I was invited to join Burghfield Island Boat Club on the Kennet & Avon canal at Reading to see what they get up to. It’s a not for profit, member-run organisation that provides moorings and boater facilities as well as a big social environment.
The Narrowboat Trust operates a motor boat and butty pair, taking them to events around the country to promote how the canals were once used. You too can have a go as they’re keen to hear from anyone who would like to learn or just support their endeavours.
If you’ve ever felt your canal boat scrape on the bottom of the canal and wish more dredging was done by the Canal & River Trust, here’s an explainer of how dredging is done, why it’s so expensive and why they can’t do more of it.