Supporting The Canal & River Trust : Life is better by the water

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Why Britain’s Waterways Matter More Than You Think

When you think of Britain’s greatest treasures, canals and rivers may not be the first to spring to mind. Yet these waterways have shaped our history, fuelled our industries, and today provide peaceful green corridors for millions to enjoy. Behind the scenes, one lesser-known charity—the Canal & River Trust (CRT)—is working tirelessly to care for over 2,000 miles of canals, rivers, reservoirs and towpaths.

From protecting rare wildlife to maintaining centuries-old locks and bridges, their work keeps our waterways alive for future generations. But despite their impact, many people have never even heard of them.

We all know and understand the good work of The National Trust, The RSPCA and the Royal National Lifeboat Institution, but have you heard of the Canal & River Trust?

A Brief History of Britain’s Canals and Rivers

Britain’s canal network was once the backbone of the Industrial Revolution, transporting coal, goods, and raw materials across the country. Today, while commercial traffic has largely disappeared, the waterways have found new life as hubs for leisure, tourism, and wildlife.

What Is the Canal & River Trust?

The Canal & River Trust was established when British Waterways, run by the Government in England and Wales, was wound up in 2012 and replaced as a charity. It is charged with overseeing

• 2,000 miles of canals and rivers
• Owning 74 large reservoirs
• 10,000+ historic structures

Such a critical and onerous responsibility, given the increasing scarcity of water, which is increasingly being seen as ‘liquid gold’. Keeping these fragile waterways safe, accessible, and full of life is a growing challenge.

Read more here: https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/support-us/our-campaigns/we-are-canal-and-river-trust

Canal & River Trust Funding

In 2023/24, the UK Government paid the Canal & River Trust GBP52.6 million. A considerable sum, but in real terms, there has been no increase in the Government’s support since CRT’s formation. Indeed, significant funding reductions are ahead from 2027: Government Funding Cuts Put Historic Canals At Risk.

Against a backdrop of dramatic climate change and its impact on water availability, and given that many of the canals are over 200 years old, maintenance costs are likely to continue rising; we wonder how the charity can sustain its vital work.

Government funding now accounts for only 22% of the charity’s budget, making diversification of income sources not only desirable but also critical.

Inspiring Places to Visit on the Canal Network

Whether you are a boater or not, England and Wales’ canals have some fantastic destinations that should be on everyone’s must-visit list. Some are remarkable engineering feats, others are beautiful spots, and still others hold historical significance.

Talking to people in the know, here are the Top 10 places to visit:

Pontcysyllte Aqueduct

Located in Trevor, on the Llangollen Canal in North Wales, is a 19-arch aqueduct constructed between 1795 and 1805 by Thomas Telford, which spans the River Dee. It is 38 metres high. The longest and highest aqueduct in the UK. One of the waterway wonders of the world.

Caen Hill Locks

Found at Devizes, in Wiltshire. A spectacular flight of 29 locks on the Kennet and Avon Canal, which raise the canal 237 feet in 2 miles.

Foxton Locks

At Market Harborough, Leicestershire, there are two staircases of five locks on the Foxton Arm of the Grand Union Canal, Leicester Line.

Hatton Lock

In Hatton, Warwickshire. Another impressive flight of locks – 21 locks on the Grand Union Canal.

Blisworth Tunnel

Also located on the Grand Union Canal at Blisworth, Northamptonshire, the tunnel is 1.7 miles (2.8 km) long and has been open since 1805.

Stoke Bruerne

Close to the southern end of the Blisworth tunnel in Northamptonshire. A village dominated by the Grand Union Canal. The Trust’s Stoke Bruerne Canal Museum is located here. 

Brecon Basin

The Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal, often referred to as Britain’s prettiest canal, is located in Brecon, Powys. Lovely walks through the Usk Valley.

Little Venice

Found in London, where Maida Vale meets water on the Paddington branch of the Grand Union Canal.

Standedge Tunnel

At Marsden, found on the Huddersfield Narrow Canal, West Yorkshire. The UK’s longest, deepest, and highest canal tunnel.  Beautiful area. There is a visitor centre, and you can support The Watersedge Coffee House, run by Friends of Standedge. All proceeds raised are split between Canal & River Trust and the group.

