Droitwich Canals
DROITWICH CANALS
The Droitwich Barge Canal was one of the earliest, built in the 18th century. The Droitwich Junction Canal was among the last, completed eighty years later. Between them they form a route through rural Worcestershire and the historic salt town of Droitwich that has been closed since the 1920s but when reopened will provide eight miles of attractive boating and form part of a new cruising ring.Restoration work by volunteers has been under way for over thirty years, and sections of both canals have been reopened including the impressive Hanbury Locks and a length through Droitwich’s Vines Park which had been filled in and has been dug out again. At times progress has seemed very slow, but with support from the National Lottery, Advantage West Midlands and the local authorities a package to fully reopen both canals has been put together. Or very nearly so – there is still a gap in funding. The Barge Lock Appeal has been launched to raise �100,000 to restore the lock that links the two canals together in Droitwich town centre, and Waterway Recovery Group volunteers will be providing much of the labour in summer 2008.All being well, the first boats should be cruising through Droitwich by 2009.http://www.worcs.com/dct/home.htm
