Making life better by water

  • About us
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    • About the Canal & River Trust
    • Where we work
    • How we are run
    • How we make a difference
    • Our publications
    • Work for us
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    About the Canal & River Trust

    • Find out about our work
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    Specialist teams

    Find out how our expert teams work together to make life better by water

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    Where we work

    • East Midlands
    • London & South East
    • North West
    • Wales & South West
    • West Midlands
    • Yorkshire & North East
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    Work for us

    We have vacancies across all of our waterways and in the offices, museums and attractions that support them. We're one of the UK's biggest charities and we take pride in everything we do

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    How we are run

    • Board of Trustees
    • Bwrdd Glandwr Cymru
    • The Council
    • Executive team
    • National Advisory Groups
    • National Users' Forum
    • Regional advisory boards
    Little Venice

    Contact us

    If you're thinking of getting in touch then please take a moment to look through these pages as we probably have the answer on our website

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    How we make a difference

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    Our publications

    • Annual report
    • Document library
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    Work for us

    • Find out about working for us
  • Enjoy the waterways
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    • Enjoy the waterways
    • Canal and river map
    • Boating
    • Canal history
    • Canoeing and kayaking
    • Cycling
    • Events
    • Fishing
    • Nature and wildlife
    • Places to visit
    • Safety on our waterways
    • Walking
    • Wellbeing
    • Arts & Culture
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    Enjoy the waterways

    • Boating
    • Canal history
    • Canoeing and kayaking
    • Cycling
    • Events
    • Fishing
    • Nature and wildlife
    • Places to visit
    • Safety on the waterways
    • Walking
    • Art & Culture
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    See our full waterways map

    • Regent's Canal
    • Grand Union Canal
    • Kennet & Avon Canal
    • Leeds & Liverpool Canal
    • Monmouthshire & Brecon Canal
    • Birmingham Canal Navigations
    • Oxford Canal
    • Trent & Mersey Canal
    • Lee Navigation
    • Lancaster Canal
    • Worcester & Birmingham Canal
    • Llangollen Canal
    A young boy enjoying the summer

    Summer safety by the water

    As the weather is warming up we want everyone to be able to enjoy our canals and rivers in the safest possible way

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    Boating

    • Licensing your boat
    • Mooring
    • Plan your trip
    • Notices and stoppages
    • Boater's handbook
    • Getting afloat - new to boating
    • A guide to boating
    • Trips and holidays
    • Boat services
    • Boat based businesses
    Derwent Mouth Lock, Open Day

    Stoppages and notices

    We're continually carrying out work to improve our canals and rivers. Find out if we're working along your route before you set off on a boat trip

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    Canal history

    • Canal heritage
    • The first canal age
    • Canals & Transatlantic Slavery
    • Twentieth Century decline
    • The new canal age
    • Horseboating
    • James Brindley, canal pioneer
    • Roses & Castles, canal folk art
    • War on the waterways
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    Canoeing and kayaking

    • Getting started
    • Licensing your canoe
    • Keep yourself safe
    • Kayak fishing
    • Canoeing and the environment
    • The canoeing and kayaking quiz
    • Paddle boarding
    Two people in a Canadian Canoe

    10 reasons to take up canoeing

    It's a great way to get fit and explore our waterways at the same time

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    Cycling

    • Cycling routes
    • Cycling for health
    • FAQs
    Duck Lanes, Share the Space

    Share the Space

    Take a look at our common sense guide to sharing the towpath

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    Events

    • Planning an event
    • Find an event
    • Open days
    Camden Lock Open Day

    Winter open days

    Our open days offer a different perspective of our waterways, a behind-the-scenes look at the great work we do. A free day out for all the family.

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    Fishing

    • Places to fish
    • Fishery list
    • Waterway wanderers
    • Commercial fisheries
    • Seven reasons why fishing is good for you
    • Let's fish!
    • Fish species
    • Angling match results
    • Learn to fish
    • Angling history stories
    • Blogs from the Fisheries & Angling team
    • Coarse fishing close season
    • Fishing FAQs
    Little Venice

    Find a place to fish

    From reservoirs to club-managed canals and river stretches - find your nearest place to fish

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    Nature and wildlife

    • Canals and climate change
    • Canal habitats
    • Keeping our ducks healthy
    • A spotter's guide to waterway wildlife
    • The rogues' gallery
    Grey Heron by the canal

    Get your free guide

    Download your free guide today and start exploring the waterway nature near you

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    See all 123 places to visit

    • National Waterways Museum, Ellesmere Port
    • National Waterways Museum, Gloucester Docks
    • The Canal Museum, Stoke Bruerne
    • Anderton Boat Lift Visitor Centre, Cheshire
    • Standedge Tunnel and Visitor Centre, Yorkshire
    • Pontcysyllte Aqueduct and Visitor Centre, North Wales
    • Little Venice, London
    • Foxton Locks, Leicestershire
    • Caen Hill Locks, Devizes, Wiltshire
    • Hatton Locks, Warwickshire
    • Fradley Junction, Staffordshire
    • Marple Locks and Aqueduct, Cheshire
    • Tees Barrage, Stockton on Tees
    Snowed in narrowboat on the canal at Apperley Bridge

    Download your free guides

    You've nine free days out guides to choose from - where will you go first?

