JUST wanting to put in a positive word for the National Trust, who are the navigation authority for the Wey & Godalming Navigations, writes David Davis.
We hired a 60ft boat for four days on these waterways last week, and were very impressed by the good state of repair of all the infrastructure.
Everything good
All the locks worked well, the channel had a good depth, nothing got entangled round our propeller, water and rubbish disposal points were all clean and tidy. Branches and vegetation seemed well managed, there was also good signage and info boards about (with a Lengthsman's Monthly Newsletter on the board at each lock, summarising the work being done).
I did raise an eyebrow at the stretches of reed beds that they have cultivated along some lengths on the towpath side, but we still found ample places to moor and the channel was still wide enough to navigate past them.
Learn a thing or two
I suspect the Canal & River Trust could learn a thing or two from the National Trust about how to maintain a waterway in a sustainable way! Although I guess it all boils down to money in the end—presumably the National Trust ensure they have the budget to care for these navigations in the long term, whereas CaRT were rudely brought into the world with a huge funding deficit.