A week spent at Tamplin Lock, north of Newport on the Monmouthshire Canal, carrying out scrub clearance on the offside above and below the lock, dredging of the channel from Pentre Lane to Ash Tree Bridge, and clearance of a spillway near Ash Tree Bridge, all in preparation for the Nataional Trailboat Festival to be held in Newport in May 2009. The week included a day at Ty Mawr Lime near Brecon, learning about the uses of Lime Mortar, and was rounded off with a visit to the Big Pit Mining Museum at Blaenavon.

Works carried out by Waterway Recovery Group volunteers at Crickheath as part of the Montgomery Canal Restoration 40th Anniversary celebrations. Work involved tree and scrub clearance along a stretch of canal bed south from Crickheath Wharf, as well as further wall building at the wharf itself.

Works carried out by members of the Lancaster Canal Trust clearing thick ivy growth from several bridges south of Crooklands.

Works carried out by a small number of Friends of the Cromford Canal volunteers clearing tree growth from around the site of Palmerston Swing Bridge to expose the present footbridge and investigate any remains from the pre-existing swing bridge.

Works carried out by Manchester Bolton & Bury Canal Society members, assisted by WRGNW, clearing the towpath edge between Ladyshore Bridge, Little Lever, and Radcliffe, plus de-rusting and painting the steam crane at Mount Sion.

Cycling Stage 12 of the Trans-Pennine Trail
25 miles, Meadowhall to Wombwell via Parson Cross, Grenoside, Finkle Street, Wortley, Tanksersley, Elsecar, Old Moor and Hemingfield

Views from around the IWA National Waterways Festival held at Redhill on Soar over the Bank Holiday Weekend 29-31 October 2009

A week spent on the Chesterfield Canal, building a section of the towpath wash wall on the bend north of Station Road Bridge, Renishaw. Also includes before and after pictures, and visits to other sections of the canal. See also Trans-Pennine Trail sections 10 and 11 in May 2009.

For the final leg of their return journey from Audenshaw to Sowerby Bridge, I joined the Horseboating Society for the journey from Castlefield to Audenshaw, including the notorious Rochdale Nine through Manchester City Centre, possibly the hardest stretch of canal in the country to tackle with a horse-drawn narrowboat, and the 18 locks of the Ashton Canal.

Works carried out by Manchester Bolton & Bury Canal Society members, assisted by WRGNW, clearing the towpath edge to create a pathway between Park House and Agecorft Bridges in Agecroft (Work was progressing from the previous day which I was unable to attend)

A week spent on the Montgomery Canal rebuilding a wash wall at Crickheath Wharf, after site clearance and dismantling of existing by previous camp. Also includes visits to Llanymynech Heritage Area, Vyrnwy Aqueduct, and tour of Montgomery Canal (south of Llanymynech).
Note on photos - some photos taken by others, denoted by suffix in title - HG = Helen Gardner, SH = Steve Harmes, JC = John Corble, MC = Martyn Clapham, AJ = Alan Jervis

Cycling Stage 11 of the Trans-Pennine Trail
24 miles, Chesterfield to Meadowhall via Tapton, Hollingwood, Staveley, Renishaw (via Cuckoo Way), Killamarsh, Bieghton, Shire Brook Valley Nature Reserve, Handsworth, Wybourn, Sheffield, Attercliffe and Carbrook

Cycling Stage 10 of the Trans-Pennine Trail
27 miles, Rotherham to Chesterfield via Whiston, Ulley, Aston, Woodhouse, Swallownest, Rother Valley Country Park, Killamarsh, Renishaw, Staveley, Inkersall Green and Brimington Common

The first work party organised by the Manchester & Stockport Canal Society. Work involved clearance work to the towpath bridge at the junction of the Ashton Canal and the former Stockport Branch Canal, which we aim to restore. Work was unfortunately curtailed earlier then planned by torrential rain.

Works carried out by Manchester Bolton & Bury Canal Society members, assisted by WRGNW, clearing the towpath edge for some distance either way from Ladyshore Bridge, Little Lever. (Work was progressing from the previous day, which I was unable to attend)