after the original the after agriculture outside the urban areas. urban the outside agriculture were installed were Consider other people other Consider ● water in an environment that is used intensively for intensively used is that environment an in water rde,which bridges, Keep dogs under close control close under dogs Keep ● because it represents a thin ribbon of land and land of ribbon thin a represents it because of 14 low 14 of litter home litter The canal is an important ecosystem for wildlife for ecosystem important an is canal The replacement Protect plants and animals, take your your take animals, and plants Protect ● Conservation and Wildlife and Conservation 1995.The you find them find you between 1980 and 1980 between Leave gates and property as as property and gates Leave ● amenity purposes amenity River Parrett in Bridgwater. in Parrett River Be Safe - Plan ahead and follow any signs any follow and ahead Plan - Safe Be ● the canal for canal the a link that joins the River Tone in Taunton and the and Taunton in Tone River the joins that link a Follow the Countryside Code Countryside the Follow about the restoration of restoration the about land and storm water from urban areas, and finally and areas, urban from water storm and land British Waterways to bring to Waterways British system to take surface runoff from agricultural from runoff surface take to system Borough Council working jointly with jointly working Council Borough Durleigh reservoir, acts as a drainage a as acts reservoir, Durleigh Sedgemoor District Council and Taunton Deane Taunton and Council District Sedgemoor canal is used as a water supply for supply water a as used is canal be restored.This led to Somerset County Council, County Somerset to led restored.This be and points of interest. of points and an environmental perspective the perspective environmental an Association lobbied for many years for the canal to canal the for years many for lobbied Association to show local facilities local show to rmPdtwt rso/ah From Bristol/Bath. to Padstow from The West Country branch of the Inland Waterways Inland the of branch Country West The are also a useful guide useful a also are National Cycle Route, which runs runs which Route, Cycle National Restoration Restoration Ordnance Survey maps Survey Ordnance use the canal towpath as part of their of part as towpath canal the use tourist offices. tourist Bridgwater and beyond. Sustrans also Sustrans beyond. and Bridgwater of England were part of the Stop Line. Stop the of part were England of one of the Somerset the of one from Chedington in Dorset through to through Dorset in Chedington from boxes, which can be seen across the southern part southern the across seen be can which boxes, area please contact please area the River Parrett Trail, which runs which Trail, Parrett River the part of the Wessex Stop Line. The building of pill of building The Line. Stop Wessex the of part facilities in the local the in facilities Sections of the towpath form part of part form towpath the of Sections During World War Two, the canal was an important an was canal the Two, War World During For information on the on information For walking and cycling are popular. are cycling and walking ciiissc sfsig boating, fishing, as such Activities railway opened. Commercial traffic ceased in 1907. in ceased traffic Commercial opened. railway and fauna. and important recreational resource. recreational important of the canal ended when the Bristol and Exeter and Bristol the when ended canal the of much interesting flora flora interesting much Today the canal is used as an as used is canal the Today barges and small tub-boats.The commercial success commercial tub-boats.The small and barges the canal are home to home are canal the The Canal Today Canal The coal, timber and limestone, which were carried in carried were which limestone, and timber coal, damselflies.The fringes of fringes damselflies.The The canal was used mainly for transportation of transportation for mainly used was canal The herons, dragonflies and dragonflies herons, in June 1994. June in may also spot kingfishers, spot also may length 15 miles. 