Rochdale Canal

The historic, 202 year old canal Rochdale Canal runs for 33 miles between Manchester and Sowerby Bridge in West Yorkshire. Following the closure of local mills and its subsequent decline in use, the canal was fully re-opened in 2002 thanks to a £23 million restoration programme.

Today, The Waterways Trust is working with people living along the historic canal to help realise the true potential of this restored waterway.

Since April 2006, Clare Riches, the Trust's Development Manager, has been raising awareness of the canal through educational, activity and environmental projects for local people.

Activities to date include:

Canalside Cures - For centuries, plants have provided cures for ailments. In October, The Waterways Trust joined up with the Mersey Basin Campaign to show groups of children in Rochdale and Oldham how the many plants and flowers which can be found along the canal could provide dietary or medical benefits, helping increase their environmental knowledge and understanding of the historic waterway.

Britain's Bats - Canals provide ideal feeding stations for bats and many make their homes in the surrounding vegetation and structures such as bridges. Through this arts and environmental project, run in conjunction with South Lancashire Bat Group, children from two local primary schools explored a section of the Rochdale Canal, learning about the life and feeding habits of the world's only flying mammal.

Towpath Tidy - Our canals provide a haven for wildlife and are enjoyable places for people to visit but litter can be a real problem. As well as damaging the natural environment, it can be a danger to both people and wildlife. During the summer, local residents, community groups and employees from a Rochdale based company joined staff from The Waterways Trust at three towpath tidy events, collecting litter from a two mile stretch of the Rochdale Canal.

Victorian Life near the Canal - In September, The Waterways Trust held a special heritage day for a group of teenagers from Rochdale. As well as learning about how life would have been during the Victorian era, living and working along the canal, the young people explored many of the issues facing people of a similar age then such as poverty and immigration - issues which are as relevant today as they were in the 1800s.

Click here to find out about the different activities which you can get involved with.

Rochdale Canal Festival 2008