Boaters' Update 17 July 2026

Save water now, reduce disruption later

Following the recent spell of hot and dry weather, we're asking everyone on the water to take extra care and help protect yourselves, other boaters and the canal network.

Although water holdings across the network are higher than they were at this time last year, we are asking boaters to help conserve water now to minimise the risk of navigation disruption later in the season.

To make the most of the water we have in the reservoirs, we’re trying to very accurately tailor the feed to the demand so it doesn’t go to waste. If the demand is greater than we predicted or paddles get left up, then we may need short breaks to rebalance the supply, sometimes at short notice. We apologise for the disruption and thank you for your patience during these periods.

If you notice water levels that appear unusually low, please let us know. Our teams actively manage water levels and can carefully refill low pounds, investigate any issues and ensure that moored boats in adjacent pounds remain safe.

You can help by:

• Sharing locks wherever possible.
• Using water carefully.
• Closing lock gates and paddles after use.

These simple actions help preserve water and are especially important during prolonged periods of hot and dry weather.

Across the network, we've been replacing worn lock gates, repairing leaks, keeping feeder channels clear and ensuring back pumps are operating effectively to recycle water back up lock flights.

Hot and dry weather creates additional challenges for both boating and water management. Thank you for your support in helping us conserve water and keep the canals open and navigable for everyone.

15 new lock gates as we celebrate 15 years of support from Postcode Lottery players

Boaters across the canal network are set to benefit from the installation of 15 brand new lock gates this winter, thanks to 15 years of vital support from Postcode Lottery players.

The "15 Locks for 15 Years" initiative will see bespoke lock gates manufactured and installed at locations across the network, helping to keep waterways open, navigable and reliable.

Supporting navigation for boaters

Lock gates are among the most important pieces of infrastructure on the canal network. Every boat journey that passes through a lock relies on gates operating safely and efficiently. Subjected to constant use and exposed to the elements throughout the year, lock gates typically need replacing after around 25 years of service.

By funding the replacement of 15 lock gates, Postcode Lottery players are making a direct contribution to the boating experience, helping to reduce the risk of unplanned stoppages, improve network resilience and ensure boaters can continue to cruise with confidence.

Investing in the future of boating

The new gates are being handcrafted in our specialist workshops – 15 of more than 100 gates that are set to be replaced this winter.  Skilled teams are combining traditional craftsmanship with modern engineering techniques to build the gates, each tailored to the unique requirements of each lock chamber.

This investment demonstrates the tangible difference that 15 years of Postcode Lottery player support has made to the nation's waterways. It has helped us do more for 2,000 miles of canals and rivers, protecting the infrastructure that allows boaters to continue exploring the network.

A thank you to Postcode Lottery players

Campbell Robb, chief executive of Canal & River Trust, said: "Support from Postcode Lottery players over the past 15 years has been instrumental in helping us care for our canals. This programme of lock gate replacements is a fitting way to mark that support, ensuring everyone who loves the waterways can continue to enjoy and get the health and wellbeing benefits of time spent on or by them.

"Lock gates are at the very heart of canal operations and replacing them is essential to maintaining the resilience of the network. Thanks to Postcode Lottery players' support, we can continue to help safeguard these special places for boaters, local communities and the wildlife that call our canals home."

Keeping boats moving for generations

Laura Chow, head of charities at People's Postcode Lottery, said: "What better way to celebrate fifteen years of player support for Canal & River Trust than by funding fifteen new lock gates across the country?

“These vital structures keep our waterways flowing and connected. Thanks to player funding, alongside the Trust's ongoing conservation and maintenance work, these historic waterways can continue to be enjoyed and valued by communities, boaters and visitors for generations to come."

Installation work will take place over the winter months as part of our winter stoppage programme, when we’ll also be replacing lots of other gates, and will be carefully planned to minimise disruption to navigation.  The gates being replaced thanks to funding from players of Postcode Lottery are:

Things you wish you’d known

Whether you've spent decades cruising the network, completed countless lock flights or simply picked up a few hard-earned lessons along the way, we'd love to hear from you.

As thousands of people prepare to set off on a boating adventure this summer – either on a hire boat or aboard their own boat – Boaters Update is asking seasoned boaters to share the wisdom they wish they'd known when they were starting out.

What are your top three pieces of advice?

What single tip would make the biggest difference to a first-time boater?

