Lock gates shelter

TO MARK the 30th Anniversary of the Saltisford Canal Trust, a Canal Contemplation Area; a major new landscaping project in its canal-side gardens has been undertaken.

Volunteers created a tranquil shelter by the side of the waterway made from old oak lock gates, donated by Canal & River Trust, where people have space to sit and enjoy the changing waterway scene in Warwick on the Grand Union Canal.

Mounted in concrete

The gates have been mounted in concrete lined trenches to form the centre-piece of the new lawned area, overlooking the canal in the heart of the town.  The scheme will include wheelchair accessible paths, Wi-Fi hotspot and canal heritage interpretation boards.

On Tuesday, Tony Hales, Chairman of the Trust unveiled a commemorative plaque and officially declared the Lock Gate Canal Contemplation Area, 'open' to welcome visitors to Saltisford.

Seating bays

The careful siting of the two seating bays allows visitors to look back along the canal and catch the sunshine, whilst judging the skill and finesse of boaters using our winding hole.

The Saltisford Canal Trust was set up in 1984 to restore the arm to navigation and to promote the use of the canal in Warwick. It does this by having a day hire boat—Saltie II and waterside gardens open free daily to the public; provides moorings for both visiting boats and long term moorings. It runs a Canal Visitor Centre, laundrette, gift shop, and promotes knowledge of the historic significance of the canal on Warwick's development.