Montgomery Canal

[Athy]

We're snided out with house spadgers around here, they hurtle around in great big noisy argumentative groups. They have learned to perch on the bird feeders inour garden and eat the food which is intended for blue tits and great tits. Rarity and decline are not features of the local sparrow population.

Starlings on the other hand, do not seem plentiful here - I do not remember ever having seen one in our garden in the six years that we have lived here. At our last house, in Derbyshire, they were numerous.

As for those newts, I don't know if there are any in the river, and frankly I don't give a damn. We do have eels, which I gather are not as numerous as they used to be.

[Hairy-Neil]

I'm not sure that it matters what they hear.

 

The tree huggers have a one-track view of the world in which there can be no accomodation.

 

So, we should adopt a one track view. We won't do anything to harm endangered species that are there, but given the problems they cause us, we will do everything that we can to avoid accidentally creating a habitat for them.

 

I'll go with that, but that's different to your earlier "slash and burn" comment that implies we should, given half a chance, ride rough shod over existing habitats. I love boating but it wouldn't appeal the same if it was in a sanitised channel...

 

One-track views can never work. Everyone should be prepared to meet half way...

[furnessvale]

My understanding is that they're not that rare, but with further development of 'natural' habitat to build roads, railways, (canals), housing etc then obviously its habitat is diminished. Basically it is an animal of convenience which is wheeled out by environmentalists and others who dislike a particular development, to stop something in its tracks. Recently we had a trunk road in our area upgraded (A550). They had to build several ponds to recreate habitats, capture newts and move them around a bit, then reestablish them. Apparently this added 3x to the cost of the project

 

Which is precisely the point of my (somewhat) rhetorical question.

 

George ex nb Alton retired

[mayalld]

I'll go with that, but that's different to your earlier "slash and burn" comment that implies we should, given half a chance, ride rough shod over existing habitats. I love boating but it wouldn't appeal the same if it was in a sanitised channel...

 

One-track views can never work. Everyone should be prepared to meet half way...

 

If that what my earlier comment implied, then it was unintended.

 

Taking an overgrown dry canal bed and turning it into a canal will of necessity involve eliminating the existing habitat, and creating a new aquatic habitat. If the restoration is to meet its aims, it shouldbe done in such a way as to avoid the establishment of species that might lead to restrictions on navigation.

 

Meeting halfway is great, provided that both sides are happy to do so. If the other side isn't in a mood to budge an inch then meeting th halfway is simply the first step towards meeting them exactly where they want.

[Pie Eater]

Have just been for a walk along the Montgomery canal at Redwith bridge. I live reasonably close so walk the canal every few months. The progress with restoration appears very slow. I thought there were going to be WRG work camps last year but if there were they do not seem to have made much difference. The few hundred yards between Redwith bridge and Price's bridge look as if they could be finished in a week with a WRG work camp and another section could be in water. I am sure there are valid reasons but when you read of the progress with the Hereford and Gloucester canal and the Cotswold canals and realise that the Montgomery does not have land ownership issues it is difficult to understand why restoration has not progressed faster.

 

Carl

After last weekends work party there is now only 20 linear metres of blocks to lay in the Pryces Bridge to Redwith Bridge section and this should be completed at the next work party in November.

 

Steve

[dor]

And C&RT along with various interested groups have just been awarded a £160,000 development grant as the first stage to getting a £3.7M grant to carry out further restoration. This will include extending the Alton nature reserves which will take pressure off the canal and allow for more boat movements.

 

See http://www.shropshireunion.org.uk/the-society/news for more information.

[casper ghost]

After last weekends work party there is now only 20 linear metres of blocks to lay in the Pryces Bridge to Redwith Bridge section and this should be completed at the next work party in November.

 

Steve

Do they still insist on no boats being allowed on a new section for some time after restoration is complete?

Casp'

[nebulae]

I sugest that anyone who is suggesting abandoning parts of the canal should walk the section of the canal from Newtown to Freestone lock.It is owned by Severn Trent and is a pleasant walk,especialy as the local authority has surfaced the towpath..However it is boring.On the other hand,from where the canal is in water it is maintained to a high standard by CART.Many hisitoric elements which have long gone on popular cruise routes remain. I would be deeply upset if the current maintenance regime was discontinued. Sadly,the Newport Canal route has been sold off and bulldozed.Not even a right of way on the towpath remains.and ;landowners dont like trespasers.By all means conserve historic structures.,but the opportunity to restore for boats has been lost.

[AMModels]

I long for the day when navigation will be possible through to Welshpool, the canal around there is beautiful and the buildings around the town lock are almost pristine. The moorings which the town council have provided shows admirable foresight considering theyve been in place for at least 17 years.

[Derek R.]

- And from Welshpool you can take the eight mile trip on the Welshpool and Llanfair railway!

[Speedwheel]

It's a shame all the traditional canal side cottages were demolished to make way for the Morrison's car park. The current isolated section is lovely. I worked one summer on the trip and hire boats from Welshpool.

[Pie Eater]

Do they still insist on no boats being allowed on a new section for some time after restoration is complete?

Casp'

I don't think boats can be allowed down until the Crickheath winding hole has been reinstated.

 

Steve

[Caprifool]

And https://www.colinette.com