Make the most of your summer by the water
If you’re looking to get out and about over the school holidays then explore the Canal & River Trust’s website. You'll find heaps of information about upcoming events, waterside routes, pubs, museums and much more. Whatever the weather, make sure you get the most out of your summer this year with the Canal & River Trust.
Events
Weekend-long canal festivals, craft sessions, boat trips and guided walks are just some of the events you’ll find taking place on our canals and rivers this summer. If you’re looking for an occasion to enjoy alone or you’re looking for a day out with friends and family, our events calendar should be the first place you look.
You can search by date or, if you’ve got a location in mind already, see what’s taking place in your area using our interactive maps.
See & Do
If you’re looking for something a little more active this summer then take a look at our see and do pages. Head to our walking and cycling pages for canalside routes, tips and information on considerate towpath use.
Alternatively, If you’ve been inspired by our Olympic athletes this month, our canoeing pages will tell you everything you need to know about getting started in the sport. Or, if you’re already an accomplished canoeist, take a look at our canoe trails or kayak fishing guide.
If you’re planning a day out by the canal it’s not complete unless you take a picnic or find a canalside pub or café. Our eating and drinking pages will help you plan a meal and tell you where your nearest towpath based pub is.
Attractions
We can’t put together a ‘summer by the canals’ feature without mentioning the world-class attractions and museums that our waterways are home to. Whether it’s spending a day at the National Waterways Museum or travelling through the longest canal tunnel in Britain from the Standedge Visitor Centre, you’ll be able to find a canal landmark or visitor attraction near you. You can use the search facility on our museums and attractions page or search our interactive maps to find out what’s in your area.
Boat trips and holidays
It’s never too late to book a boat trip for the summer and while walking and cycling are great ways to explore our canals and rivers, travelling by boat is a unique and restful experience. Whether you’re after a last minute holiday or you simply want to spend an afternoon cruising slowly along the water, you’ll find that many of the hire centres are conveniently located at our most picturesque locations.
Use the search facility on our boating pages to find out more about taking a boat trip or holiday and find a hire centre near you.
Wildlife watching
The Canal & River Trust embraced the digital age and launched its first ever app earlier this summer. The Canal & River Trust Great Nature Watch app allows you to record your sightings and send them back to us so that our ecologists can monitor local wildlife populations.
The data’s very useful to us and spotting ducks and dragonflies is also an activity that all the family can enjoy. You can download the app by visiting iTunes or Google Play and searching for eNatureWatch
Check out our appeals
The Canal & River Trust has 50 appeals located around the canals of England and Wales. If you want to find out more about our work and what we’re raising money for why not spend a few hours or even a day exploring the towpath around one of our appeal areas? There are public noticeboards up at all appeal locations telling you how we plan to improve the canals and rivers for people and nature.
You can find an appeal in your area by visiting canalrivertrust.org.uk/appeals.
