The Inland Waterways Association

Telephone: 01494 783453

Website: www.waterways.org.uk

Every year more then ten million of us visit Britain’s waterways to fish, walk the towing path, observe wildlife or go boating and enjoy the sheer splendour of our canals and navigable rivers. It may seem hard to believe that just a few years ago; these exceptional places of peace and relaxation were nearly lost for ever. But that’s how it was.

In the 1940's, Britain's waterways were perceived as derelict, dirty ditches.  An ever-decreasing number of working boats struggled in dreadful conditions to maintain the carrying trade - and anyone who navigated canals for pleasure was considered quite eccentric.

This changed with the formation of The Inland Waterways Association in 1946. Certainly not overnight, it took many, many years of campaigning to convince government, local authorities and the public that canals had any sort of future, 'fill 'em in' was the usual response.

Today, waterways are seen as a valuable part of Britain's landscape. They are appreciated for their industrial heritage, for their contribution to urban landscapes and for their atmosphere of peace in a busy world. Their leisure value is accepted and there is increasing interest in the potential of some waterways for the development of water borne freight carrying.

Boats & Watersports Zone