I have to admit I am not a regular reader of your site, but when I do log on I give it a good read!
Last night I did this and one item stuck in my mind that should be a warning to those at Canal & River Trust who so like to portray the delights of its canals and the sparkling colourful boats that abound.
The writer who had obviously taken a set outing including bus, boat and meal, was also obviously new to the canals and what struck him from his remarks that I include here, should be taken in by the Trust: 'Seeing ancient woodlands and getting a rather splendid view of Kinder Scout in the distance, compensated for the sad sight of rows of what appeared to be neglected, dilapidated boats along the route'.
And this is the same all over the system, that is home to too many 'neglected, dilapidated boats' that certainly do not uphold the Trust's view of its waterways. I believe many of the millions of visitors it tells us of, are put off by such neglected boats. It surely is yet another exaggeration telling of these 'sparkling colourful' boats, when so many are anything but.
Eric Deepster