The number of canal-related events hits a peak at midsummer, and no-one should be at a loss for what to do this weekend. Most are canalside, but not all.
Me? Today, I'm planning first to visit the exhibition of Robert Longden's photographs at the Herbert Gallery in Coventry.
(My earlier post about this exhibition is here, and you'll find the good review from last weekend's Guardian here.)
While this show actually runs through to the end of August, I really want to catch it today, its first day.
Why? Well, partly because it's a chance to talk to the show's curator and organiser, Stephen Pochin, who'll be there.
But mainly because this is also the weekend of the annual Braunston Historic Working Boat Rally and Canal Festival.
The Braunston rally would seem exactly the sort of place that should know about the Longden exhibition, but when I spoke to Stephen he hadn't heard about Braunston. I wouldn't have expected him to, of course, but it seems a propitious day to open such an exhibition.
He also said that the Herbert Gallery seems to have printed many more leaflets than needed, so I offered to take some with me to the Braunston rally.
Ouch, I've just seen that admission to the Braunston show is '£10 per car'. I don't know if that's just for parking, or admission to the site. I only wanted to give them some leaflets and meet some friends. Maybe I can park on the other side of the village, or in a country lane somewhere and walk a mile or two along the canal towpath. £10 (plus 40 miles driving) is a lot to pay for doing a favour.
Braunston Marina plays host to this gathering of old working canal boats every year, but outside the working boat community itself the rally/festival/show never seems to get much publicity. Indeed, the marina's own website trumpets "moorings available!" on the front page, and news about the festival is tucked away, halfway down an inside page.
(Listen, chaps, the most important thing on any website's home page should be what's happening now or next. Don't hide events inside!)
The marina website does have a very pretty picture of a poster (right), but it's only in low-resolution and you wouldn't see it if you didn't scroll down.
I get the impression that nothing at Braunston Marina ever is promoted well, but I will be too intimidated to tell them because they've never taken my customer feedback very well in the past. It must be the way I say it.
Follow Sarah's Chertsey blog if you want to know what's happening (or probably - past tense - what happened) at the Braunston show.
But that's just two things to do on the canals this weekend. You could try the Tom Rolt Centenary Rally in Chester, if Braunston's too far to come. Or go to Waterscape's Events page to see what's happening in your area.
I'll be driving 150 miles today just to visit the Longden exhibition and Braunston show. Your mileage may well vary, but you should go to the canals this weekend too. You really should.
There is a way around the Car Park charges at Braunston.... here's how we did it :)
http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l166/Scrumpylurcher/Westfieldmeetsthecut.jpg
Posted by: Liam | Monday, 28 June 2010 at 12:34 PM
Well I did take a trip to a canal yesterday. Walked along the Union Canal from Linlithgow in West Lothian for about 2 hours, crossing the Avon Aqueduct in the process, the longest in Scotland. This is an absolutely stunning stretch of canal but I can't understand why the waterway itself isnso under used. In nearly 4 hours walking I was passed by only one boat.
Posted by: Andrew Morley | Sunday, 27 June 2010 at 06:20 PM