a reception at St Pancras Cruising Club on 1st May. Any boats that would like to join will be more than welcome. The boats will progress to Li le Venice to participate in IWA Canalway Cavalcade over the weekend 3rd-5th May. Then on 7th May the Campaign Cruise to Westminster will take place, backed up with a reception for MPs and peers. Some of the boats will then cruise to Boston to cross the Wash and cruise the Middle Level Navigations. If you would like to join either the Westminster Cruise or the Wash crossing, please email Andrew Phasey at theoldmainline@ fastmail.fm or call Andrew on 07850 753633. This promises to be a thrilling boating experience as well as a powerful campaigning event. Please check waterways.org.uk/ wcampaign-cruise for further details as the plans progress.
Update on Aberdulais Aqueduct
IWA South Wales Branch
Often thought of as one, the Neath and Tennant canals are in fact two independent but linked canals. The Neath Canal is 13 miles long and was opened in 1795. Five miles shorter, Tennant Canal was opened 29 years later in 1804.
Neath Port Talbot Council says it recognises the contribution that the canals make to the character and biodiversity of the area, the local economy and to local people’s quality of life. However, the council doesn’t own the canals and has limited resources due to stringent cuts. This is why we need to work energetically with the council to achieve the best outcome, however challenging.
A recent consultation to which IWA responded (it closed on 8th January) has put several options on the table, but the main one –and the one we support – was missing. This is to restore the canals to full navigation. This seems to be the only valid option and was the basis of our response.
The main focus in all of this is the Aberdulais Aqueduct: a Grade II*-listed building and Scheduled Ancient Monument opened in 1824. It’s a 104m-long structure comprising 10 arches with a 66m span over the River Neath. A retained section extends 28m further on the river’s east bank. The masonry structure has deteriorated significantly since navigation stopped nearly a century ago.
IWA’s Waterway Recovery Group commissioned a structural inspection report on the aqueduct in December 2021. It concluded that urgent works were needed to prevent further damage to the ancient monument but little, if anything, has been done since.
It’s clear that a long-term management plan to agree a programme of works to stabilise the structure is needed. Usually the best way to save such assets is to get the canal back into navigation and economic use. This seems the way forward, coupled with a flood management strategy which is more immediate and urgent.
IWA South Wales branch has made a robust response to the consultation. We believe that a coordinated approach is crucial to any campaign. So far, this hasn’t happened. This is another reason why the branch is working hard to do the obvious things like make sure the right people are talking to each other.
Ultimately, the area would benefit from a Waterways Strategy, because this campaign is about more than just the aqueduct: it is about all the canals in this area.
Volunteering in waterway restoration through the DOFE Award
The Inland Waterways Association and its Waterway Recovery Group have been supporting restoration groups who work tirelessly across the country to bring back to life derelict stretches of canal and river navigations since the 1960s.
These ongoing e orts benefit millions of people who enjoy Britain’s canals and inland waterways. Many volunteers are young people. In fact the restoration sector acknowledges youth engagement is essential if the next generation is to have a stake in our inland waterways.
To learn more about the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award and how to become a DofE activi provider, go to dofe.org.
Restoration groups can engage with our youth through the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award (DofE), an awards scheme founded in the UK in 1956 by HRH Prince Philip, then Duke of Edinburgh, and open to any person aged 14 to 24.
The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award enables participants to build their own programmes, choosing their own self-improvement activities and causes to volunteer for. The programmes take between one and four years to complete, and prove a level of commitment that is highly regarded on a CV.
IWA Waterway Recovery Group has been o ering the DofE Gold Residential section as a certified provider for more than a decade. Many DofE participants in WRG Canal Camps (25 in 2024) say it has been a deeply transformative experience which has given them a di erent perspective of the waterways system and its benefits. This is likely to influence their future choices as waterway users, as well as citizens and voters.
We spoke to two volunteers who joined last year’s WRG Canal Camps to get a be er understanding of what the experience has meant to them, what they gained and the long-term legacy of this programme.
Kiera
WRG Montgomery Canal Camp
The main thing the camp gave me was the confidence to try new things. I came to the camp not really knowing what to expect and not knowing anyone, but the people were really kind and helpful, always willing to show me new things and help me learn. They gave me the opportuni to learn how to drive the excavators, even really big ones, which meant I got my excavator ticket, something I didn’t expect and such a cool thing to have.
The camp also showed me how much work goes into restoring canals and how passionate the people involved are. That passion was infectious and really made the whole experience iendly, welcoming and informative. The food was also amazing every day.
I le the camp with many new skills and stories to tell and I’m really thankful for the opportuni to do something di erent for my DofE residential. I would 100% recommend others to do it if they want to learn something new and do something di erent.
“The camp gave me the confidence to try new things. I came not really knowing what to expect and not knowing anyone, but the people were really kind and helpful, always willing to show me new things and help me learn”
How did you hear about the Waterway Recovery Group?
By accident, really. I was searching for a unique experience for over 18s as a lot of the suggested ones listed on the DofE website were for younger people and, due to COVID-19, I le my residential quite late. I found the group through searching Google for residential camps.
Why did you choose a WRG Canal Camp to complete your Gold Residential?
Mainly because of the price. It was the cheapest I had seen and what was included for that price I thought was really good: three meals a day and accommodation for less than £100. You couldn’t get that anywhere else. It also enabled me to learn new skills and meet a range of people I wouldn’t otherwise have met. I wanted to gain something om my experience, so this was the best option. I chose the Montgomery Canal trip in particular because it was close to where I live and at the right time of year for me (Easter holidays). It was in a nice place, so I got to travel and see somewhere new.
Did you have any doubts that may have prevented you from joining the camp?
Any doubts weren’t going to prevent me om joining the camp but I did have a few worries. The main thing was that I didn’t know what was going to happen on the camp apart om helping restore a canal. I was probably a li le underprepared as I only found out what we were going to be doing for the week once I got there. I did wonder if I was going to enjoy it but I did. I don’t think I really had any doubts, more just general anxie about the week.
