In July, we finished work on the ‘missing link’, a 34-mile stretch of historic towpath in Yorkshire. The ambitious project is part of a broader vision to make our canals safer and more accessible.
Esta and ‘Edie’ testing out the newly restored towpath on the Leeds & Liverpool Canal
Esta Watson, who uses a wheelchair, came along to our ‘Let’s Walk’ event along the towpath at Kildwick, organised by Sharron Bright, our local community roots engagement coordinator in Yorkshire North East, to put the newly-restored canal path to the test.
“I thought I’d go and give it a try,” she says. “I've lived around here for quite a while, but I've never been able to go on that bit of canal path. It was lovely to be able to go for a walk and take in all the beautiful scenery, the hills, fields, and woodland, and the reflections of the canal boats on the water.”
Before the recent repairs, it would have been virtually impossible for Esta to enjoy the canal. Now, with a new, durable all-weather surface, more passing places, and better parking, it’s far easier for people to access the towpath.
“It's obviously still a little bit bumpy in places,” says Esta, “because, of course, you’re out in nature; but it was smooth enough to walk along, and I would say that people with walking sticks, rollators, mobility scooters, and manual wheelchairs would all be able to manage; so it's suitable for everyone.”
Yorkshire’s ‘missing link’, a two-mile stretch between Kildwick and Silsden
This project in Yorkshire is just the tip of the iceberg. We’re spearheading similar projects all over the country, upgrading our towpaths into modern, safe accessible routes and making boating easier for people. We recently opened a new mobility ramp along the Grand Union Canal at Radford Semele; and Scarwood Bridge on the Huddersfield Narrow Canal received a major upgrade, part of a wider initiative to improve the picturesque towpath route between Milnsbridge and Slaithwaite.
“In simple terms, it’s really just about making the routes flatter and wider,” says our national towpath adviser, Dick Vincent, “removing any unnecessary obstacles, opening up the space and making sure everybody can use them.”
Towpaths are an integral part of our network, dating back hundreds of years, and while public access was never a consideration for early canal builders, by happy accident, they created flat, people friendly paths that knit together vast swathes of the country.
“Canals were generally built on the flattest, most unobstructed routes,” says Dick, “and to accommodate the horses, the towpaths were designed to be open and unimpeded, with no obstacles to the left or right to catch on ropes. So compared to a lot of other outdoor spaces, they’re fairly accessible.”
Esta and her mum enjoying a pitstop on the new bench to take in the views
Today, of course, we want to ensure everybody can enjoy our towpaths, regardless of age or ability, but as well as keeping them safe, open and easy to use, we also have a duty ensure boats can navigate and moor so we work hard to preserve their character and history. As Dick explains:
“In places like Kildwick, you can’t just put tarmac down, because it would look out of place and it wouldn’t drain properly when it rains. So, we have used sustainable, self-binding materials that blend seamlessly with the surrounding nature and heritage structures. And it looks great, like a rural path that’s been trodden in by foot traffic over hundreds of years.”
Over the past decade, we’ve upgraded approximately 25% of our towpaths that’s 500 miles and in that time, we’ve seen the number of people walking, cycling, and wheeling along our canals almost triple.
Thanks to your support and the dedication of our staff, partners, and volunteers, more people, like Esta, can now enjoy the beauty, peace, and tranquillity to be found on our canals.
