Please subscribe if you have enjoyed this video. It takes me a day to walk, film and edit, but only a second to click the subscribe button. Thank you for watching.
It would be but for reasons we can't pinpoint with facts. There's often something nefarious happening for reasons that joe public are unaware of. Having the ability to do this 5 weeks on the trot with no response from plod or the authorities stinks of hiding something and it not being kids. Just like the global fires are virtually all deliberate (according to firechiefs not threatened) and nowt to do with so called global warming.
High trust societies will fall first! The canal works on trusting others to use it properly and those with hate in their hearts to do something like this because we trust to easily.
That’s still no excuse. It’s guys like you that say it wasn’t the vandals fault because there wasn’t a copper there to stop him that encourages them to vandalize.
It's amazing to think of the history on UK canals. I'm in the US but have always been fascinated by them. I enjoyed the history lesson, thank you. It's sad people have no respect for for these places.
I'm glad you enjoyed it. It is largely down to some very dedicated people who from the 1960s to the present day have volunteered a huge amount of their time to restoring them at the end of their economic lives.
@@robertusa1234There is still a fully functional canal system (which makes use of the Hudson, Mohawk and Oswego rivers) which you can use to go between New York City and Lake Ontario, which is an impressive distance. The St. Lawrence river also has short sections of canal linking the deeper parts of it together so that moderately sized shipping can travel from the river mouth (near Quebec City), also ending up in Lake Ontario. Admittedly the river does most of the work, but this would also be impossible without the man-made canal sections. There is also the Columbia river, which is navigable from Portland to Clarkston thanks to a series of river locks and weirs. No canals involved with that one, but that is an even greater distance. So not such a bad effort really.
It is evident that there are laws in place to address the 'vandalism' of our canal. However, I find it quite perplexing that no investigations or arrests have occurred despite there being 12 reported incidents. Even the suggestion of employing simple covert cameras appears to have gone unheeded. I share the sentiments of those from other countries who recognise the significance of preserving such historical infrastructure. Too often, we overlook and take for granted the historical artefacts that surround us. We must hold those in positions of authority accountable, whether it is the police or others, because having numerous laws on the books serves little purpose if they are not enforced. I would like to extend my gratitude to all the dedicated volunteers who work tirelessly to care for our canals, as well as to you for bringing this matter to my attention. To end on a positive note, let us all remember the value of our canals. Ad altiora!
Thank you for your effort. I used to live in that area but now live in the Scottish Highlands. It was wonderful to see your walk along the canal as I used to walk my dogs along there. Thanks again for a lovely video !
FYI it was navicable on theafternoon of the 14th, we went to Stanton we went through the Stanton lock and turned at the winding hole at the Nutbrook, then returned. We had to wait for a great bloke "Mark" to open the locked lock and allow everyone to traverse the section. We saw a few of the boats you filmed along the way, all good people! 🙂
I downloaded an app for my phone which gets live river levels for the whole of Europe's rivers. Surely a level indicator on each section between locks would raise the alarm for authorities, of criminal activities on the canal, so saving thousands of fish and inconvenience to canal users. Even cctv could be used to catch the culprits. Really enjoyable video thanks for uploading.
I watch a lot of narrowboaters clogs and videos and this one makes me so mad how people who have nothing else to do but vandalize the canals and other narrow boaters homes it’s just sad Prayers for you all and much love and wish you all safe travels always
Great video. So sad about the vandalism. I think they should put cctv up and lock the gates and sluices at dusk. I think it’s necessary. Some children are being brought up as if they can do anything , whether good or bad. I live in London and have to put up with the local kids throwing rubbish into my garden. Now they wear masks so they can’t be identified. It’s a lovely world but some do their level best to ruin it.
It was lovely to meet you both. I can confirm some breaking news - I did record along the Cromford Canal today so hopefully that will hit RU-vid tomorrow.
Wow, can’t believe this! So sad to see. After spending a full winter on the Erewash canal on our Narrowboat, it’s scary to see the boats in that position too.
This is also the Derbyshire side of the Erewash valley walking trail. The Notts side mainly navigates farmland etc. I think that also starts from langley mill basin. There are also connecting points on route between the 2 trails. Worth checking out if you like a bit of a ramble. 👍👍
Ay up. There are still sections of the Nottingham Canal that hold water, predominately at Awsworth, Cossall and Trowell though as you say not navigable by boat anymore. There is however a section of the Cromford canal from Cromford Mills that now has an electric narrow boat running on it for visitors.