Were there any factors that marred your enjoyment of your week on site?
Not really, other than being cold which wasn’t anyone’s fault. Easter week was quite chilly, so I could have done with some more layers.
Do you think the experience has changed your attitude towards our waterways or helped you develop a more mindful approach to our canals and rivers?
The experience has shown me there is a lot of e ort that goes into restoring and maintaining canals and rivers and that it is a long-term project. I’m now definitely more mindful of the upkeep involved in rivers and canals.
Jon
WRG Weymoor Bridge Canal Camp
I had the pleasure of a ending a Canal Camp at Weymoor Bridge with the Waterway Recovery Group in August, which I a ended to fulfil my Residential section for my DofE Gold Award. The experience was fantastic, with the camp sta and the volunteers all coming together to make it an incredibly enjoyable week. Our task was to build a culvert to divert a stream under what will eventually become the canal, which we just about managed to do despite some drainage issues.
Describe a typical day on a WRG Canal Camp
Each day started in much the same way, with George (the camp chef) serving up a great breakfast to get us all out of bed and ready to head to the work site. The workdays were long and there was plen of hard work to go around but, despite most of the group having never done anything like this, we all chipped in and made a lot of progress over the week, learning new skills that we can carry forward into the future. Some drainage issues on site made progress slow at times, and certainly caused some ustration as we watched the pit we had prepared fill with water before our eyes every time the water pumps went down (which they did o en, and keeping the pumps running ultimately became a full-time role for at least two volunteers). Despite these setbacks, group morale remained high throughout the week and we had a laugh while dealing with whatever problems the project or site threw at us. We had the opportuni to learn a range of new skills, om mixing concrete, digging a really good hole or operating an excavator.
What about the social side of things?
At the end of the workday, a er clearing the site, we would all load up into the WRG vans and head back to the hall for showers. Midway through the week, the other DofE volunteers and I decided we would help solve the eefor-all to get to the only shower in the hall by playing cards in the evenings for the next day’s shower order (‘Chase the Ace’ being our go-to choice for this), which made things much more e cient and raised the stakes of our games. The evening entertainments were usually quite simple, o en consisting of the whole group si ing around the tables in the hall and talking, playing cards and telling stories of our previous adventures (and misadventures) which was fantastic and exactly what the group wanted. During the week, we also took a walk through the local town and had the opportuni to take a boat ride along the canal which was graciously provided by the Cotswold Canals Trust. Finally, we’d all sit down to another delicious meal made by George and there was always a rush when the call for seconds came.
“There is something very rewarding about working hard with your hands…I firmly believe that everyone should take part in a practical project like this at least once”
What will you take away from the experience?
My experience has confirmed for me that there is something very rewarding about working hard with your hands towards a goal and seeing the stark di erence between when you arrive and when you leave. We live in an increasingly digital world, where many people go their whole lives without experiencing that feeling, and I firmly believe that everyone should take part in a practical project like this at least once. With regards to British canals, despite being something I previously had not thought much about, I now recognise that they form a critical part of this country’s history and unique character. The e orts of WRG, the Cotswold Canals Trust and other organisations to preserve and restore this historic in astructure are valuable endeavours that we should all support. I will definitely consider a ending more Canal Camps in the future.
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Northampton branch BRANCH FOCUS
Northampton Branch, winner of the 2024 IWA Branch Achievement Award, covers an area that stretches om the Welford Arm on the Leicester Line in the north, to Cosgrove on the Grand Union Canal in the south and to Thrapston on the River Nene in the east. It also encompasses the Northampton Arm of the GU Canal, the town of Northampton and the important canalside locations of Braunston and Stoke Bruerne.
Our branch covers all the usual activities that other branches get involved in such as keeping abreast of local planning applications and responding to protect our waterways, interfacing with Canal & River Trust on ma ers a ecting the area, supporting boaters and other waterway users, and producing a magazine and holding regular branch social meetings for our members.
Our biggest involvement has been our adoption of the Northampton Arm which started with our first task par in July 2013, exactly a year a er the formation of CRT. The Northampton Arm is a waterway of 4¾ miles with 17 locks, three li -bridges and represents the only link between the canal system in England and the Fenland waterways.
Back in 2013, the arm had su ered several years of neglect and vegetation was encroaching on navigation with underwater obstacles such as shopping trolleys, bicycles and the odd safe causing additional problems for boaters.
Our original brief om CRT for our adoption was that we could tackle li er
Volunteers working on the path along the Northampton Arm.
picking, vegetation management and in astructure painting for the 17 locks. We started with planning monthly task parties which were a ended initially only by commi ee members. Soon, however, we were able to welcome volunteers om our branch membership and then om corporate bodies such as Santander, Network Rail, Nationwide and locally based international company Cummins Power Systems.
Being high profile during our task parties wearing our IWA Northampton Branch hi-vis jackets, we’ve a racted volunteers om local residents who have observed us working to improve their locali and have been keen to join us (we do not insist they become IWA members, though some have).
It quickly became apparent that our monthly task parties were not enough to achieve what we wanted so these soon became twice monthly. These are held on the first Sunday and third Tuesday of each month, which gives both working and non-working volunteers the opportuni to a end.
Over the years, we have formed an excellent working relationship with the local CRT team which has enabled us to expand our original brief to include clearing the bypass weir, removing gra ti, rebuilding damaged fencing, hedge laying and most importantly upgrading the towpath (more of that later).
We have also worked hard to improve the appearance of the arm to a ract more visitors to enjoy the unique waterways. We began with a series of art installations along its length. The first was a mosaic mural at the junction of the arm with the GU Canal at Gayton. The design — a horse-drawn narrowboat passing under a li -bridge – was completed with the aid of Gayton Primary schoolchildren. This was unveiled by Richard Parry in 2015 to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the opening of the arm.
