Have you seen the improvement works to the canal towpath between Bridge 88 (Station Road) and Penygarreg Lane in Pant?
If you have walked past this section of the canal bank recently you are likely to have seen people in high viz jackets clearing trees. This recent work to clear this section of the canal path is part of a long term plan to restore the Montgomery Canal and has been boosted by the use of a ‘Community Payback’ scheme to help with improving towpath surfaces and hedgerows on a half mile stretch between Pant Bridge and Penygarreg Lane.
The Canal & River Trust has been working with Warwickshire and West Mercia Community Rehabilitation Company (CRC) to carry out environmental improvement work along an important section of the dry canal.
Said Sylvia Edwards, Montgomery Canal Community Development Officer for the Canal & River Trust: “This is a trial project, which forms part of the Heritage Lottery Fund-backed development phase of the canal restoration. Ten supervised sessions will allow the Trust to gauge the effectiveness of this new approach and may form part of the ongoing restoration project for years to come.”
The Montgomery Canal runs for about 33 miles from Welsh Frankton (where it links to the Llangollen Canal) to Newtown. Much of the canal is now restored and has water in it, but for a few miles around Pant works are still required to bring it back into use. The Montgomery Canal never did reach Mongomery itself.
You can find out more about the restoration of the Montgomery Canal here and volunteers are always welcome to get involved: http://www.shropshireunion.org.uk/montgomery-canal-restoration
The Canal & River Trust is a charity entrusted with the care of 2,000 miles of waterways in England and Wales. Find out more: www.canalrivertrust.org.uk