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Towpath Talk
@towpathtalk.bsky.social
200 followers 110 following 320 posts
The UK's number one publication for inland waterways users. Visit our website at www.towpathtalk.co.uk
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🏅 Heritage honour well deserved

Former Dudley Canal and Tunnel Trust CEO Traci Dix-Williams has been awarded an MBE in the King’s New Year Honours for her outstanding services to heritage.

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Traci Dix-Williams Awarded MBE for Outstanding Services to Heritage and Community Preservation | Towpath Talk
Traci Dix-Williams, former Chief Executive Officer of the Dudley Canal and Tunnel Trust, has been awarded an MBE in the King’s New Year Honours in recogniti ...
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January 23, 2026 at 12:05 PM
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📸 PHOTO OF THE DAY from Towpath Talk follower Chloe Bray: A cruise through central Birmingham on the 62ft Narrow Boat Spriggsy. Follow @cuppa_on_the_cut Instagram page!

#towpathtalk #canals #canalsandrivers #narrowboat #rivers #waterways #lifeonthecut #boating #boats #canallife #canallifeuk #UK
January 23, 2026 at 11:35 AM
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🚤 Small space. Big ideas. Endless inspiration.

From bold interiors to clever storage and bespoke details, discover how narrowboat owners are redefining life on the water — and why creativity thrives when space is limited.

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Inside the Narrowboat Interiors Revolution: How Creativity, Community and Clever Design Are Redefining Life on the Cut | Towpath Talk
The start of a new year often sparks thoughts of fresh beginnings. With brighter days and kinder weather on the horizon, many people turn their attention to ...
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January 22, 2026 at 3:02 PM
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Launched in 1927 and lost to history, the historic narrowboat Norway has been brought back to life as a stunning steel replica after eight years of work. Discover how this iconic ‘knobstick’ has returned to Britain’s waterways — and why it matters

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Historic Narrowboat Norway Reborn: 1927 Wooden Cargo Boat Returns as a Steel Replica | Towpath Talk
A historic British waterways workboat has been brought back to life after nearly a century, as Norway, a wooden cargo narrowboat first launched in 1927, has ...
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January 21, 2026 at 3:20 PM
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📸 PHOTO OF THE DAY - Soon be spring! A reminder of warmer times from Towpath Talk follower Robert Yelland . Taken at Rufford 🫶

#towpathtalk #canals #canalsandrivers #narrowboat #rivers #waterways #lifeonthecut #boating #boats #canallife #canallifeuk #UKCanals
January 21, 2026 at 3:07 PM
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Former Canal & River Trust chief executive Richard Parry has been appointed a patron of the Avon Navigation Trust, praising its work managing the River Avon with limited resources. Read why he’s backing the charity and what it means for the future 👇

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Fresh face at trust | Towpath Talk
Former Canal & River Trust chief executive Richard Parry has been appointed a patron of the Avon Navigation Trust (ANT), strengthening the charity’s lea ...
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January 20, 2026 at 5:43 PM
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📸 PHOTO OF THE DAY - Gertie & Tutti posing alongside the Leeds-Liverpool Canal! The cutest of photos taken by Towpath Talk follower Wayne

#towpathtalk #canals #canalsandrivers #narrowboat #rivers #waterways #lifeonthecut #boating #boats #canallife #canallifeuk #UKCanals
January 20, 2026 at 5:34 PM
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£15,000+ in new funding for the Chesterfield Canal 🚤🌿
Community grants will support restoration, wildlife habitats and volunteer growth across Derbyshire.
👉 Read the full story
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Chesterfield Canal Trust Secures £15,000+ in Community Grants to Restore Waterway and Expand Volunteering | Towpath Talk
The Chesterfield Canal Trust has been awarded more than £15,000 in community funding, providing a significant boost to restoration work, habitat creation an ...
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January 19, 2026 at 6:50 PM
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🚨 Nearly 4,000 tonnes of invasive weed cleared from UK canals in just one year

Climate change is accelerating weed growth across Britain’s waterways — threatening navigation, wildlife and flood prevention.

👉 Read the full story to find out what’s happening www.towpathtalk.co.uk/nearly-4000-...
NEARLY 4000 TONNES of Invasive Weed Cleared From UK Canals | Towpath Talk
Nearly 4,000 tonnes of invasive aquatic weed were removed from Britain’s canals and waterways during 2025 by a single contractor, highlighting the growing i ...
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January 16, 2026 at 3:47 PM
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📸 PHOTO OF THE DAY - Lovely photo from June last year! Diglis Docks, Worcester. Photo by Towpath Talk follower Robert Yelland 🫶
#towpathtalk #canals #canalsandrivers #narrowboat #rivers #waterways #lifeonthecut #boating #boats #canallife #canallifeuk #UKCanals
January 16, 2026 at 1:09 PM
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❄️ Winter on the waterways ❄️

Our followers have been sharing some stunning photos of canals and rivers in winter — quiet, atmospheric and beautifully still.

We’ve brought them together in a gallery and short montage video.

👉 Take a look 👀 www.towpathtalk.co.uk/winter-on-th...
Winter on the Waterways: A Thank You to Our Community for Sharing the Beauty | Towpath Talk
Winter can transform the waterways into something quietly magical. Frosted towpaths, still water reflecting pale skies, and locks resting under a soft winte ...
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January 15, 2026 at 4:52 PM
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🌿 Britain’s canals aren’t just heritage — they’re one of the UK’s most important wildlife corridors.

A new report shows how canals support biodiversity, wellbeing and nature recovery right through our towns and cities.