This was followed by the aim to have something by Lock 17 where the arm joins the River Nene to again highlight the 200th anniversary at this end of the arm. This area was undergoing a radical transformation with a housing estate under construction. We approached Bellway, the developer, with our plans looking for financial help which they generously provided. This allowed us to refurbish and reinstate a crane which had been in storage for a number of years and also to create a mosaic bench which was completed in 2016. Our volunteers worked alongside councillors, local residents and
CRT bank sta on the project which was unveiled by Richard Parry and the Mayor. With artworks at each end of the arm, we soon recognised the need to link the two in some way. A plan was formulated to create a nature trail with mosaic panels at each of the 17 locks. The panels were created by Year 6 children om two local schools and installed by our volunteers. Each panel contains a le er. Walkers are encouraged to collect all the le ers along the path to form a phrase which they can then submit to receive a certificate of achievement. We hope this encourages youngsters to get out and about with their families on the arm.
MURALS
We have also installed two large murals under the M1 motorway bridge. The first of these is a historical timeline of Northampton, created under the guidance of a local artist. The other is a mural depicting the canal through the seasons, guided by a local arts and cra group.
But our artwork installations didn’t stop there, We had an approach om the local junior anglers who were keen to produce a ‘fishy’ mural. We identified a naked road-bridge near Lock 14 and organised a painting day for the youngsters, supported by some of our volunteers and CRT sta who provided safe access across the lock. The result is delightful.
In the midst of all these art endeavours, we also got involved in upgrading a section of towpath between locks 13 and 14. A large new housing development had resulted in heavy usage of the towpath by walkers and cyclists which meant that it became very muddy and almost impassable in winter. Cummins, one of our corporate volunteer
groups, encouraged us to apply for a grant om their Global Giving fund. We were fortunate to secure funding over several years totalling more than £48,000 which has enabled us to upgrade 500m of towpath. Credit must be given to commi ee members Geo Wood, Mick Butler and Paul Lynam who organise and inspire our volunteers throughout the year. So far, we have achieved over 23,000 volunteer hours on the arm and there is no sign of this stopping any time soon. Large-scale vegetation management tends to happen in the winter, and lock painting and mowing during the summer months, with li er picking carried out all year round.
We will continue to build relationships with local communities and encourage them to enjoy our waterways and join our volunteers. It gives us great pleasure to hear positive comments om the wide range of users om boaters, walkers, cyclists and anglers to paddleboarders and canoeists. We also try to address any complaints and criticisms of our waterways through our good relationship with our local CRT team.
Volunteers installing art panels (inset) made by local schoolchildren.
hugh Pearman
Ross Stokes talks to celebrated journalist, editor and author Hugh Pearman who has been appointed the new Chair of the IWA’s Heritage Advisory Panel
What prompted your fascination with our inland waterways?
As a Kentish child in the 1960s, I was enthralled by the home movies of family iends who were early hire-boaters, especially one film showing the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct (then hazardous to walk across they said, with its metal towpath rusting through). It seemed terribly adventurous. They told me how L.T.C. Rolt and Robert Aickman founded IWA and how they fell out, which later led me to read Rolt’s Narrow Boat (and more recently Aickman’s uncanny stories). My family then took to the Thames, and the Llangollen and Oxford canals, in tiny GRP or plywood hire boats.
Hugh spent more than three decades at the fore ont of architectural journalism, serving as the architecture and design critic for The Sunday Times om 1986 to 2016, and later as editor of the RIBA Journal om 2006 to 2020. His latest book, About Architecture, explores engineering and architectural achievements including those related to canal heritage.
His extensive contributions to media and heritage have included roles on Arts Council England’s architecture advisory group, co-founding the RIBA Stirling Prize in 1996, and chairing the Art for Architecture initiative at the Royal Socie of Arts om 2000 to 2004. He was made an Honorary Fellow of the Royal Institute of British Architects in 2001 and his contributions to architecture and the arts were recognised with an MBE in 2019.
Hugh is a longstanding IWA member with a personal enthusiasm for the heritage of Britain’s inland waterways, providing planning and architectural guidance for the Association’s London Region. Hugh’s appointment comes at a crucial moment as IWA works to safeguard the waterways om degradation and loss.
“We
want to make everyone more aware of the priceless heritage asset that our waterways represent, especially right now when funds are low while maintenance and repair problems are increasing and some waterways are showing clear signs of neglect”
An 11-year-old Hugh on a hire boat on the Thames, Easter 1967.
SARAH M. LEE
How do you enjoy them today?
Walking usually. O en the derelict ones and those being restored, but any one will do really, especially in cities.
Describe a perfect day on the water Autumn, late a ernoon on a bright day, firm towpath, a few boats moving through locks, dabchicks diving, decent pub or cafe on hand.
Do you have a favourite stretch of waterway?
RURAL: It’s hard to beat the grand curving descent through woods of Benjamin Outram’s Marple locks and his aqueduct on the Peak Forest Canal.
URBAN: The Farmers Bridge flight of locks slicing through and under Birmingham.
What is it about our waterways that most appeals?
The ingenui and toughness of their (mostly) Georgian engineering, achieved at remarkable speed with – to our eyes – primitive equipment. All harmonising so well with the landscape and ci scape.
You were recently appointed Chair of IWA's Heritage Advisory Panel. Can you tell us about your role and the function of the panel?
It’s partly a watching brief, the aim being to spot threats or potential threats to the historic fabric of the waterways and to sound the alert and make recommendations to avoid preventable degradation om happening. More broadly we want to make everyone more aware of the priceless heritage asset that our waterways represent, especially right now when funds are low while maintenance and repair problems are increasing and some waterways are showing clear signs of neglect.
How does your background as an architecture journalist, editor and author contribute to your new role?
I’m not an architect – my degree is in English literature – but early on, because I was interested, I came to specialise in writing about architecture and design, especially as architecture critic of The Sunday Times for many years. That later overlapped with my editing the RIBA Journal, the magazine of the Royal Institute of British Architects. I mostly concerned myself with new stu , but the restoration and adaptation of historic buildings became increasingly important. Right now I chair an architectural heritage chari , the Twentieth Century Socie . Our remit starts in 1914 and proceeds to the present day (we’ll need to adjust our name) so that covers just about every s le imaginable. We are much concerned with ge ing the best buildings recognised and listed, and making people aware of how the relatively recent past contains riches that must be preserved and cherished. There are some obvious parallels there with IWA Heritage Advisory Panel which I was honoured to be asked to chair. I’m still learning the ropes, helped enormously by my predecessor Ivor Caplan and others in IWA.