It could be something practical, such as how to approach locks or moorings with confidence. It might be advice about planning journeys, staying safe, sharing the waterway with others or simply slowing down and enjoying the experience.

Often, it's the simplest lessons that prove the most valuable. What would make your list?

Our top seven summer boating tips

Boaters’ Update will gather submissions and compile them into a ‘Top 7 tips for new boaters’ feature, which will be published in the next edition just as the busy summer cruising season gets underway.

The aim is simple: to provide practical, real-world advice from people who know the waterways best, helping first-time boaters enjoy safer, smoother and more memorable journeys.

Get Involved

Share your top three pieces of advice After all, every experienced boater was once a beginner.

Record number of boaters share their views in latest survey results

The results of our latest Annual Boaters' Survey have highlighted both the challenges and the resilience of the boating community following a particularly difficult year for navigation last summer due to the record drought.  The survey also reveals encouraging signs that many boaters continue to support the work being carried out to protect and improve the waterways you love.

Boaters face exceptional conditions

Summer 2025 was one of the driest on record, leading to reduced water availability, navigation restrictions and, at the peak of the drought, the temporary closure of around 20% of the canal network.

It's no surprise, therefore, that many boaters found some of their cruising plans disrupted. Seven in ten respondents said they were unable to navigate as they had hoped, with drought-related stoppages becoming the single biggest factor influencing the boating experience last year.

Yet against this backdrop of unprecedented weather conditions, overall satisfaction remained at 50%, down from 55% in 2025 but still notably higher than the 46% recorded in 2024.

Understanding the Impact

The survey shows that most boaters recognised the extraordinary nature of the circumstances. Just over half of respondents felt that the closures were primarily the result of drought conditions beyond the Trust’s control, reflecting an understanding of the growing challenges that extreme weather poses.

Signs of progress

The survey also highlights areas where boaters are seeing positive change.

Work carried out through the Better Boating Plan continues to deliver improvements, with areas such as vegetation management showing ongoing progress. These are the day-to-day improvements that help make cruising more enjoyable and support a better boating experience across the network.

The findings will also help shape what’s prioritised for maintenance, ensuring resources continue to be focused on the navigational issues and facilities that matter most to boaters.

Investing in the Future

Alex Hennessey, national boating manager, said: "These results reflect the impact of an exceptionally challenging summer, when prolonged dry weather led to significant disruption across the network. We know this had a real effect on people's enjoyment, leaving many boaters high and dry and unable to complete their cruising plans."

A strong voice for boaters

Perhaps one of the most encouraging aspects of the survey was the level of engagement from the boating community itself.

A record 2,042 boaters took part in this year's survey, providing one of the most comprehensive pictures yet of what life is really like on the waterways. The feedback will help shape future priorities and ensure that boaters remain at the heart of decisions about the network.

While 2025 presented exceptional challenges, the survey demonstrates the continued passion boaters have for Britain's waterways, as well as a shared determination to ensure the network remains navigable, welcoming and resilient for years to come.

210 Years of the Leeds & Liverpool Canal: The waterway that connected a nation

What do the Parthenon, Angkor Wat and the Khufu Pyramid all have in common? They were all built in less time than it took to complete the Leeds & Liverpool Canal!

Completed in 1816 after 46 years of construction, the canal was the longest single canal in the country, stretching 127 miles across the Pennines and linking the great industrial centres of Yorkshire and Lancashire. Today, it is loved by boaters, walkers, cyclists and local communities, but its story began during an age of ambition, innovation and rapid industrial growth.

The idea for the canal emerged during the 1760s, when the Industrial Revolution was transforming northern England. Merchants in Yorkshire wanted better access to the port of Liverpool, while businesses in Lancashire needed reliable supplies of coal, limestone and raw materials. Roads were poor, transport was slow and moving heavy goods was expensive. A canal connecting Leeds and Liverpool promised to change all that.

Parliament authorised the canal in 1770 and work soon began under the guidance of engineer John Longbotham, with advice from the renowned canal pioneer James Brindley. Early progress was promising, and the first sections opened during the 1770s. However, creating a waterway across some of England's most challenging terrain proved far from straightforward.

Financial difficulties, changing plans and periods of war repeatedly interrupted construction. The canal was effectively built as two separate waterways, one advancing eastward from Liverpool and the other westward from Leeds. Engineers had to overcome significant obstacles, including the Pennine hills, where they constructed the impressive Foulridge Tunnel, which opened in 1796 and remains one of the canal's most famous features today.

