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Gnosall Parish News

Produced by publishers of The Popular Village Monthly


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Gnosall Towpath Restoration

    By Martin Wright                                                                  Volunteers doing what we can when we can

The recent inclement weather didn’t dampen or freeze our enthusiasm for towpath maintenance, with the volunteers wrapped up to brave sub‐zero temperatures to start clearing overgrown vegetation on the bank towards bridge 35 (Navvy). Our aim being to plant daffodil bulbs in the autumn ready for their splendid yellow hues to shine brightly in spring 2025.

You’ll soon be able to enjoy a daffodil spectacle on the banks by The Boat, Navvy and towards the railway, the bulbs planted last year are already showing through.

Whilst our amazing volunteers transformed the towpath last year, laying twenty plus tons of gravel between bridges 35 and 36, it has suffered from localised flooding during the winter months. This was due to a combination of settlement leading to an uneven surface, low spots and water accumulation, and the existing French drains becoming blocked.

Named not after the country but from the American agriculturalist and inventor Henry Flag French (1813‐1835), a French drain is a land drainage system comprising a perforated pipe, called a weeping tile, laid within a back‐filled shingle trench. The weeping tile is generally 100‐150mm in diameter and installed to allow water to drain away.

CRT is the charity responsible for our canals and they have gifted us five tons of gravel for towpath upkeep. Our friends at Shrewsbury and Newport Canals Trust (SNCT) very kindly loaned us the use of Berkhamstead (built in 1927). Their enthusiastic volunteers joined GTR to assist in the transportation of the gravel from Norbury to Gnosall with Barry Witts towing the ‘butty’ behind his narrowboat “Hartwell”.

You may have already seen our work with stone laying by the railway bridge and the widening of the towpath by the water points close to the Navvy. We’re also addressing drainage to unblock where we can, create new run‐offs and digging new shingle channels.

Wanted ‐ Volunteers

We are a relatively small group of volunteers working mostly on Tuesdays and Saturdays, supported by those working towards their Duke of Edinburgh Award. Our people do what they can when they can but we’re always looking for more people to join us and help.

If you’re willing and able to help keep our canal looking beautiful and an amazing asset for our community to enjoy, then please contact Barry Witts at barry.witts@gmail.com or 07487 521065.

C’Fest Canal Festival

Keep your diary free 19th to 21st July and enjoy the spectacle of C'Fest 24. Working boats, trading boats, demonstrations, live music and much much more.

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