This applies to those buying the full priced £28 permit bringing the price down to £18. Sadly this doesn't apply to 'concessions' eg pensioners like myself as we already get a cheaper priced permit at £18, it's just for all you youngsters under 65. (I got all excited for a minute thinking i'd get this discount too but it wasn't to be. 😔)

Once signed up on My Angling Direct go to the MyAD members page then click the 'rewards' box. Scroll down until you see the CRT logo and your £10 off code will be sitting there ready to use. You then simply go the page on the CRT website to buy your Waterways Wanderer permit, tick the box to say you have a 'MyAd' code and then add the code.

You also obviously still need to buy your Environment Agency rod licence too, but don't get me started on that one!

I’m hoping to tap into the collective wisdom of the forum for a bit of a logistical nightmare I've run into.

This July, my rescue dog Nina and I are taking on a continuous 250-mile walk along the network to raise money for the Canal & River Trust and Battersea Dogs & Cats Home. To make it a proper challenge, we are completely self-funded, sleeping in a tiny tent, and I’m dragging all our gear in a 25kg trolley the entire way.

We’ve had some incredible support so far, including a letter of support from The King, and we’re going to be supported by David Johns (Cruising The Cut), Paul and Anthony (Narrowboat Life Unlocked), and Ashley Neal.

However, looking at my itinerary, I have hit a massive brick wall on Day 20 (July 20th).

Our route brings us right into the heart of Birmingham, finishing the day at Gas Street Basin. I've realised that rocking up to Brindleyplace on a summer evening with a 25kg trolley and trying to pitch a tent on the block paving amongst the weekend revellers is probably not going to end well!

Does anyone have any local knowledge or ideas for a "safe harbour" in or around central Birmingham?

Because of the trolley and the dog, we literally just need a secure, quiet patch of ground for one night. I'm not sure if there are any highly secure moorings nearby with a patch of grass, a friendly boat club, or if someone knows a local manager who might take pity on a bloke and his dog for charity.

I’m currently trying to beg a local hotel to let us sleep in a corner of their car park, but I would really love to keep the trek rooted on the canal if physically possible.

Any advice, contacts, or local knowledge from the Brum boaters would be hugely appreciated!

Cheers, 

Mark & Nina

www.surplex.co.uk/donate

https://youtu.be/GCdlV63OQyg

https://youtu.be/6qaWHgUx4n8

I bought this reel in the early seventies when I was 14, saving up my pocket money as you did in those days. I paid £7, sending off my postal order to a tackle dealer who advertised in the Anglers Mail. I’d ordered a Mitchell 300 but they sent a Mitchell Match by mistake. I couldn’t believe my luck and kept it!

It remains my ‘go to’ reel after all these years. It’s used a lot too and has never once let me down. It still feels as sweet as it ever did. I’ve only ever changed a part in it once and that was last year, the nylon ratchet dog gear finally gave up. Amazingly parts are still available from a specialist in France so I ordered one from him and duly replaced it. The other gearing inside still looks perfect - Mitchell certainly built their reels to last. I’m 66 now and reckon it will see me out - I only wish I was in as good shape!
 

Over the years it’s caught some big fish too, only this morning I landed a big Tench from the GU using it. 
 

Anyone else still fish with one of the old Mitchells I wonder? I bet there are quite a few still in use. 

I live in Market Harborough and fish quite often at the grand union canal that runs through here. I've always fancied trapping and cooking a few signal crayfish but don't know if that's a good idea given the water quality of the canal. Has anyone got any advise or experience in this? Many thanks in advance! Jon

bill

It was my belief that there was a speed limit? or do some of the vessel owners believe themselves exempt?

Greetings from the BCN network over in Tipton.

Purchased a house a few months ago which has the canal aright at the bottom of the garden. (No towpath my side)

As it was like an over grown jungle (And for some reason the previous owner had cut down conifers and left just the stumps which have now been removed)

Looking for ideas as what to do with it on the canal bank.

Not a fan of decking..

Was thinking of build it up slightly with soil off the garden as its not level.

(no i dont fish either)

with our German Shepard   .

the canal looked as  if it had over flowed not long ago

Graham

A heron at my marina on the river Nene has gone a bit nuts, apparently after a couple of other heron in the area were killed by a mink. It squawks loudly overhead or if it's disturbed on the pontoons or boats which it's often walking on. It crapped (a lot) all over my roof when I was away for work a few weeks ago. You could clearly see its footprints in the shit. I've just never seen a heron behaving in this way before and squawking so much. It's almost being aggressive.

Has anyone else seen this sort of thing?

We would love to explore the villages and townships once we dock at a harbour on a bicycle.

Any chance of finding a place where we could hire 2 folding bikes? Looking forward to any of your ideas,  many thanks

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-hereford-worcester-63707394

Budget max £500. Prefer a new one (rather than a better brand second hand) because I don't want to mess with repairing and such. It seems I am a bit late to party because a lot of other people think similar.

Any suggestion welcome.

Does anyone know why they might be congregating in such numbers?

Seems like quite a big kingfisher to me? Probably hanging around for all the fish which have been congregating around the boats 

They certainly have the idea that disturbed water is good for fishing.

Rather than just going ahead and putting a trap out as most people seem to do, I duly downloaded and completed a licence application from the Environment Agency. No mean feat to complete this baby as anyone who's tried will testify!

After five weeks waiting I got this reply back today, Wish I hadn't bothered!

If they don't have the the staff perhaps an amnesty period on fishing for this species would be more sensible? Their numbers are already exploding out of control to the detriment of our native crayfish.

Oh well I'll have to stick to my Grey Squirrel casserole and pan fried Japanese Knotweed. 😆