Finally, in 1816, the last section was completed, creating a continuous route from Leeds to Liverpool. The canal immediately became a vital transport artery, carrying coal, limestone, cotton, wool and countless manufactured goods between two of Britain's most productive regions. Together with the Aire & Calder Navigation, it helped establish an inland route connecting the Irish Sea and the North Sea.

One of the reasons for the canal's long-term success was its unusually large locks. Unlike many canals built for narrowboats, most locks on the Leeds & Liverpool Canal were constructed to accommodate broad-beam vessels known as "short boats". These could carry around 45 tonnes of cargo, giving the canal a significant commercial advantage and helping it remain competitive long after the arrival of the railways.

As industries flourished along its banks, towns including Skipton, Burnley, Blackburn, Wigan and Burscough grew alongside the canal. Warehouses, mills, wharves and boatyards became familiar features, while the waterway provided employment and prosperity for generations of canal families and local communities.

Unlike many waterways that rapidly declined during the twentieth century, the Leeds & Liverpool Canal continued carrying commercial cargo for decades. Coal traffic survived well into the 1970s, making it one of Britain's most resilient commercial waterways. Eventually, however, changing transport patterns saw freight traffic disappear and the canal entered a new phase of its history.

Today, 210 years after its completion, the canal has been transformed into a thriving leisure waterway. Boaters travel its full length through some of the country's most varied landscapes, from the vibrant waterfronts of Liverpool and Leeds to the rolling countryside of Lancashire and Yorkshire. Historic structures such as Bingley Five Rise Locks, Burnley Embankment and Foulridge Tunnel continue to showcase the engineering skill and determination that made the canal possible.

Later this year, as part of our winter stoppage programme, we’ll be working on 10 or so locks (consultation underway) to keep the canal ready for another year of boating.

The Leeds & Liverpool Canal's 210th anniversary is an opportunity to celebrate not only an extraordinary engineering achievement, but also a waterway that continues to connect people, places and communities. More than two centuries after its completion, it remains a living reminder of Britain's industrial heritage and one of the country's most treasured cruising routes.

Boating the Leeds & Liverpool Canal

Length:            127 miles

Locks:             91

Note: A handcuff key will be required as anti-vandal locks are fitted along this canal.

Maximum boat dimensions

Length             19.51m            64ft

Width               4.34m              14ft 3"

Draught           1.22m              4ft

Headroom       2.67m              8ft 9"

Maintenance, repair and restoration work this weekend

As someone who’s on or by the water more than most, you’ll know that things don’t always go to plan — and sometimes we have to step in and fix things that have unexpectedly broken.

When that happens, or we need to carry out a quick repair, we’ll get an update on our website as soon as we can. It’s always worth having a quick check when you’re planning your cruise, and again just before you set off. You can also find out how to get stoppage alerts straight to your smartphone in this article.

You can see where navigation is closed this weekend here.

If you’ve got a question about a specific closure, or you spot something that doesn’t look quite right, just get in touch — we’re happy to help.

Bits & bobs – Pride in Manchester, Boaters' Forum and winter works

Join us at Manchester Pride

We're inviting members of our boating community to join us at Manchester Pride on Saturday 29 August.

Trust colleagues and volunteers will be taking part in the parade, and we'd love to welcome boaters, friends and family members to join us for what promises to be a vibrant, inclusive and celebratory event.

Manchester Pride is a fantastic opportunity to come together, show support for the LGBTQ+ community and celebrate the diversity that makes our waterways such welcoming places for everyone.

If you'd like to take part, or would simply like to find out more about the day, please contact James Long at [email protected]

We hope to see some familiar faces there and look forward to celebrating with you in Manchester.

Boaters' Forum

It's not long now until the forum dedicated solely to boating. As in previous editions, this is an online meeting aimed at boaters but open to anyone with an interest.

This time, the focus is on the Transforming Boating programme and attendees will have the chance to meet Alice Hamilton, Boating Transformation Programme Manager, find out what’s happening in response to the licensing commission’s recommendations, and ask questions. Book your place now!

Final call for your opinion

With just over a week to go of the second phase of consultation, there’s still time to send in your views on our plans for the 2026/27 winter stoppage programme.

Have a read through our plans and let us know your thoughts before 24 July, thanks (instructions on how to respond are on the webpage).