Montgomery Canal - the bit you cant quite navigate!

Canal Hunter revisits the Montgomery Canal after a gap of 10 years and reviews progress made towards the next winding hole at Crickheath Wharf.

[@djmossssomjd8496]

Thanks for the views Andy. Looks really peaceful along there.

[@raymondkirkham3815]

Morning Andy once again a excellent video .drone shots are really good. glad to see canal work is keeping you busy thank you for your excellent work really love these videos.pity a little HS2 money could not be diverted to canal restoration.(wishful thinking on my part) Keep up the great work.thanks Ray Kirkham ☺️

[@lifeat2.3milesanhour57]

Country canal restorations are always difficult to finance.

[@colin125gwr]

one day

[@henryharesdene4164]

As always a gem. Another view of exciting boating / walking to be enjoyed by others.

[@lifeat2.3milesanhour57]

Thanks Harry

[@rmk]

Thanks for the update, great video! Was good to meet you at Autherley Junction. I've been wondering how the Montgomery has progressed since Minimal List visited a couple of years ago (video 186). It looks like they've been able to rewater the section after Redwith Bridge (Bridge 83). Progress!

[@lifeat2.3milesanhour57]

And they are so close to re-watering to the new winding hole.

[@kevbaker153]

As always a great video, this section is now in use and Schoolhouse Bridge is complete. Must be time for a return and a new video of the next section to Llanymynech nudge nudge! I still do get what is left to do beyond a lot of dredging as it appears to only be a mile or so to the in water section

[@lifeat2.3milesanhour57]

I love the Montgomery - so tranquil after the hurly burly if the Llangollen. One day I will return!

[@colinhead5996]

Lots more done now filmed it yesterday 10m gap left before canal basin and work started onwards to schoolhouse Bridge its come on in such a short time

[@lifeat2.3milesanhour57]

I am quietly confident I will boat to Welshpool one day!

[@Boating_David]

Lovely video, I've also long wanted to cruise past Gronwyn Bridge but you definitely get a better perspective from the air.

[@lifeat2.3milesanhour57]

Glad you enjoyed it David

[@christinegibbins6105]

Many thanks Andy, the drone does give an ideal view of the canal. You take care.

[@lifeat2.3milesanhour57]

It was fin to make - particularly when a passer by came along and I hovered the drone at 100 ft for safety and he had a good look for what he thought was a bee swarm!

[@jonjon9047]

What editing software do you use?

[@lifeat2.3milesanhour57]

Nothing very fancy - I-Movie.

[@davidthomas6859]

Great video Andy,the Monty has always intrigued me .My Grandparent’s house wasn’t too far from the canal ,always went for a walk along it in the 70’s when visiting 👍

[@lifeat2.3milesanhour57]

I am quietly confident that I will one day cruise to Welshpool

[@davidthomas6859]

@@lifeat2.3milesanhour57 I hope so Andy it’s a beautiful canal .

[@PhilPage227]

Excellent video of a place I love.

[@lifeat2.3milesanhour57]

Many thanks!

[@davidallen2058]

The membrane/bricked section you showed is because of leaky geology, right? When do they get back to clay (easier) earthworks?

[@lifeat2.3milesanhour57]

Yes - a very porous 4 miles. I think there are about 2 more miles to go.

[@alancrosby8123]

Great video Andy. I was in Newtown during lockdown (I'm a truck driver) and walked about 3 miles of the canal northwards from where the old basin was. That section is going to take a huge effort to restore!

[@lifeat2.3milesanhour57]

I have never ventured that far!

[@1961Jezza]

Nice one Andy, this canal is on my 'to do' list although I have seen the restored locks at Frankton and have walked a small distance along there, very peaceful. Looking forward to more canal hunter on this one.

[@lifeat2.3milesanhour57]

So many canals - so little time!

[@davidjones8680]

A very interesting watch. The drone footage greatly enhances the prospective of whats been done, being done and what is remaining. Many thanks David in Dudley

[@lifeat2.3milesanhour57]

I think that drones were made for this sort of project!

[@dawndietz4654]

Thanks for taking time away from selling your jam and giving us a wonderful video. So interesting to see from the drone footage. Lovely vlog❤️

[@lifeat2.3milesanhour57]

Glad you enjoyed it Dawn - Film making is mostly a winter project but every now and then I have time to make one offs in the summer.

[@glyn829]

Very enjoyable thanks for sharing 👍 and good drone shots 👌 regards Glyn 🇬🇧

[@lifeat2.3milesanhour57]

Thanks 👍 - its where drones excel.

[@simonlucas1214]

I am sure I saw a couple of crt project manager jobs for this restoration so things may progress a little faster going forwards.

[@lifeat2.3milesanhour57]

Hopefully so - the gap is getting shorter by the year.

[@crasher303]

I have walked the area for years, & have mixed feelings about some sections of restoration the Monty. For to long it as looked like building site. 15 years of slow progress. And for what ? Letting a few boaters on a week to prevent it becoming log jammed like the llangollen. Some the environmental impact studies may have been massaged a bit in favour of the Monty restoration plans.

[@lifeat2.3milesanhour57]

On the flip side I was encouraged at how fast nature reclaims the canal when the work is finished.

[@angelicupstart7611]

leave it closed the opening of this canal will wipe out a great wildlife area

[@malcolmrichards8922]

Before "restoration", this was a haven of peace and tranquillity for natural life and walkers, indeed a linear nature reserve. It is not good that it will soon reverberate to the constant sound of diesel engines, like its neighbour the Llangollen. Not everyone thinks that this is progress.

[@lifeat2.3milesanhour57]

Given the restriction to a handful of boats a day I doubt that the diesel exhausts will ever be more than occasional. It always amazes me how the new wetland area such as the one at Aston Locks settles back into nature.

[@malcolmrichards8922]

@@lifeat2.3milesanhour57 Provided that there is a restriction. The Llangollen is terrible sometimes. The Montgomery was something special, and the replacement of the banks with piles and concrete will have seriously damaged that. I really do think that it should have been preserved as it was, and designated a nature reserve.

[@crasher303]

I agree . In places it is a linear building site\tip.

[@nigef334]

Why do the canal banks slope down making it narrower and only one boat wide?

[@lifeat2.3milesanhour57]

The profile of canals very from canal to canal. The heavily used BCN adopted a square profile with a 4.5ft depth to vertical edges whereas others like the Shropshire union and its associated canals used a saucer shaped profile as seen on the Monty. I think that this approach has two advantage which is less digging out (cheaper) and less need to built heavy brick walls at the sides (cheaper again). The downside is the reduced width full depth navigation channel but in practice even deep drafted boats can pass by ok. Of course, a deep boat cant get alongside the bank but as working boats would always go to a wharf that didnt really matter.

[@tonyclough9844]

The sides are at 45 degrees this to strengthen it as its a subsidence prone area.