STARLINE MARINE

Canal History

For those of you that aren't familiar with the British Inland Waterways System, we have included this page which we hope you may find of interest.

In the 18th and 19th Centuries, an extensive network of wide and narrow canals were built criss-crossing Britain. By 1850 there were around 4,000 miles of navigable inland waterways providing important cargo routes between many of the major towns and cities throughout the United Kingdom.

With the demise of freight transport, the canals and rivers now offer the opportunity for holidays and leisure pursuits. Recent years have seen a resurgence of interest in the inland waterways, and each year more miles of the canal network are re-opened, as enthusiastic volunteers and organisations work to re-establish disused and abandoned stretches of the canal system.

Cruising the waterways provides access to some of the most beautiful parts of our country, often far away from normal tourist routes. Canals may meander through valleys, or follow the contours of a hillside. They may rise through single or flights of locks to cross into other valleys, or pass right through the hillside, providing an ever changing view of our towns and countryside.

Thanks to the leisure use now being made of these waterways, the preservation of this piece of our history is assured for many years to come.

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