Thanks I have explored the navigable section of the Cromford Canal now and vlogged my walk. The Nottingham canal sounds like one I'll look at in future.
We had an issue a few years ago, when a drunken boater went passed my sisters boat late at night, in the dark. We went for a walk the next day, down the Glasson branch of the Lancaster canal and the boater had failed to close the paddles, causing a whole pound between the second and third locks to drain completely. We dashed back and got windlasses to close everything up. We reported it to CRT, but no idea if they did anything about it!
We have a short canal that joins up with the river Hull and ultimately the Humber estuary. Our lock keeper has had to padlock the first lock gates because of idiots. Such a beautiful walk though, thanks😎
Thank you. By coincidence I was in Hull yesterday recording a walk along the estuary which is now on RU-vid, unfortunately I didn't have time for the canal.
I know this section of canal very very well. My best time taking my boat from the Basin to Trent lock was 7 hours, solo. I was lucky that 10 of the 13 locks were with me. Nice Vid Thank you
I'm glad you enjoyed it thanks for letting me know. It's interesting to hear what kind of timescale is involved in navigating through a section of locks.
The Erewash Canal is a beautiful walk, I lived and grew up in Eastwood, and I used to walk from Eastwood Lock to Trent Lock and back again most Saturdays with my dog, the vandalism ie. Emptying of pounds has been ongoing for decades, and still nothing has been done to stop these senseless acts 😢
My 2 brothers are moored near Oldham, luckily so far they have had no hassle, one of my brothers has had his boat for 11 years with no trouble from idiots, and before he was in Oldham he was at Droylsden.
Discovered a similar incident recently on the GU in the Leicestershire area and another reason I do not moor in or near towns or cities, unless they are heavily fortified . So important to do ones due diligence before venturing off. Never fancied the Erewash for this reason, only venturing to Mills boat yard for maintenance and blacking. Shame you didn’t capture the boat yards in your terrific video… thanks!
Thank you. I heard other people saying good things about the boatyard at Langley Mill during my walk. I missed a trick there, I will try to catch a boatyard in operation on a future walk.
@@eclectictraveller Phil Mills boat yard, the House Boat and the Land have been in the family since the canals began… I have my blacking done there every 3 years … proper dry dock.
Hi there. Have had similar problems on other canals in the 2000s. Erwash was a great trip back in thw 1990s. Needs water to come down from the upper levels to fill up. will take about 2 days.
I admire all hydraulic civilizations. Could you make a video or recommend a documentary showing in detail how the old canals were built, the working time, the remuneration, what was done with the earth removed from the canals?
I will try to do that, thanks for the suggestion. I have discussed the processes of clay puddling and contouring in a couple of early vlogs but I'll try to cover the subject in more detail in future. I did find an old programme on BBC iplayer about the canal system but it might not be available currently.
Brought back good memories of walking the length of the canal and back 40 years ago. It was a long day and I'm not sure that I could complete it in either direction now.
Lovely walk through an area where I used to live 50 years ago. Shame about the idiots who think it's fun to damage things. Will be doing it by boat first week in October. Hope theres water in it by then
needs cameras everywhere (the modern stuff) and then Flogging Racks and Gallows in all the villages ...there is nothing nicer than watching a few good hangings and floggings in an English Village ....with BEER TENT and BRASS BAND!!!
Just to let you know, plans to extend the canal north from Langley Mill have been approved to pick up the old canal line, using the old railway line under the A610, cromford canal still has water at cromford.
Hello, new subscriber. I'm a member of the canal trust, but dont visit canals as often as i'd liked! Shame about the vandalism on that sad part of the canal. My uncle used to travel on canals around england, he sold his houseboat last year. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you for subscribing. The canal network is so important historically and much of it is a wildlife haven too. I spotted kingfishers on my last two canal walks.
@@eclectictraveller I spent many happy hours walking the remaining sections with my fishing rod as a lad. Not sure it’s. As accessible as it once was now. Enjoy exploring 👍
Time to install some remote cameras on the sections that keep getting damaged. You could use a wireless that transmits to a local station or use wildlife cameras that capture motion
What camera do you use? As very good results..... I wish my local canal could be opened up again.....as we are in the south west not many canals down this way... our nearest is the disused chard to taunton canal.....
I think you boat owners should organize together to post guards to keep an eye at the locks for vandal's from now on. Start talking with the Canal and River Trust about talking with boat owners about guard duty at locks. It maybe the only way of keeping this sorta thing from happening if however doing this knows that someones now keeping an eye on the Locks
I would imagine that if a Canal is fully drained on one side of a lock gate, the pressure of the water from the other side would burst the gate. Would that be true?