15 length to life and was reopened to navigation navigation to reopened was and life to tench can be spotted.You be can tench new docks in Bridgwater in 1841, making its total its making 1841, in Bridgwater in docks new locks, this brought the canal back canal the brought this locks, perch, carp, bream and bream carp, perch, and Taunton canal opened in 1827 and joined the joined and 1827 in opened canal Taunton and with the restoration of the six the of restoration the with atsok frah pike, roach, of stocks Vast great link never materialised, though the Bridgwater the though materialised, never link great treacherous sea route around Land’s End. Sadly the Sadly End. Land’s around route sea treacherous seven by raised bridges.Together raised by seven bird and insect species. insect and bird between Exeter and Bristol, which would avoid the avoid would which Bristol, and Exeter between were replaced by swing bridges and bridges swing by replaced were uprsmn ln,fish, plant, many supports Century scheme to create a route a create to scheme Century 19 ambitious programme. Seven of the bridges the of Seven programme. noltdwtr which water, unpolluted th The Bridgwater and Taunton canal was part of an of part was canal Taunton and Bridgwater The the main part of the restoration the of part main the habitat with clear with habitat iet raealn fdfne was defence, of line a create to time example of a wetland a of example The History of the Canal the of History The swing bridges were removed in war in removed were bridges swing The canal is an excellent an is canal The FACILITIES ALONG THE Bridgwater Taunton BRIDGWATER AND TAUNTON CANAL Ca&nal Circular Walks from Circular Walks Maunsel Lock Car Park Lower Maunsel Lock From the car park at Maunsel Lock four short circular walks begin using the canal towpath, selected local footpaths and quiet country lanes. The walks will take you through villages, hamlets, across parts of the Somerset Levels and Moors and across farmland. This land was known for many years as the ‘Garden of Eden’ because of its magnificent market garden produce, grown on grade 1 agricultural land. A note of interest whilst walking along the towpath is the Somerset Space Walk. The Space Walk is a scale model of our solar system where scale models of the planets are sited at intervals along the Bridgwater & Taunton canal, representing the solar system. The sun is the central point of the Space Walk and can be found at Maunsel Higher Lock. If you start your space walk from here This leaflet was produced by you can walk the scale length of our whole Countryside Services Group Environment Department solar system, finding Pluto in both Somerset County Council Bridgwater and Taunton! County Hall,Taunton TA1 4DY Tel:01823 355418 E-mail: [email protected] Web: www.somerset.gov.uk/countryside If you have difficulty reading this publication we can supply it in large print, on audio cassette, arrange translation or provide a member of staff to discuss the details. For more details contact Somerset County Council on 01823 355563 after the original the after agriculture outside the urban areas. urban the outside agriculture were installed were Consider other people other Consider ● water in an environment that is used intensively for intensively used is that environment an in water rde,which bridges, Keep dogs under close control close under dogs Keep ● because it represents a thin ribbon of land and land of ribbon thin a represents it because of 14 low 14 of litter home litter The canal is an important ecosystem for wildlife for ecosystem important an is canal The replacement Protect plants and animals, take your your take animals, and plants Protect ● Conservation and Wildlife and Conservation 1995.The you find them find you between 1980 and 1980 between Leave gates and property as as property and gates Leave ● amenity purposes amenity River Parrett in Bridgwater. in Parrett River Be Safe - Plan ahead and follow any signs any follow and ahead Plan - Safe Be ● the canal for canal the a link that joins the River Tone in Taunton and the and Taunton in Tone River the joins that link a Follow the Countryside Code Countryside the Follow about the restoration of restoration the about land and storm water from urban areas, and finally and areas, urban from water storm and land British Waterways to bring to Waterways British system to take surface runoff from agricultural from runoff surface take to system Borough Council working jointly with jointly working Council Borough Durleigh reservoir, acts as a drainage a as acts reservoir, Durleigh Sedgemoor District Council and Taunton Deane Taunton and Council District Sedgemoor canal is used as a water supply for supply water a as used is canal be restored.This led to Somerset County Council, County Somerset to led restored.This be and points of interest. of points and an environmental perspective the perspective environmental an Association lobbied for many years for the canal to canal the for years many for lobbied Association to show local facilities local show to rmPdtwt rso/ah From Bristol/Bath. to Padstow from The West Country branch of the Inland Waterways Inland the of branch Country West The are also a useful guide useful a also are National Cycle Route, which runs runs which Route, Cycle National Restoration Restoration Ordnance Survey maps Survey Ordnance use the canal towpath as part of their of part as towpath canal the use tourist offices.