Your stories

Angus, Gloucester & Sharpness Canal and River Severn

A lot of my work is office-based, so I often head straight for the towpath after work with my dog and my binoculars. It's the quickest way to get right away from the little stresses of work and I'm one of those people that need to be outdoors whenever I can.

Tanya, Weston Turville, Grand Union Canal

The water has been a big part of my recovery from cancer and I regularly come running and walking here. I was diagnosed with an aggressive brain tumour with no hope of cure and was told I only had twelve to eighteen months to live. That was over three years ago.

Robert, Geoff, Anne & Daniel, Kidderminster Lock

We're not in any hurry - we're on holiday. Our journey started where we picked our holiday hire boat up in Worcester and we're heading west cruising up the Staffs & Worcs Canal.

Sandra & Sue in Kidderminster

We've just come from the gym. The gym we go to is in the town centre so we always walk along the canal on a Monday because this is a much nicer route along the waterside to town than if we were going by road.

Steve, Manchester

I'm on my way to work. I'm an IT consultant and I'm stuck indoors all day long, so it's nice to be out here by the water on my route into the city. I'm quite a relaxed person and I like walking into work really early.

Karl, Angela & Sam, Kidderminster

Sitting here fishing on this canal is my way of putting my life together. You can have an argument with the Mrs in a morning and get back to a different version after a day's fishing. Sometimes in the past she used to pack my fishing stuff up before we even had an argument.

Anna & Buddy, Manchester

I'm enjoying my 'Buddy-time' by the water before I go to work. I work in Manchester, in an office-based job as a creative director for an ecommerce agency, so I'm taking Buddy for a walk before I travel into the city.

Allen, the Birmingham Canal Navigations

Just over three years ago I was diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes. I decided that I would do more exercise and try to reduce my weight as that would help control my blood sugar level. I thought that regular walking would help me achieve this.

Paul, canals in the south of England

I work as a translator and interpreter which involves a lot of technology and frequent travel to busy cities. My local canals, in the south and southeast of England are a form of easy escapism.