@@eclectictraveller no not really, canal height is designed to remain constant. That’s the difference between a canal and a river. The only way canal water could flood into a field is if someone or something was to destroy one of the canal banks in an area where the canal level was designed to be higher than the surrounding land. (I hope that helps!) 😊
Sorry I made a mistake in my description of the Cromford Canal. I was going to explain that it is still navigable for 5-6 miles but not on the whole of its original 14 mile length, I'm hoping to walk there in the near future.
Put the government in charge of something and, you get what you got. You need the canal to start making money again, so that that a tax can be levied on it. politicians will always protect things that help line their pockets.
Waste of time putting a padlock on. For a start, those involved in the vandalism will just break it off or damage the mechanism so it will need more repair work. Secondly, who's going to unlock it every time a boat needs to go through the lock? You can't issue keys to everyone! It needs "policing" and prosecution. Surely, the cost of monitoring would outweigh the cost to repair & refill the canal, not just financially, but environmentally as well.
The Canal and River Trust may well lock up the paddles and sluices on certain stretches when there are water shortages. They will limit the hours the locks can be used to encourage boaters to queue either side and to double up in the locks limiting the natural wastage that comes with use.
A quick look at the local area using Google Maps throws up a likely source of 'troublemakers' who would probably find it funny to empty the canal and cause disruption .... There is a 'Naughty Kids Home' less than a mile away from Stanton Lock and from personal experience I am aware that such a place tends to be a focal point for locals of the same nature. A bit of night-time surveillance should identify those responsible.
While the narrow boats look like a great way to enjoy life, one thing I've noted watching these videos is the limitations in getting away from crime. One is trapped on a narrow canal and in today's increasingly dangerous world the boats cannot get away from the riffraff. And especially in a country whey it is illegal to own most firearms, how can one defend oneself from this scourge!
Watching your video further, it's apparent that the canal/locks system requires a decent civilization in order to function. With regards to the drained canal, I also find it appalling. If civilization continues to erode, these canals will become potentially useless!
It can be a dangerous place to live . There are a fare few boaters who theive and cause trouble as well as thugs on land .. Some canals and rivers are wise to cruise through in the early hours when most are tucked up in bed to avoid damages !. Ive only had 3 bad encounters of thugs in the 18 years I've lived on the boats.. One in Littlewood on the Rochdale canal, one on the Chesterfield canal at Retford and the other quite recently on the Trent and Mersey canal near Fradley junction so I count by blessings...
@Jason-cj3ih Three incidents in eighteen years makes it a dangerous place to live? I've never known anyone have issues with other boaters except idiots who hire boats!
@@andrewhaines3259 like on land it depends where you live and what place you visit ! 3 negative instances out of thousands of positive instances is minute ...
I very much doubt that the local Police would prioritize vandalism (regardless of the amount or level) for ANY investigation or prosecution. They (Warwickshire Police) certainly do not where I am (near the Stratford-upon-Avon canal). Nothing short of murder would persuade them to investigate or attend. You can present them with video and photographic evidence, names and addresses of culprits, and they will not do anything. They are so utterly underfunded that they simply have no resources.
In todays day and age with the advances of technology and also the fee that boaters have to pay, it beggars belief that the locks are not locked! Boaters should have a key or pass.
Might the people draining the canals be people who live on boats but stick near one place for work? Perhaps by having nowhere to go they have an excuse to stay in place longer without paying or getting fined or something? Dont reckon your average bored town kid knows how to operate a lock!
It must have taken some careful editing to eliminate all the footage of groups of Lycra-clad cyclists blasting past you at 20mph. They're a nightmare on my local section of the Erewash canal, which is Sandiacre/Long Eaton.
Well take away the privilege of using the locks have them maned like they used to be and have cctv at certain points it’s a shame to have to think that way but I see no other option
Wouldn't surprise me if there was something neferious at hand that isn't 'vandalism' by kids. It's all too easy to blame kids for doing it (and much else besides), how are they having the means to do this and under the hours of darkness as well? After the second time of occurence wouldn't plod be brought in to monitor as it's a serious offence, undrstand why there's been no action by any of the authorities to do something preventative! Have you thought for a second whom might want this to happen, what other motives could there be beyond kids being dicks? There's always something lurking in the shadows that we are not a party to!
This is similar to the canalized part of the river that runs through the town I live in. Theyvare slowly tarmacing the tow path which is not good on the feet or for dodging cyclists. What sort of mentality makes people fet their kicks out of draining a canal? Scrotes.