Bottom of Marple lock flight, 2022.
Farmers Bridge Birmingham, 2024.
Outram’s Marple Aqueduct with railway bridge behind, 2022.
How important are our waterways to our architectural and engineering heritage?
Hugely. We tend to think of the great Victorian achievements of the railway age and rightly so, but the mostly Georgian period of canal-building covers the early Industrial Revolution and shows rapid development of technology, om James Brindley through to Thomas Telford – Benjamin Outram perhaps being relatively overlooked. The canals with their movement of goods were the technical and economic springboard for what followed. And their conservation and restoration om the post-war years to today is in my view an equally heroic achievement.
How would you describe the current state of our waterways? Have you noticed any significant changes since your teenage days?
Things got a lot be er, now there are worrying signs of esh decline. When I first started exploring, canals were not so pedestrian- iendly and there were far fewer boats. As a teen at the start of the 1970s I walked along the canals right across London om west to east and (apart om the bit around London Zoo and Camden Lock) met remarkably few people along the way either afloat or on foot like me. The Kennet & Avon Canal was slowly being restored but the Devizes flight, where I took part in my one and only work camp driving a dump truck, was still derelict. With my schoolmates we hired a converted petrol-engined shortened wooden narrowboat om the estimable Canal Cruising Co of Stone on the Trent & Mersey and took it round the Four Counties Ring as it’s now known. You would not have described it as busy then but everything worked. Today, I guess our expectations are higher – all those expensive new boats and new marinas to serve them – but the system is now creaking again, exacerbated by today’s more extreme weather events and funding shortages.
What sections of waterway are under greatest threat?
I fear for some of the lesser-used, heavily locked waterways, some fairly recently restored with much volunteer labour, Lo ery and EU funding. And right now, of course, for the Bridgewater following the recent terrible breach. It’s not a CRT waterway and one wonders how the owners will tackle it and how long it will take. That is such a historically important canal in the UK, and is a strategically vital link.
Lack of funding is seen as a major problem. Apart from lobbying the government what more can be done to ensure their future?
A country that can a ord to build HS2 and the Elizabeth Line cannot a ord to let its waterways decline and close, nor should any government want to be associated with that. It would be akin to closing national parks and museums. I think there’s a problem in that the network is sometimes seen as being largely the preserve of relatively few boaters, when the truth is that waterways enhance and improve the areas they pass through for everybody, a national well-being resource as well as an income generator. Both IWA and CRT make this point o en but the message needs reinforcing. The cost of keeping a navigable waterway in good order is considerable, but is nothing compared to the cost of repairing and restoring a waterway that has been allowed to decline to the point of disuse. An emergency fund for all the waterways is needed to get them back into shape.
“A real
heritage success story is the restoration of Aqueduct Co age
at Lea Wood
on the Cromford Canal
om
near-total dereliction
to a lively
visitor centre. It’s all about collaboration between organisations, strong leadership of a devoted team of volunteers, sponsorship in kind om local businesses, and ge ing a very positive story out day by day”
What can IWA members do?
Get involved locally to look a er and defend your waterways. Reinvigorate your IWA branch, be visible and active, gather support. You’ll be welcomed with open arms and it’s amazing what a bunch of determined people can do.
What about success stories? Have there been any recent waterway renovation projects of note?
I’m really impressed by the acceleration of the restoration of the Montgomery Canal – they have a real momentum now –and by the way CRT has developed considerable expertise in heritage-led rebuilding of locks as on the Marple flight. Aside om navigation aspects, a real heritage success story is the restoration of Aqueduct Co age at Lea Wood on the Cromford Canal om near-total dereliction to a lively visitor centre – a story that has a racted international a ention and won awards. I’ve watched that happen over the past few years and it’s all about collaboration between organisations, strong leadership of a devoted team of volunteers, sponsorship in kind om local businesses, and ge ing a very positive story out day by day.
How do you see the future of IWA?
A er a tough few years it is ge ing its campaigning mojo back, and the Waterway Recovery Group does ever-valuable work. Some questioned whether IWA was necessary once the Canal & River Trust was set up, and we know the answer to that: CRT needs all the help it can get, given the threats the system faces, as do the other waterways under di erent control. IWA, with its proud and very successful history, will succeed if it persuades enough people of the rightness and urgency of its cause. To do this, we know we need injections of new blood. Experience is great, but youthful enthusiasm and esh ideas trump that every time. Bring on the new generation!
Hugh Pearman at restored Aqueduct Cottage, Cromford Canal, 2024. BEN HOBSON
Exploring Monks Lode
Mike Daines and John Revell share their adventure to the rarely visited Monks Lode
Monks Lode is one of several li le-known waterways beyond the 68 -long Lodes End lock on the Middle Level Navigations.
It runs om a junction with New Dyke, where there is a wide turning point and a rural mooring provided by Middle Level Commissioners, and ends naturally close to the splendid Five Arch Bridge on the East Coast main line.
Recent extensive work by MLC means that it is now navigable by those with a pioneering spirit for a further 2 miles beyond the previous end of navigation at Conington Fen Bridge.
There is no turning point (volunteers are hoping to reinstate one) so it is best suited to cruisers (up to 30 ), canoes, kayaks and paddle boards. However, narrowboats can use it as one group of intrepid boaters discovered.
Trip to Monks Lode
Three narrowboats, Lion, Strait ’n’ Narrow and Olive Emily, all based on the Middle Level, spent time exploring the waterways beyond Lodes End Lock at the end of October 2023. They met no other moving boats beyond the lock and just a handful of anglers. Despite its closeness to Peterborough this area feels very remote. Many readers will know that this
is the lowest place on our interconnected waterways, yet om here you can reach the highest point at Standedge tunnel 643 (196m) above sea level, on the Huddersfield Narrow Canal, a voyage which one of the boats had undertaken earlier in the year.
