Our friends from Ammanford Ramblers joined us for their annual paddle up the Swansea Canal this Tuesday, the 27th June. They all chose the open Canadian canoes as their preferred means of transport; five in the yoked raft (seen on the left), two ladies in one canoe, and the two men in a canoe apiece. David and Bob accompanied the raft up the canal and gave helpful advice on ‘team paddling’.   The most adventurous went all the way to Lower Trebanos Lock, though the channel is so silted there that turning round using the width of the canal was extremely difficult. However, all made it back safely to the Canoe Store where they enjoyed   tea, cakes, and sandwiches, all  provided by Sue and Gill. Many thanks to them for a great lunch in the sun.

Thanks too to the Friends of Clydach Heritage Centre who opened up the Centre for our visitors. With the deck chairs out and the bunting up and so many people enjoying the summer weather the canal at Coed Gwilym Park is a delighful place.

As I cycled up the towpath to Lower Trebanos Lock  I chanced upon Rhodri who was repairing the brick bridge between the Lower and Upper Trebanos Locks. This modern addition to the stone bridge which now belongs to NPTBC has always been something of an eyesore as the coping bricks were either never finished off, or have been knocked off into the canal. Though it can never look as good as a stone bridge, at least the bricks are now neatly stepped. Our thanks to Rhodri and CRT for this remedial work.