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    Safety on our waterways

    • Open water swimming
    • Safety during flooding
    • Summer water safety
    • Winter water safety
    • James' story
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    Walking

    • Walking routes
    • Access for all
    • Dog walking
    • Walking for health
    • Canal walking holidays
    Walking by the canal

    Find a walk near you

    Are you ready to ramble? Find a waterside stroll or a satisfying hike along our beautiful canals and rivers

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    Wellbeing

    • The five ways to wellbeing
    • Meet Well-B
    • Life's better by water

    Wellbeing with Well-B

    Discover how you can recharge when spending time by water

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    Arts & Culture on the Waterways

    • Street Art
    • The Line
    • Past projects
    Little Venice

    Art Events

    Take a look at our upcoming events here.

  • Volunteer
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    • Volunteer with the Trust
    • Volunteering opportunities
    • Volunteer in partnership
    • Ways to volunteer
    • Volunteer gallery
    • Volunteer articles
    • Why volunteer?
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    Volunteer with the Trust

    • Find out all about volunteering
    Young women volunteering

    Something for everyone

    Help us make a difference and have fun along the way. Find your perfect volunteer role today

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    Volunteering opportunities

    Join our team

    Could you join your local Towpath Taskforce team and help us to keep our canals looking lovely?

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    Volunteer in partnership

    • Adoptions
    • Corporate volunteering
    • One-off and regular work parties
    Leeds Roller Derby skaters litter picking

    Volunteering in partnership

    Want to make a real difference to your community? You could join over 400 groups who volunteer with us every year

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    Ways to volunteer

    • Employee volunteering
    • Explorers education volunteers
    • Lead volunteers
    • Open day volunteers
    • Specialist team roles
    • Towpath Taskforce
    • Museums & attractions volunteers
    • Volunteer in the office
    • Volunteer on the towpath
    • Volunteer lock keepers
    • Welcome station volunteers
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    Volunteer gallery

    • Photos from our volunteers
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    Volunteer articles

    • Read more about volunteering with us
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    Why volunteer?

    • Why volunteer with the Trust?
  • Support us
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    • How to support us
    • Become a Friend
    • Let's Fundraise!
    • Leave a gift in your Will
    • Give in memory
    • Give in celebration
    • Companies, Trusts and major gifts
    • Supporter promise
    • Donate online
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    Donate

    • Donate online
    • Find out how to donate to the Trust
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    Donate today

    100% of your donation will be used to make life better by water

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    Our Friends

    • Join us today
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    Canals are better with Friends

    Becoming a Friend by making a monthly donation is one of the most effective ways to support our work

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    Let's Fundraise

    • Request your pack
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    Leave a gift in your Will

    • Leave a gift in your Will and be remembered
    Walking with a dog on the Montgomery Canal

    Leave a gift in your Will

    Will you leave a gift in your Will to keep the canals and rivers you care about alive?

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    Leave a gift in memory

    • Remember somebody special
    Llangollen Canal

    Give in memory

    Celebrate the life of a loved one by giving a gift in their memory

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    Give a gift in celebration

    • Celebrate someone special
    Family walking along the towpath together and stopping to play

    Give in celebration

    Got a favourite place in mind? Dedicate it in celebration of a loved one today

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    Companies, Trusts and major gifts

    • Corporate partnerships
    • Make a major gift
    • Charitable Trusts
    • People's Postcode Lottery
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    Corporate giving

    Make a difference to the wellbeing of your community

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    Supporter promise

    • Read our supporter promise
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    We care for our supporters

    We are caring and open and aim to put our supporters at the heart of everything we do

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    Make a donation today

    Enjoying a coffee by the lock

    We care for our supporters

    We are caring and open and aim to put our supporters at the heart of everything we do

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Canalathon is here!

Challenge yourself to 26.2 miles of pure escapism by water

We care for 2,000 miles of waterways, because we believe that life is better by water

Discover beauty on your doorstep

Hundreds of free days out to enjoy

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Local to you

Wellbeing on your doorstep. Find walks, activities and more within miles of

The latest from the Trust

Top ten city walks

Walking by water can make you happier and healthier. Explore our top ten city walks during National Walking Month

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Crick Boat Show 2022

Britain's biggest inland waterway festival, Crick Boat Show, is back for 2022

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#ActNowForCanals

Help us make more miles of canals blue, green and better

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Family activity trails

Enjoy fresh air, fun facts and waterside views

Tackling plastic

Find out about our new ally against plastic pollution, the Gloucester Seabin

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Commonwealth Games

We are #GamesOn. Find ways to volunteer, events and more

Enjoying an Explorers session at Stoke Bruerne

Latest news

Find out what's happening near you

Awesome events

Explore our exciting calendar of events and canal festivals

Notices & stoppages

Where to fish

Upcoming events

See our network

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Resources

  • FAQs
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  • Planning notices
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Services

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  • Planning an event

Information

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  • Safety by the water

Other sites

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  • Waterway archive

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Canal & River Trust is a charity registered with the Charity Commission no. 1146792 and a company limited by guarantee registered in England & Wales no. 07807276.