Ge ing to Lodes End Lock om Nordelph and March was straightforward and passage through the lock (a drop of just 1 ) was equally straightforward and we reached the end of navigation at Holme in good time to spend an excellent evening in the Admiral Wells that claims to be the lowest pub in Britain.
“The extension of navigation further along Monks Lode is particularly welcome at a time when other navigation authorities are struggling to keep waterways open.”
Fund Britain’s Waterways (FBW)
At the FBW meeting on 20th November 2024, Paul Burrows CEO of MLC said he welcomed those pioneers who wish to explore the remoter parts of the Middle Level Navigations. The MLC navigation notes on Monks Lode will be updated to reflect this improvement for the 2025 season.
Olive Emily and Lion breasting Monks Lode fore and aft.
The wide turning (winding) point at Holme comes a er a narrow stretch but the turning point itself is obvious and easy. Private and hire-boats up to 60 long turn here om Fox Narrowboats Ltd in March. It was once used by Fen lighters collecting and dropping o people and goods at the now-closed transhipment area and Holme railway station.
The next morning we set o to explore the rarely visited Monks Lode which starts at the junction with New Dyke adjacent to the splendid 24-hour rural mooring provided by MLC. On the way we saw kingfishers, red kites, buzzards, kestrel, merlin and a large herd of Chinese water deer.
We knew that there was no turning point a er the junction with Monks Lode so we adopted a simple system of breasting up together two boats facing opposite directions with ropes fore and a .
This worked well and a er 90 minutes we reached the natural end of navigation near the main line railway. We were all impressed with the work that MLC had done to clean out and deepen the last mile or so (we measured a depth of between 4 and 5 ).
The return journey was easy and, a er a brief stop for photographs at Conington Fen Bridge, we returned to the junction and MLC’s rural mooring before heading o to the extensive new moorings at Ramsey Basin for the evening.
When we reached Lodes End Lock on the return journey, we passed through ‘on the level’ which happens by design om time to time to enable drainage operations. All we had to do was open and close both sets of gates, refit the chain on the top gates loosely and securely, and lock the enclosure.
MLC were pumping hard (our trip was between Storms Babet and Ciaran) and the river was low at Ramsey Basin. We turned the shorter boat that a ernoon and the longer 55 boat early the next morning when the river had risen to more normal levels.
Returning to March the following morning was easy and enjoyable. Anglers in good humour were lined up for about a mile in Benwick awaiting the start of a fishing competition. Over several hours we encountered just one moving narrowboat, one cruiser and one small fishing day-boat. Meanwhile, the third boat, which needed to get through Marmont Priory Lock before the planned closure for maintenance, met a group of paddle boarders heading along Well Creek towards Outwell. It was great to see people enjoying the Middle Level in lots of di erent ways out of season.
Lion going through on the level.
The turning space at Ramsey Basin.
Monks Lode end of navigation.
The crews take a break during their Monks Lode adventure.
Boats up to 60ft long can turn at Holme.
Navigating the future
The Middle Level Commissioners’ fine balancing act
Chief executive PAUL BURROWS recently addressed the FBW about the role of the MLC and the challenges it faces
What is the history of the Middle Level navigation and the role of the MLC?
The Middle Level is part of the Fens, between the North and South Levels, and the Bedford Level. Navigation and flood risk management are intertwined, as the challenges and pressures a ect both. The MLC was founded with an Act of Parliament in 1862. The MLC was preceded by drainage commissioners, who drained land for agricultural purposes, om around 1630. Originally a gravi -fed system drained the area at Salters Lode. Welches Dam was the second outfall, created by Dutch engineer Cornelius Vermuyden, providing a connection between the Nene and the Great Ouse.
The Middle Level are neither rivers nor canals but a hybrid of the two. They manage controls at the outfall at St German’s pumping station (90 years old). The catchment covers a large area om Peterborough to Huntingdon, with 24 smaller Internal Drainage Boards pumping into the Middle Level system using 70 pumps.
The whole system comprises 190km of waterways, of which 160km are navigable. MLC looks a er the sluices at either end (Stanground and Salters Lode) and locks at Ashline, Marmont Priory, Horseway and Lodes End as well as the aqueduct at Mullicourt where Well Creek goes over the Main Drain.
The condition of the in astructure is mixed om a navigation perspective. There is an ongoing lock gate replacement programme, with four sets of gates requiring replacement at a cost of £100,000 each. Substantial investment in banks and aqueduct pump is also needed.
MLC is a small organisation with 40 sta , three dealing solely with navigation. However, everyone is involved in supporting flood, water resources and navigation activities.
How have navigation matters been funded since the 2018 Act?
The MLC’s main source of funding is om drainage rates paid by local landowners/occupiers. The original Act applied to just agricultural use, but is now applied to mixed use such as housing and businesses. In the 1970s that role was taken on by district councils which now raise the levy for non-agricultural interests.
The MLC receives around £600,000 om Fenland District Council and £200,000 om other local councils. Councils used to get reimbursed om central government but this is no longer the case.
The MLC receives some investment om the Environment Agency and income om smaller IDBs as well as developers. It is also eligible for capital flood risk management grant aid om De a.
What is the history of boat licences?
In 1848 the Wisbech Canal was opened between Wisbech and Upwell/Outwell. Tra c ceased in 1922 and the canal was filled. While operating, Commissioners charged £100 (£10,000 today) for a year’s commercial tra c, per vessel – probably more than drainage rates. When commercial transport ceased, the navigation went into disrepair, until the Well Creek Trust was formed. With the Middle Level Commissioners Act in 2018, some income om navigation was restored. Income om boats is around £200,000 a year, with navigation expenditure around £400,000 to £600,000. The MLC isn’t eligible for government grants for navigation. Indirect funding om local government is received via special levies, and MLC is exploring options to get more funding om elsewhere.
