Basingstoke success

Published: Thursday, 05 August 2010

LAST weekend 16 boats enjoyed a virtually trouble free trip up the Woodham and St Johns flights to help the St Johns Society raise awareness of the need for a new Community Hall at St Johns.

Surrey and Hampshire Canal Society hosted an event showing the history of the canal on the Saturday afternoon followed by a boaters' evening, writes Kathryn Dodington.

The trip had been planned for earlier in the month but was delayed due to upper gate issues on Lock 8; the Basingstoke Canal Authority replaced the gates in very quick time.

The comment most heard on the trip was ‘this is no worse and in some cases a lot better than other navigations' and ‘I have really enjoyed the trip and would do it again'.

The Surrey and Hampshire Canal Society has announced its intention to celebrate 21 years since the Royal reopening of the canal by hosting an event at Mytchett in Surrey in 2012 for which they hope to attract 200 boats. If you haven't enjoyed the Basingstoke yet this could be your opportunity.

The Basingstoke, as we all know, has had trying times with Deepcut and Brookwood flights still closed (work is currently underway to address the issues with WRG on site as I write this) but it is important to remember that the Basingstoke is built on Bagshot sand as is the M3 (which is seemingly always being worked on). We have to work around and with the geology we have.

All in all and excellent weekend enjoyed by all.