CANAL lovers in Somerset are marking 30 years since the Bridgwater & Taunton Canal was reopened, with a flotilla of boats and a celebration at the Somerset Boat Centre on Saturday and Sunday June 8-9.
Connecting the towns of Bridgwater and Taunton, the 14-and-a-half mile waterway, cared for by Canal & River Trust, boasts nearly two centuries of history. Like many canals, it was once an important trade route that transported coal and iron from South Wales and agricultural produce out of the area until its commercial importance ended.
A flotilla of up to 12 boats, organised by the Somerset Navigators Boat Club, will travel along the canal from Bathpool to Maunsel Lock. They will then moor at the Somerset Boat Centre for a party to celebrate the anniversary, which will include a competition to judge the boats that have been best decorated for the occasion.
The celebration will also be raising money for the Motor Neurone Disease Association.
Mark Evans, regional director at the Canal & River Trust, said: “This year marks a special milestone for the Bridgwater & Taunton Canal as it reaches the 30th anniversary of its reopening. Throughout history the canal has brought trade and prosperity to Somerset and today continues to play an important role for people and wildlife.
“It’s fantastic that the Somerset Navigators Boat Club are going to be celebrating the anniversary and to see the flotilla cruising along the canal – the most southern on our 2000-mile network.”
The canal was originally opened in 1827. It features seven locks and the unique Somerset Space Walk featuring a scale model of the sun at Maunsel Lock, with planets set along the towpath for six miles in both directions, demonstrating the scale of the solar system.
PHOTO: CANAL & RIVER TRUST