Anderton Boat Lift

At Northwich, Cheshire. Connects the River Weaver with the Trent and Mersey Canal. This 15-metre lift is an engineering colossus!

Honourable mention: The Falkirk Wheel in Scotland, a spectacular rotating boat lift (though not part of CRT’s network.)

Canal & River Trust Visitor Centres and Museums

The Trust operates three museums and two visitor centres, strategically located around the canal network, providing essential insights into the historical significance of our canal system. Apart from Stoke Bruerne & Standedge Tunnel, mentioned above, the others are situated in Ellesmere Port, Gloucester Docks, and the Anderton Boat Lift.

How the Canal & River Trust Protects Our Waterways

Maintaining 2,000 Miles of Canals and Rivers

From dredging channels to repairing banks, CRT ensures waterways remain navigable for boaters and safe for visitors.

Preserving Historic Locks, Bridges, and Towpaths

Many of the structures date back to the 18th and 19th centuries—engineering masterpieces that require constant upkeep to prevent them from crumbling.

Enhancing Biodiversity and Wildlife Habitats

The CRT also manages canals as nature corridors, supporting kingfishers, otters, bats, and countless rare plant species.

Why Healthy Waterways Are Vital for Communities

Leisure and Tourism

Canals, along with 74 reservoirs, draw millions of visitors for activities such as boating, walking, cycling, fishing, and enjoying canal-side pubs and cafés. They bring life and revenue into both rural villages and urban neighbourhoods.

Towpaths are peaceful sanctuaries where people can recharge, exercise, and find calm in nature.

Local Economies

Waterways support jobs—from tourism operators to boaters who live aboard full-time.

Drinking Water Transfer

The Trust’s waterways are also used to transfer water from areas with a surplus of water to those with higher levels of water stress. For example, nearly half of Bristol’s drinking water is supplied via the Gloucester & Sharpness Canal, and the Llangollen Canal moves water from the River Dee at Llantysilio to Hurleston Reservoir, supplying drinking water for Cheshire.

The Challenges Facing Britain’s Waterways Today

The Water Challenge

As our weather patterns become increasingly unpredictable and we experience more frequent shifts from drought to flood, this is putting increasing pressure on our canal and river systems.

Flooding

Flooding damages the canal banks, resulting in debris being washed into the canals and creating blockages and obstacles.

Drought

Drought reduces water levels, and as the country is experiencing prolonged dry weather, the current water shortfall situation in England is now defined as a “nationally significant incident”. Many of the reservoirs that supply our canals are now at extremely low levels.

Since the canals are already pretty shallow (as little as 4 feet), it does not take much for boats to grind along the bottom of the canal or, worse, get stuck. Both challenges result in increased maintenance and higher costs.

We can certainly vouch for the latter problem. It was still early in the summer, but we were regularly bottoming out on the Ashby Canal in early July and got stuck a couple of times when we had to move towards the canal side to allow boats to pass in the opposite direction.

The Canal & River Trust reviews water levels daily and will introduce water-saving measures as necessary. You can see the impact here: notices and stoppages. 

A real-life example of this challenge is featured in The Daily Telegraph: with the iconic Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal, where the Trust has had to purchase water from Welsh Water at a cost of up to £100,000 per week to keep it navigable.

Funding and Financial Pressures

With government support shrinking in real terms, CRT faces difficult choices about which parts of the network can be maintained.

The Canal & River Trust carry out hundreds of repairs each year. This year, under pressure to repair leaks, they point out ‘Our 200-year-old, clay-lined canals aren’t 100% watertight. Most water lost from man-made canals is through leaks in the canal bed and banks’

You can find out about all the work being carried out on the 57 reservoirs that supply water here: https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/…/reservoir-works-and..

Pollution and Habitat Loss

Runoff, litter, and invasive species threaten canal ecosystems, adding to the cost and urgency of conservation efforts.

How important is the work of the CRT?

One could argue that the canals are redundant and no longer needed, a vestige of a bygone era. Given this, investing in the canal system is not a priority in a world where finances are tight and society faces numerous new challenges. We would absolutely disagree with this for several reasons:

Health and well-being

The canals and reservoirs that feed them are peaceful sanctuaries that allow people to recharge and find balance in quiet, beautiful, calming surroundings. They also provide employment and attract tourism spending in urban and rural areas away from the major cities and the coast.

