On 10/27/07, dhsrcragg <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > Just back from this years trip I cannot recall the canals being in a > worst state. Without going into massive detail the one thing that we > noticed again and again is how shallow the most used routes had become > over much of their lengths. >
Actually I think most canals are deeper and better than they have for quite a few years, and with our "standard" holiday boat have not had any depth problems. The Jam Olers last year didn't complain about the North Oxford so I guess that is not as bad as you think. However, I'm not saying that work isn't needed in many spots where depth near the bank can be quite poor, and collapsing banks and towpaths don't help. Don't get me started on the "veg pledge", which is all about cutting the towpath, but nothing about ensuring safe and easy access for boaters (for eg. the Alyesbury Arm locks had some long grass on them, and some bridge holes had nasty bushes to scratch your boat and yourself, and in various places overhanging trees causing problems including a troublesome willow tree hanging over the lock moorings at Hemel, or Berko (I can't remember exactly where)). Mike -- Michael Askin http://shoestring_DOT_zapto_DOT_org/