Middle Level.
CHRIS HOWES
How has MLC determined the level of navigation charges for boats based on the Middle Level, for those in transit and for those with Anglian passes and CRT/EA Gold Licences, and have there been any problems with enforcement? Currently the MLC mirrors the EA charging structure for ease. The Anglian Pass partnership allows unrestricted access to the region and is more efficient than individual visitor licences. The MLC had looked at a deal with the CRT/EA Gold Licence scheme but decided there is not enough demand for it. A subsidiary deal that gives some of the Gold Licence money back to MLC is under consideration.
The 2018 Act was quite controversial, and as a result some boats left the system. However, licence numbers are increasing due to enforcement and MLC working with marinas. Legal proceedings against offenders have been successful, but it is expensive. MLC is now working with the EA to prevent unlicensed boat access, and a debt management approach is being trialled as well as a removal protocol for unlicensed boats. MLC is also looking to work with the police to prevent antisocial behaviour.
What improvements to navigation have been made since the introduction of charges, what work remains to be done to achieve the IWA recommendations for the provision of facilities on the link route between Stanground and Salter’s Lode locks, and when will this work be completed?
New moorings on Ramsey High Lode have been delivered, other lock moorings refurbished and nine new rural moorings with footpath access installed. Marmont Priory lock gates have been replaced and Salters Lode Lock desilted. Visitor moorings and water points are now available at the MLC offices. A review of rural moorings is also being undertaken, and new locations identified. As required by the Act, MLC has committed 20% of navigation income to be ringfenced to meet IWA minimum standards on facilities. Fenland District Council provides facilities at March but would need them at either end of the system to meet the minimum standard. Vehicles can now get in to install and use facilities, so it is waiting on agreements with Peterborough City Council and weather limitations. It is hoping to also get a welfare unit there for relief lock-keepers. Elsan and rubbish points are planned but there is no timescale. MLC is also waiting for permission to get a water point at Salters Lode but is unsure it is the right place for Elsan and rubbish points. The MLC is in discussion with Well Creek Trust to explore opportunities in the villages. Beyond that, other opportunities are being explored. End of garden moorings would be welcomed but the practicality of landownership is the limiting factor.
What is being done to sort out the siltation problems on Denver crossing?
Anything beyond Salters Lode isn’t in MLC control and, while it may have opinions on it, it can’t influence it directly. The EA is planning to desilt ahead of next navigation season, but not sure what the longer-term plans are. It has always been a challenge
but it has been exacerbated by sea level and bed level rises – silt comes in faster than it can be taken out. A climate change risk assessment specific to the Fens was published on 19th November 2024, which paints a stark picture for the future. The Fens will be harder hit than other areas and there are big challenges ahead. It is hoped that the Salters Lode to Denver crossing will be open next year, but a Plan B may be needed if that tidal stretch is no longer navigable and it is wise to have discussion on it, especially with businesses reliant on it.
MLC chose not to open Salters Lode until the silt had been cleared for fear that the silt could have contained a log or detritus that could have risked the guillotine gate being unable to close. Safety of the tidal defence was paramount.
Are there any areas where the MLC considers it is using best practice and any areas where it feels it could benefit from other navigation authorities’ experience?
MLC shares best practice with EA neighbours and CRT, especially regarding facilities and licences, but has not got the capacity to do more. It has put a lot of effort into promoting itself and the work it does which has been welcomed by boaters.
How has the work of MLC itself been impacted by new environmental legislation and how does it affect the work of volunteers carrying out improvements and maintenance?
The 2020 Environment Act puts the impetus on enhancing, not just conserving, the environment. The ecology of drainage ditches is undersold; they’re basically inverted hedgerows. The MLC is keen to enable volunteering. However, with recent volunteer-led activities there have been issues so the work needs to be well planned. IWA’s Waterway Recovery Group said it was happy to support waterways recovery with good health and safety best practice.
What does MLC believe to be the major challenges and opportunities for the Middle Level navigation in the future and what would enable it to increase the level of public benefit and economic growth?
The major challenge is climate change. Lots of infrastructure is also reaching the end of its life, which is compounded by lack of public investment. The biggest opportunity is the planned Fens Reservoir which will provide a chance for local towns to embrace their waterways.
What can the FBW can do?
The most important thing is to highlight the importance of our waterways – not just funding from government but also from business. It is essential not to separate navigation from flood control and water transfer.
This is an abridged version of the Q&A session at the FBW meeting in November. The full report is on the IWA web page.
Upwell.
Sixteen Foot Drain.
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1
Keeping up with boat maintenance takes as much time as a part-time job
Even more so if you are moving around and need to find a new mooring every couple of weeks. There are so many extra jobs that you need to do to maintain and run a boat. For example, collecting and moving fuel, filling your water tanks and emp ing toilet tanks. A fairly significant chunk of your time will be devoted to these daily tasks, so it’s important to think about how this will a ect your life.
2
Small jobs have a habit of becoming big jobs
All the systems on a boat are connected. If one thing fails, it’s likely to cascade and a ect other functions. If you have no power, then as well as no lights you’ll also have no water pumps. So it’s a good idea to have two methods of heating water, two ways to heat the boat, and several ways to charge your ba eries.
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Livingafloat
Amy Tillson has lived afloat for 14 years, on two di erent boats. Here she o ers her top 10 tips for others contemplating doing the same
Living on a canal boat requires systems planning
How will you use the boat? Will it match with existing systems? There is no standard way of se ing up the systems you need to live comfortably on a boat. Decisions about heating and plumbing need to take into account whether the boat will be o grid or not, and whether it will be moving or in one place for days at a time. For example, a boat that spends a lot of time in a marina and connected to mains power will likely have systems that rely heavily on electrici . Take that same boat o grid and you may struggle with hot water and space heating because these systems rely on power-hungry pumps. If hot water is generated by running the engine and stored in a tank, this is fine if you’re moving every day. However, if you’re in one place for days you may wish you had an instant gas water heater that doesn’t need you to run the engine.