A home for many

Many people live in boats on the canal system, making a small contribution to addressing the housing shortage.

Nature corridors

Canals are not only for humans; they provide a sanctuary and a place for many rare species of animals and plants to thrive. Canals are a vital link for many species to navigate around the country.

Our National Heritage

If you swap canals for buildings, you have the National Trust — one of Britain’s most beloved heritage charities. Many of our friends are proud members of the National Trust, supporting historic houses and gardens. Yet few of us view the Canal & River Trust in quite the same way.

After two canal boat holidays and spending two years living along the waterways, we’ve come to see canals not just as leisure routes but as industrial masterpieces. If these locks, aqueducts, and boat lifts were built of stone instead of water, there would be no question of their importance. Dating back to the 18th and 19th centuries, they are astonishing feats of engineering — monuments to the brilliance of our forebears, and every bit as worthy of preservation as castles, cathedrals, or stately homes.

Does the Canal & River Trust do a good job?

As a newbie canal user, there are signs of the Trust in many places. Talking to experienced users, the general consensus is that they are doing as well as they can with limited resources, but are currently fighting a losing battle as the quality of the canal system declines. There are certainly signs of the maintenance battle – all three canals we have cruised on have areas where banks have been repaired.

Trust signboards are commonplace, and the Trust has some great maps and guides. It also has a fantastic band of volunteers who roll up their sleeves and pitch in by clearing waterways, helping to maintain locks, tunnels, banks, and bridges, acting as guides, and raising funds. 

Why the Canal & River Trust Deserves More Recognition

Britain’s canals are vibrant corridors of life, history, and community. Our canals:

• Provide wellbeing and outdoor space for millions.
• Offer homes for both people and wildlife.
• Stand as monuments to Britain’s industrial heritage.   

Without the Canal & River Trust, much of this would be lost. So next time you pass a canal, pause to appreciate it—and remember the quiet charity working tirelessly to keep it flowing for us all.     

                                                               

So, how can you help?

In short, you can donate, volunteer and visit. Your support helps keep this extraordinary network alive.

Becoming a Friend or Donor

Donations help keep the canals alive. You can donate to the Canal and River Trust or become a friend of the Trust through the website canalrivertrust.org.uk.

Volunteering Opportunities

In 2023/24, 4,566 volunteers across the country committed 739,443 hours of their time to support the Trust. There is a wide variety of volunteering roles – take a look at the website: canalrivertrust.org.uk/volunteer.

Visiting and Enjoying the Waterways

The simplest way to support CRT? Use the canals. Walk, cycle, fish, cruise, or enjoy a canal-side café. Every visit contributes to their sustainability.

Finally, you can make the most of canals by using them – whether that is a gentle walk along the bank, taking a boat out on them, fishing or going to a canal-side cafe or pub. Using them will help maintain them and bring in vital revenue.

Buy their Merchandise

The Canal & River Trust collection features a range of clothing and accessories, including a mug, an apron, a beanie, and more. They offer recycled t-shirts from their Remill collection, where you can send back worn-out products from Canal & River Trust to be recycled into new products—keeping them out of landfills and reducing pressure on cotton farming.

Website: www.canalrivertrustfashion.co.uk

Final Thoughts

There has never been a more critical time to know about and support the work of the Canal & River Trust. With the current drought, there is even talk of temporary navigation closures as a necessary step to continue supporting boaters in these areas and to protect the canal infrastructure.

We have recently become friends of the Canal & River Trust. Having enjoyed life on board canal boats, we have seen their work up close, and I am happy to support them in making life better by water. I’m pleased that our monthly donation helps make canal spaces blue, green, and better for everyone to enjoy and for nature to thrive.

CRT sent us this thank you welcome letter:

‘With your support, we can continue bringing nature back into the hearts of our towns and cities and deliver health, happiness and wellbeing to millions of people.’

The Canal & River Trust face an increasingly difficult battle as it fights a dwindling budget and an escalating environmental crisis. There’s no better feeling than knowing that our small contribution makes a difference in this way.

Britain’s canals need friends — will you be one of them?

The details

We hope you have enjoyed this post and that it has inspired you to support our waterways in Britain. You can find more information at the website below:

Canal & River Trust: https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/

Happy Wanders!

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