Montgomery Dinghy Dawdle facts for kids
The Montgomery Dinghy Dawdle was a special event held every year from 1985 to 2011. It helped people learn about the Montgomery Canal. It also showed a problem: some road bridges over the canal were too low. This meant boats couldn't pass under them.
Small, unpowered boats like dinghies, canoes, and coracles traveled along the canal. In the early years, boats had to be carried over roads where low bridges blocked the way. Volunteers even stopped traffic to do this! Later, it became harder to manage these road crossings. So, the event moved to parts of the canal without low bridges. It became more of a fun social gathering than a protest.
Because of this change, the original organizers, the Shropshire Union Canal Society, stopped the event after 2011. But the Friends of the Montgomery Canal took it over! They changed it into a triathlon. This new event included cycling, walking or running, and paddling. It covered the entire length of the canal.
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History of the Dawdle
The Montgomery Dinghy Dawdle started in 1985. Its main goal was to show everyone that the canal could be used by boats. It also highlighted the problem of low bridges. These bridges stopped boats from traveling freely. Mary Awcock, who started the event, said it was important. She wanted to show that a fixed-up canal would be great for local people and tourists.
The first event took place near Gallowstree Bridge in Welshpool. This bridge was very low and carried the busy A483 road. About 30 boats joined in. When they reached the bridge, volunteers stopped the traffic. Then, all the boats were carried across the road! People handed out leaflets to drivers waiting in their cars. The event was a big success. Local newspapers and radio stations reported on it.
The next three events also focused on Gallowstree Bridge or Whitehouse Bridge. These were two low bridges near Welshpool. It seemed like the events were making a difference. In late 1988, Mary Awcock thought the 1989 Dawdle would be the last. She believed there would be no more low bridges to carry boats around.
Her hope came from good news. The British Waterways Board had gotten a special law passed. This law allowed them to fix up the entire canal. Money was even available from the European Union. But a lot of money was needed, about £32 million in total. Half of this had to be raised locally. Many groups supported the project. These included Powys County Council and the Welsh Tourist Board. However, the Welsh Office had to approve the money. In December 1988, the Secretary of State for Wales, Peter Walker, said no.
So, the fifth Dinghy Dawdle was not the last one. More campaigning was still needed! Gallowstree Bridge was finally rebuilt in 1992. It was made tall enough for boats to pass under. David Suchet, a famous actor, officially opened it at the eighth rally. Whitehouse Bridge was rebuilt in 1995. By the 1996 Dawdle, boats could easily pass under it.
By 1997, the Welshpool part of the canal was looking good. The organizers started planning future Dawdles on other parts of the canal. Their main goal was still to show where low bridges were. But sometimes, they celebrated progress. For example, the 2002 Dawdle celebrated the reopening of Brynderwen Lock. The 2003 event was held on a newly opened section of canal. The 2001 event had to be canceled because of an animal disease.
The 2004 and 2005 events were held in Welshpool again. The goal was to remind people that boats bring a canal to life. In 2005, 65 boats paddled from Welshpool to Burgedin. The next year, Lembit Öpik, a Member of Parliament, opened Newhouse Lock. This was on a section south of Welshpool. The event's goals stayed the same. They wanted to show how useful a working canal is. They also wanted to raise awareness about needing to fix bridges. In 2010, ten bridges still needed to be raised. Five of these carried the busy A483 road.
The Triathlon Begins
In 2011, the 26th and final Dinghy Dawdle took place. Bad weather caused 14 people to drop out. But 29 boats still joined in. In later years, it became harder to manage the road crossings. So, the event mostly stayed on parts of the canal where this wasn't needed. It became more of a fun social event. It was less about campaigning for the canal.
Because of this, the Shropshire Union Canal Society decided to stop holding it. But the Friends of the Montgomery Canal took over in 2012! They changed it into a triathlon. This new event included cycling, running or walking, and paddling. Instead of swimming, people paddled boats. The triathlon covered the entire length of the canal.
At first, the course involved cycling from Newtown to Welshpool. Then, participants paddled from Welshpool to Llanymynech. Finally, they walked to Frankton. By 2015, the event changed a bit. The first 17 miles (27 km) from Newtown to Pool Quay were done by bicycle. This part followed a cycle route. The next 10.5 miles (17 km) involved walking or running. This section included part of Offa's Dyke and crossing Vyrnwy Aqueduct. The last 7.5 miles (12 km) were for paddling. Boats had to be carried around three locks and the Graham Palmer Lock. This lock remembers Graham Palmer, who helped start the Waterway Recovery Group. Over 230 people took part in the 2015 event. About 170 of them completed the full 35 miles (56 km) distance.
Earlier Canal Events
Using small boats to help the canal was not a new idea. The canal was officially closed by a law in 1944. It had actually been closed since 1936. That's when a break in the canal happened near Frankton Junction. It was never fixed.
However, a trip along the whole canal was organized right after the Second World War. Bill Thisthlewaite, from the new Inland Waterways Association, planned it. Two boats took part. They traveled along the Llangollen Canal. They even got a toll ticket for the Montgomery section at Ellesmere. This was despite the canal being officially broken! A horse and cart carried the boats around the broken section.
Later, seven Dinghy Rallies were held in Welshpool. These took place between 1970 and 1976. They were part of a one-day event in September. There were stalls and a fairground. Plus, there were races and competitions for canoe and dinghy owners. Larger boats were encouraged to come to the last two rallies. Many boats were brought to the canal on trailers. This created good publicity. British Waterways, who owned the canal then, helped organize two more rallies in the early 1980s.
How the Dawdle Was Organized
The Shropshire Union Canal Society organized the event. They got help from the Friends of the Montgomery Canal. This group is part of the Montgomery Waterway Restoration Trust. British Waterways also supported the event.
The Dawdle involved unpowered boats like dinghies, canoes, and coracles. These boats traveled along the canal. At some points, where bridges were too low, the boats had to be carried across roads.
In 2007, the Dawdle went between Burgedin Locks and Llanymynech Wharf. It happened on Sunday, June 10, 2007.
The 2008 Dawdle took place on Sunday, June 8, 2008. It started at Redwith Bridge and finished at Queen's Head.
The 2009 Dawdle was on Sunday, June 7, 2009. It began at Garthmyl and ended at Freestone Lock.
The 2010 Dawdle happened on Sunday, June 13, 2010. It started at Berriew. There was a lunch stop at Belan Locks. It ended at Welshpool. Derrick and Mary Awcock, who started the first Dawdle in 1985, welcomed the boaters. The local MP, Glyn Davies, started the event. This was the 25th time the Dawdle had been held. Over 70 boats took part.
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