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It is possible to lose things on a boat
I imagined I would become some kind of minimalist with only useful possessions. However, I was never a minimalist before I moved aboard and, a er 14 years, we have accumulated a lot of stu . On the flip side it’s entirely possible to have a library on a boat.
5
Living on a canal boat takes some defending
You’ll learn that you need to defend your lifes le all the time and on several onts. You’ll need to defend your decisions to iends and family and also to the various authorities we all need to interact with. Our way of life is not always well understood and I have spent a lot of time in meetings with local authorities advocating for the rights of my communi . That said, I’ve made firm iends through campaigning and learned a lot along the way.
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Having no fixed abode is really annoying
Even if you have a mooring, many boaters don’t have an address the same way as land dwellers do. I spent a decade without an address and it affected me in so many annoying ways. Everything requires a postcode these days, including the electoral roll (many boaters struggle to vote as a result). I got by with two different addresses for different purposes. One in another county that a family member kindly let me use for ‘official’ things. And another when I actually needed to get something delivered or show a local connection. Even now, on a full residential mooring with a post box, it took months of letters and phone calls to add our boat to Royal Mail’s official address list.
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Living on a canal boat can make you feel like you've become public property
Spending time moored on the country’s network of navigable waterways, you often find yourself passing through tourist hotspots and holiday destinations. The sight of boats adds to the colour and vibrancy of the area. Which is great, and it’s quite satisfying to be living (for a few days at least) somewhere that other people visit for fun. Until those people start climbing on to your boat to take selfies, or asking you if you offer boat trips.
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Living on a canal boat is more than a lifestyle choice
Living afloat has become more than a lifestyle choice for me: it’s an identity. I feel part of a community of people who support each other, and I love how close I am to the changing seasons and to wildlife. When I am in the kitchen, maybe preparing some food to share with my neighbours, I might look out and see one of the resident pair of cormorants diving into the water. And I can’t imagine living anywhere else.
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Keeping a fire in overnight is a real art form
There is a certain timeless fulfillment that comes from heating your home all winter using wood and coal. But on a chilly night when you’ve run out of kindling and firelighters, and the coal is in a heavy wet bag on the cabin top, you do envy those with central heating. Actually, we do now have central heating on our boat. But like everything with boats, it’s never simple. You have to make sure there’s enough power to run the heating pumps and enough fuel in the tank. The answer to the eternal question “Does it get cold in winter?” is YES, but only if the fire goes out.
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It isn’t always cheaper than living on land
It can be, especially in cities like London, but licence, fuel and maintenance costs add up. Then there may also be loan repayments and mooring fees to consider. Boat breakdowns can be unexpected and very expensive to repair. But with my mooring fees, council tax (which is sometimes payable depending on the mooring), fuel and maintenance, it costs about the same as renting or paying a mortgage on a small place on land in a similar area.
Discover new ways to enjoy the waterways with our self-guided walks. Follow the step-by-step instructions in this guide or online using your smartphone to discover historical and heritage features along the way. More walks are available at waterways.org.uk/walks. We are still adding to our guides and would love to hear about your favourite waterway walk. Please get in touch at walks@waterways.org.uk.
the Pocklington Canal path om East Co ingwith to Bielby
Designated an Area of Special Scientific Interest due to its rich biodiversi this rural stretch along the Pocklington Canal starts at East Co ingwith, where the canal meets the River Derwent. The walk follows the Pocklington Canal towards Melbourne Basin, where there is the option to extend your walk and continue towards Bielby, or even further for the full 9 miles to Canal Head, just short of Pocklington.
The Pocklington Canal was built in the early 19th century to transport agricultural goods om the East Riding to the south and west, and to allow keels to use it. These flat-bo omed boats were used primarily on northern waterways.
The canal rose by around 101 (31m) along the 9½ miles (15.3km) om the Derwent to Pocklington, and so the locks were deeper than many locks on the connected waterways. Today, walkers are likely to see kingfishers and dragonflies on their travels.
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East Cottingwith
This is a straightforward walk along the towpath but first there is a short track leading to the canal om the starting point of East Co ingwith village, where there is ample roadside parking. The road past the Grade II-listed church soon turns into a bridleway. Follow this down to the canal and East Co ingwith Lock.
From here, bear le down to the junction with the River Derwent, then retrace your steps and follow the towpath, heading north-eastwards. A er about a mile, just before the hamlet, you will reach Storwood, where the towpath swaps sides. From here on, it is simply a case of following the towpath along this delightful rural canal.
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Melbourne
When you reach Swing-bridge 7, cross the bridge and head south along a short track towards the village of Melbourne. Features of the village include the Melbourne Arms and a corrugated iron church dating om 1882. There is also a village shop.
Step it out on this attractive 5-mile route.
December morning on Pocklington Canal. GLENN BIRKS
Melbourne Basin, Pocklington Canal. JOHN ELLIS
Planning your walk
DIstAnce: East Cottingwith, near York, 5 miles (8km), Melbourne to Bielby 3.2km (2 miles).
eAse: Active: The towpath can be uneven in places and may be muddy during the winter months.
LocAtIon: This rural stretch along the Pocklington Canal starts at East Cottingwith, where the canal meets the River Derwent. PArkIng: Parking is available in Melbourne and East Cottingwith.
Find the route at waterways.org.uk/waterways/using-the-waterways/activities/east-cottingwith-melbourne-pocklington-canal-walk and waterways.org.uk/waterways/using-the-waterways/activities/melbourne-bielby-pocklington-canal-walk.
A 2-mile section of the canal between Bielby and Melbourne was reopened in 2018. The opening commemorated the bicentenary of the original opening of the canal in 1818, extending the navigable length from 5 miles to 7 miles. A very generous contribution of £106,400 from the IWA Tony Harrison Bequest made it possible to achieve the £250,000 needed to fund the restoration of the additional 2 miles of canal between Melbourne and Bielby. A number of Waterway Recovery Group Canal Camps and joint Pocklington Canal Amenity Society/WRG working parties have helped restore the two locks and other works along this stretch over many years. A notable attraction in Melbourne is the trip-boat New Horizons, operated by the Pocklington Canal Amenity Society, which offers canal cruises to the public during the summer months.
