Droitwich Canals (Autumn 2006)
A bright sunny day in November along the towpath.
Places to see in ( Droitwich - UK )
Places to see in ( Droitwich - UK )
Droitwich Spa is a town in northern Worcestershire, England, on the River Salwarpe. The town was called Salinae in Roman times, then later called Wyche, derived from the Anglo Saxon Hwicce kingdom, The Spa was added in the 19th century when John Corbett developed the town's spa facilities. The River Salwarpe running through Droitwich is likely derived from Sal meaning salt and weorp which means to throw up i.e. the river which throws up salt which overflows from the salt brines.
Droitwich is within the Wychavon area – the only Midlands area to be in the Halifax 'Quality of Life Survey' of 2011. It was 6th overall. On 4 November 2013 Droitwich Spa Town Council made Max Sinclair an honorary Freeman of the town in recognition of the major role he played in the restoration of Droitwich Canals.
Droitwich Lunatic Asylum was established in 1791. Records at the Worcestershire County Record Office show its presence in 1837 to 1838. An advert in the Transactions of the Provincial Medical and Surgical Association (the forerunner of the British Medical Association) in 1844, records that Martin Ricketts, of Droitwich, was the Surgeon and Sir Charles Hastings from the Worcester Infirmary was the Physician.
In 1714 the first Turnpike in Worcestershire was opened to Worcester. A commemorative plaque was unveiled by Lt. Col. Patrick Holcroft the Lord Lieutenant of Worcestershire in Victoria Square on 1st June 2014.
Collectively known as the Droitwich Canal, two canals met in the town centre. These are the Droitwich Barge Canal built by James Brindley in 1771 and the Droitwich Junction Canal built in 1854. The Junction canal linked Droitwich to the Worcester and Birmingham Canal. The canals were abandoned in 1939 but a restoration program saw them re-opened in 2011. The railway station, formerly on the Great Western Railway, is just outside the town centre with trains to Birmingham, Worcester, Kidderminster and Stourbridge.
Until the late 1990s Droitwich Spa Lido was open as a public open-air salt-water swimming pool. Following its closure various schemes were proposed, with significant legal and commercial arguments as to the viability of re-building and reopening this facility. Droitwich Spa is rich in artistic talent, with a lively theatre, many skills active including musicians, singers, artists, sculptors, authors and poets plus numerous crafts people. The Droitwich Arts Network exists to advocate and champion the arts and crafts in Droitwich Spa and to act as a collective voice for the arts.
( Droitwich - UK ) is well know as a tourist destination because of the variety of places you can enjoy while you are visiting the city of Droitwich . Through a series of videos we will try to show you recommended places to visit in Droitwich - UK
Join us for more :
148 - Exploring the Droitwich Canals
We leave our wobbly pontoon mooring in Droitwich Spa and head up the Droitwich Junction Canal to Droitwich Spa Marina where we turn back and head all the way back to the River Severn.
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07 Droitwich Canals - Pre-restoration - Hawford Work Party 18th Feb 2006
A series of videos which were shot in 2006, before the main restoration work started on the Droitwich Canals.
This episode shows a DCT work party, clearing trees from the section above Hawford Top Lock on 18th Feb 2006.
Droitwich Canals Restoration - Droitwich to Hanbury Wharf, 8th April 2009
Sunset walk to see the latest renovations to the Droitwich Canal
Droitwich Town Centre
Taken using a DJI Phantom 3 Standard and using the Litchi app
Droitwich Canals in Winter
I didn't think we would get any snow this year and then WHAM!
Wychbold & Droitwich canals
UK canal boat holidays on English canals - Overflow Weir on Shropshire Union Canal
UK canal boat holidays. We love going on canal boat holidays on the English canals, and the Welsh canals too! Here is a film of us on a canal boat holiday cruising past an overflow weir on the Shropshire Union Canal. Canal overflow weirs were constructed to maintain water levels in the canals - excess water can drain safely away. If you have ever wondered what to do on a canal boat holiday, this video should give you a taste of the main reason for taking a UK canal boat holiday - slow down, chill out, enjoy the peace and being able to see what's going on around you.
Droitwich Canals and River Severn - Hanbury Wharf to Stourport
25th July 2011, Narrow Boat Hector, with Captain Jim, from Hanbury Wharf on Birmingham to Worcester Canal, down Droitwich Junction Canal then Droitwich Barge Canal to River Severn, then upstream to Stourport on Severn
Droitwich Canal Restoration Project Hawford, Worcester, Worcestershire, England 23rd August 2009
Video of Droitwich canal at Hawford, Worcester which is currently undergoing major restoration work
Videoed Sunday, 23rd August 2009.
Droitwich Canal Playlist:
Another video of the canal filmed on 5th April 2009 can be found here:
© Mike Fairman 2009
The 7.5 mile (12 km) Droitwich Barge and Junction Canals link the Worcester & Birmingham Canal with the River Severn and are the subject of a major restoration project.
