Volunteers battled Storm Darragh at last canal restoration work party of the year
Volunteers battled high winds and adverse weather during this year's final work party to restore the Montgomery Canal.
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The Shropshire Union Canal Society issued its final update of the year after restoration works continued at Crickheath South between December 6 and 8.
Storm Darragh affected work, and one hour of hedge planting was all the group could manage on the first day before volunteers headed home.
By Saturday, December 7, the storm was at its peak and volunteers who made it onsite huddled in the welfare container before making an optimistic decision to continue hedge planting.
But an hour in the strong gales and rain convinced the group that this was over-optimistic, and after a refreshing brew-up, most went home.
Some managed to remove the haul road by the now-completed section in Phase 1B and re-organisation of the storage container.
Then on Sunday volunteers were pleased to see sunshine and drier conditions, and further hedge planting took place in a variety of locations while more work was done on the haul road and in the storage container.
Volunteers were pleased to report that rainfall from the storm filled the already restored and completed sections of the canal, and made it look "more like a canal as each day passes".
Substantial progress has been made this year thanks to volunteers who have contributed more than 5,500 hours of their time collectively.
Project manager Tom Fulda said: "The last work party of the year is characterised by the volunteers' Christmas party (thoroughly enjoyable, as ever), a large proportion of environmental work and, sometimes, better weather.
"It turned out that Friday was the lull before the storm and good progress was made on various environmental activities. Hedge-laying continued towards Schoolhouse Bridge and another team planted hedging whips north of Crickheath Bridge. A further team undertook scrub clearance on the off-side bank beyond Schoolhouse Bridge which enabled surveying to take place and levels established – a vital input to the design of this future section."
Further information can be found at shropshireunion.org.uk.
