WATCH: 'Life on the Monty' canal film is released

Funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund as part of a wider £4 million Montgomery Canal restoration project, it was commissioned by the Canal & River Trust waterways and well-being charity, which cares for the Montgomery and 2,000 miles of the nation’s canals.

Filmed during the heatwave summer of 2018, the video follows the Montgomery Canal from its junction with the Llangollen Canal at Frankton Locks in Shropshire to Berriew in Powys, recording the waterway’s fascinating characters and stories along the route.

A young Prince of Wales, opening a canal section after the 1969 Welshpool Big Dig, is just one of the archive gems captured in a unique portrait of the canal.

It also includes a final interview with long-term waterway activist and photographer Harry Arnold, who died this month.

Inspirational

Other highlights include Canal & River Trust ecologist Sara Hill explaining the inspirational project to protect the waterway’s wildlife during restoration, action shots of historic horse drawn fly boat Saturn, and aerial photography.

Sylvia Edwards, the Trust’s Montgomery Canal community development officer, said: “The film is introduced by young supporter Alisha Patel-Smith and features several generations of canal enthusiasts who want to share their passion for this waterway with the wider world. At the heart is a celebration of the canal’s unique environment and the amazing work done by past and current volunteers.

“We know from research that people feel happier and healthier by water, so this film gives people ideas about how they can get active outdoors and enjoy the beautiful countryside along this rural waterway. And we would love for viewers to spread the message by sharing it on social media.”

For information about the Montgomery Canal restoration project go to canalrivertrust.org.uk/montgomery and for more information about supporting the wider Montgomery Canal restoration effort, check out restorethemontgomerycanal.uk