The Barge Canal was built in 1771 and is a broad canal built by Brindley, one of the key engineers of the early canals. There are a total of 8 locks along its 5.75 mile length and it links the River Severn to Vines Park within the town of Droitwich Spa. The Junction Canal was one of the last canals to be completed. It was completed in 1854 to link the Barge Canal at Vines Park to the Worcester and Birmingham Canal at Hanbury. It was built as a narrow canal, with a total length of 1.75 miles and 7 locks. Both were constructed primarily to transport the towns production of salt. They were officially abandoned in 1939. The project to restore the canals is being led by the Droitwich Canals Partnership which includes Worcestershire County Council, Wychavon District Council, The Droitwich Canals Trust, The Waterways Trust and British Waterways.
The Droitwich Canals Partnership has agreed the following Vision for the Droitwich Canals: To create a linear park centred on the restored Droitwich Canals which will seek to conserve and enhance the natural and built environment and provide a range of informal recreational opportunities for local people and visitors, thereby generating economic benefit and contributing to the well being of the people of Worcestershire. The project will cost in the order of £10 million. Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) Stage One approval (£4.5 million) and outline support from Advantage West Midlands (AWM) (£2.8 million) have been pledged along with £1 million each from the 2 local authorities.
The works involve: -
• Restoring the original line of the canal under the A449
• Creating a new link under the M5
• Dredging
• Restoring locks and other heritage structures
• Creating moorings
• Improving access
• Creating new reedbeds adjacent to the canals to mitigate for those lost when the canals are dredged.
• Education, interpretation, arts etc.
Through restoration a linear park will be created centred on the canals. The park will provide a place to relax and visit the countryside with walks, boat trips, picnic sites, play areas and information and interpretation. The restored canals will link the Worcester and Birmingham Canal to the River Severn and create a new 21 mile cruising ring.
New canal related businesses including the hire, servicing and building of boats, tea rooms, pubs and restaurants are expected to locate along the canals and will generate economic benefit and new leisure opportunities for the people of Worcestershire.
The restoration will also conserve and enhance the special environment that has developed along the canals including the creation of new reedbeds adjacent to the
canals and the conservation of much of the reed which lines the canals banks.
Droitwich Canals Opening 1st July 2011
See
Droitwich Canals Official Opening
Scenes from the Official Opening of the Droitwich Canals in Vines Park on 1st July 2011. The dignitaries boarded the Viking Afloat hire boat Odin at the Railway Inn and proceeded slowly through Netherwich Basin and between rows of boats moored along the canal banks. They disembarked near the Wych Barge simulation in the park for the opening ceremony, held in a marquee. Hundreds of people listened to the speeches relayed on loudspeakers outside the tent. The person on the front of the boat in the life jacket was Jason Leach, British Waterways Regeneration Manager, who has been in charge of the restoration project. There were tens of boats, bedecked with flags and bunting, in the basin and canal for the opening event. For more information and pictures on the restoration project, Google Droitwich Canals Restoration Pictures or go to leepd60.net63.net
02 Droitwich Canals - Pre-restoration - Salwarpe & work party
Another video of the Droitwich Barge Canal, shot in 2006, prior to the main restoration work taking place. This shows a work party installing a bank retainer at the approach to Salwarpe Tunnel.
The Bywash Pipeline flows for the first time - Droitwich Canals Restoration
Droitwich Canals Restoration - canalisation of the River Salwarpe: for the first time, the bywash pipeline carries water from Lock 7 of the Junction Canal down the 550m long pipeline to the outfall on the Barge Canal in Vines Park. The video starts a few seconds after the first water came out of the pipeline, at 12:08 on 4th May 2011. For about 15 minutes, bursts of air bubbled out of the pipe - finally settling to a steady flow as can be seen near the end of the video. The flow velocity was roughly 1m/s - at this rate the pipe is delivering about 160 litres/sec - or 13.8Mlitres per day! Several pieces of debris, including a large plastic pot, came out of the pipe - probably left in there inadvertently during construction. For more pictures and info, google Droitwich Canals Restoration Pictures.
Kanalboot-Abenteuer in England, Folge 20 (Severn & Droitwich)
Wir fuhren den River Severn flussaufwärts, besuchten Worchester und bereisten dann die erst 2011 wieder eröffneten Droitwich Canals (Barge & Junction).
Water Adds Value: The story of Droitwich Spa
This short video shows the impact of the restoration of the canals in Droitwich Spa. For more information about planning your visit to Droitwich Spa please visit:
Droitwich Junction Canal, 27/10/2019
After heavy rain.
Sunset at the Droitwich to Hanbury Canal . . .
Sunset at the Droitwich to Hanbury Canal . . .
Droitwich Canal Floods 28/06/2012
Droitwich Junction and Barge Canals in Flood, fed from the Body Brook and River Salwarpe, 28th June 2012.