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Bielby town
Once you have reached the end of the path before it bends to the left to go north towards Allerthorpe, you can either turn around and head back to Melbourne Canal Head or alternatively continue towards Canal Head via Allerthorpe.
The canal is navigable from Bielby to the River Derwent, passing through four
locks and seven swing-bridges and there are permanent moorings for boats at the Melbourne Arm.
A notable attraction at Bielby is the 900-year-old St Giles church. Recent restorations have uncovered historical artefacts including ancient paintings, while the box pews are among the best preserved in the East Riding.
December morning on Pocklington Canal.
Gardham Lock, Pocklington Canal.
Spring Events 2025
2025 Annual Restoration Conference
National Waterways Museum Ellesmere Port, Cheshire Saturday 26th April
Bookings are now open for the 2025 Annual Restoration Conference, jointly organised by The Inland Waterways Association and Canal & River Trust. The conference will focus on the challenges of delivering sustainable restorations om di erent viewpoints featuring a line-up of senior experienced speakers.
Topics for presentations and seminars will include:
• The Grand Union Canal transfer project and the wider implications of water transfer for restoration; and
• Youth Engagement in restoration, featuring a deep dive as part of the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award.
There will be a strong focus on restoration for the future, and what sustainable plans and designs will need to be considered, while also ensuring a commitment to heritage preservation. With its collections and archives focused on Britain’s inland waterways, including canal boats, traditional artefacts and historical photos, the National Waterways Museum is a unique location, with the chance to visit the Island Warehouse, the Power Hall and the blacksmith’s forge where ironwork for the canal and its boats was made.
Conference delegates will be able to network and a end indepth sessions and workshops led by experts across the field.
The conference will run om 9.30am with an optional tour of the museum in the a ernoon.
Annual BCN Clean-Up
Old and New Main Lines, Tipton 15th-16th March
This year’s Annual BCN Clean-Up will target the Tipton areas of the Old and New Main Lines. The event aims to recover more than 20 tonnes of waste om the water as well as clearing rubbish om towpaths.
Organised by Waterway Recovery Group, IWA branches in the West Midlands, Canal & River Trust as well as Birmingham Canal Navigations Socie and Coombeswood Canal Trust, the annual e ort will help keep the less well-used parts of the Birmingham Canal network and Black Country network om ge ing choked with rubbish. The BCN is used by many for boating, walking, cycling, fishing and canoeing. As well as looking unsightly, rubbish is a danger to wildlife, causes pollution and can damage boats and injure waterway users.
Participants will spend two days collecting debris including bikes, res, wheelbarrows, safes and, of course, shopping trolleys. The event is a great opportuni for everyone including local residents to get involved.
IWA Canalway Cavalcade
Li le Venice
Saturday 3rd May
IWA Canalway Cavalcade returns to London’s Li le Venice for the full early May Bank Holiday weekend. The annual festival celebrates the best of life on the waterways in the heart of London.
There’s something for everyone and whether visiting by boat or on foot, it’s a splendid day out for all the family. Soak up the atmosphere surrounded by colourful cra of all shapes and sizes, alongside a multitude of unique stalls, a real-ale bar, and delicious foods catering for all tastes.
There will be an eclectic selection of live music, along with special boating activities like the legendary illuminated night procession, and kids’ entertainment for all ages. There will also be amazing art om local schools on display. Cavalcade o ers plen of opportunities to get involved and we are currently looking for volunteers. For more information, contact emma. greenall@waterways.org.uk.
Boat bookings are now open. Please contact Mike Moore at mike. moore@waterways.org.uk or 07545 546865 for boat booking enquiries. For trader enquiries, please contact cavalcade.trade@waterways.org.uk
Market Harborough 75 Foxton
7th-8th June
This weekend festival will celebrate the 75th anniversary of the 1950 IWA Festival of Boats & Arts held in Market Harborough. IWA’s Leicestershire Branch, in partnership with the Canal & River Trust, the Old Union Canal Socie , Harborough District Council and Foxton Museum, will host the event which will feature historic and private boats, floating traders, land-based stalls, food, ice cream, music and much more. A special feature will be a cavalcade of boats to Market Harborough on the Saturday.
IWA was formed in 1946, but it was not until the 1950 Festival of Boats & Arts, held in Market Harborough, that the campaign to save the inland waterways really became established as a national crusade. The festival is generally thought to be the tipping point of the waterways revival, triggering the mass participation of a unique volunteering spirit.
The 1950 festival was held at Union Wharf, Market Harborough, a location central to the waterways system and accessible to all shapes and sizes of inland waterways cra . The rally brought together a varie of di erent cra owned by members of the Association, and encouraged them to travel along the many diverse routes to Market Harborough. The rally aimed to a ract new members and focus a ention on the dire state of the waterways, aims that are still relevant 75 years later.
The inspiration for the event came om very successful Vintage Sports Car Club rallies that had been organised by Tom Rolt, one of the founding members of IWA. With the enthusiastic support of the Harborough Council the rally developed om being merely a boat rally into a festival of boats and arts with a range of land-based a ractions – exhibitions, films and theatre productions – a development inspired by Robert Aickman, the association’s co-founder.
The festival a racted 120 cra and an estimated 50,000 visitors over the six days. Trophies were presented to recognise the boat travelling the longest distance, the best turned-out boat and other achievements.
Sadly, this summer’s event cannot be located at Market Harborough, as Union Wharf is now a hire-boat base and has permanent mooring for private boats. The festival will be held at Foxton, with land-trading stalls, food, music and canal societies all based in the field adjacent to the main line and Bridge 60. There will be a cavalcade of boats up to Market Harborough Arm to Union Wharf on the Saturday of the festival to create a visual link to Harborough.