👉 Worth a read. www.towpathtalk.co.uk/britains-can...
Britain’s Canals: The Overlooked Lifeline Connecting Wildlife, Wellbeing and Communities | Towpath Talk
A major new report has highlighted how the UK’s historic canal network — the nation’s longest and most connected corridor of freshwater habitat — is one of ...
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January 14, 2026 at 6:10 PM
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📸 PHOTO OF THE DAY From Towpath Talk follower Robert Yelland . An action photo taken on the Leeds & Liverpool Canal at Burscough 🫶

#towpathtalk #canals #canalsandrivers #narrowboat #rivers #waterways #lifeonthecut #boating #boats #canallife #canallifeuk #UKCanals
January 14, 2026 at 5:43 PM
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Characters of the Cut 🚤🪵
What happens when a love of narrowboats meets exceptional woodworking skill?

Meet Dan Cluett, the craftsman behind Cluett Carpentry, whose bespoke furniture and joinery are shaped www.towpathtalk.co.uk/characters-o...
CHARACTERS OF THE CUT: Dan Cluett, Cluett Carpentry | Towpath Talk
A love of narrowboats, combined with a lifelong passion for working with wood, led to the creation of Cluett Carpentry, a family-run business specialising i ...
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January 13, 2026 at 5:05 PM
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🚤 Historic narrowboat Sculptor turns 90.

Built in 1935, she carried cargo, helped fight fires in London during WWII, and still navigates today thanks to dedicated volunteers.

👉 Read the full story

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WWII Firefighting Narrowboat Sculptor Celebrates 90 Years of Canal History | Towpath Talk
A historic working narrowboat that played a vital role in fighting fires in London during the Second World War has marked a remarkable milestone — its 90th ...
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January 9, 2026 at 4:07 PM
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Kings Lock, Middlewich by Jasmine Ward. Our 📸 PHOTO OF THE DAY

#towpathtalk #canals #canalsandrivers #narrowboat #rivers #waterways #lifeonthecut #boating #boats #canallife #canallifeuk #UKCanals
January 9, 2026 at 11:13 AM
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🌬️ Wind-powered ships can cut emissions by up to 80% — but can inland waterways ever go green the same way?

Biofuels, batteries or hydrogen?

👉 Read the full analysis and join the debate
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WIND-POWERED SHIPPING and the Future of Decarbonising Inland Waterways | Towpath Talk
Wind-powered merchant shipping has moved from theory to reality, offering a compelling demonstration of how global freight transport can dramatically reduce ...
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January 8, 2026 at 2:55 PM
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📸 PHOTO OF THE DAY - Swanley Bridge Marina from Janis Geraghty 🫶

How's things where you are, weather-wise? Drop us a photo ⬇

#towpathtalk #canals #canalsandrivers #narrowboat #rivers #waterways #lifeonthecut #boating #boats #canallife #canallifeuk #UKCanals
January 8, 2026 at 11:14 AM
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📸 PHOTO OF THE DAY - Another belter from Barnoldswick! Thank you to Towpath Talk follower Zoe Hodkinson, for the photo 🫶

#towpathtalk #canals #canalsandrivers #narrowboat #rivers #waterways #lifeonthecut #boating #boats #canallife #canallifeuk #UKCanals
January 7, 2026 at 3:28 PM
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🚤 Behind the scenes on the Montgomery Canal

Councillors join volunteers for a first-hand look at progress on one of the UK’s most important canal restoration projects.

👉 Read the full article www.towpathtalk.co.uk/shropshire-c...
SHROPSHIRE COUNCILLORS Tour Montgomery Canal Restoration with Volunteer | Towpath Talk
Senior councillors from Shropshire Council have taken part in an introductory boat tour of the Montgomery Canal, hosted by the Montgomery Canal appeal and r ...
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January 6, 2026 at 3:13 PM
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Artist, illustrator and author Trevor Bounford has spent 15 months capturing the quiet beauty and history of the Louth Navigation in a stunning series of paintings and sketches. Have a read!

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FOUR SEASONS on the canal | Towpath Talk
Artist, illustrator and author Trevor Bounford has spent 15 months immortalising a historic journey along the Louth Navigation canal in Lincolnshire, captur ...
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January 5, 2026 at 6:50 PM
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KING'S AWARD for Voluntary Service Honours Grantham RiverCare for Protecting the River Witham

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KING'S AWARD for Voluntary Service Honours Grantham RiverCare for Protecting the River Witham | Towpath Talk
Grantham RiverCare has been recognised with the King’s Award for Voluntary Service, the highest accolade a voluntary group can receive in the UK and regarde ...
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January 3, 2026 at 10:23 AM
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£210,000 LOTTERY GRANT to restore 1912 Canal Boat as floating community hub

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£210,000 LOTTERY GRANT to restore 1912 Canal Boat as floating community hub | Towpath Talk
A National Lottery Heritage Fund grant of £210,000 will restore a 1912-built historic canal boat and transform it into a floating community hub, bringing a ...
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January 2, 2026 at 1:05 PM
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🎆🌊 Happy New Year 2026 from Towpath Talk! 🌊🎆

Thanks to all our readers and waterways supporters 🙌
Here’s to another year along the canal 🌊✨
December 31, 2025 at 6:23 PM
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👏 Volunteering is a Canal & River Trust success story

Since 2012, 5,500 volunteers have given nearly 750,000 hours in the past year alone 🌊

This year’s Volunteer Awards celebrate incredible dedication across the waterways.

www.towpathtalk.co.uk/volunteering...
VOLUNTEERING EXCELLENCE on nation's canals | Towpath Talk
Volunteering has been one of the standout success stories of the Canal & River Trust since it was formed in 2012. Today, around 5,500 volunteers regular ...
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December 31, 2025 at 10:11 AM