Basingstoke Canal, St John's Locks

Opened in 1794, the canal these days is a pleasant place to walk when there are not too many cyclists. It stretches 37 miles from the River Thames to Basingstoke. In the early days chalk, timber and flour were transported to London and barges returned with coal and fertiliser. However it soon became uneconomic and fell into disrepair. Surrey and Hampshire CC eventually bought it and technically responsible for its maintenance, but have little money to spend. Just after the photo was taken, we saw the kingfisher haven't seen it for many months.