Make waves with coracles

There's still a chance to try your hand at coracle racing in Welshpool this weekend.

Making Waves with Coracles on Saturday, will be a unique event for the Montgomery Canal.

The main feature of the day will be the afternoon Coracle Regatta (starting at 2pm) – the first in Welshpool for over a century.

There will be demonstrations and competitions organised by The Coracle Society, and the newly-revived Welshpool coracle will be in use, all with an entertaining expert commentary.

There will be a comprehensive display on the canalside showing many aspects of the long history of the coracle.

The afternoon's competitions will include races for those who have never sat in a coracle before, those who think they know how, and those who actually have the knack!

Plans for coracle races in the morning have not yet received the support hoped for, so it may not be possible to run the planned relay races. The Macmillan coracles will still be at Welshpool Wharf on Saturday morning, and there will be an opportunity to experience the thrills and hazards of a racing coracle.

Admission to Making Waves events is free.

Michael Limbrey, Chairman of the Montgomery Waterway Restoration Trust said, “Making Waves with Coracles will be a unique day of entertainment, all on view from the canalside or the bridges across the canal.

“The afternoon Coracle Regatta will be an opportunity to learn about coracles and to see these unusual craft being handled with skill – or perhaps without!

“While it is disappointing that we have not had the level of interest we had hoped for, we still think the opportunity to experience a racing coracle is not to be missed. Anyone who thinks they can handle a challenge will be welcome to have a try, and we hope that people will come along so we can arrange some races.

“The afternoon will see more opportunities for novices to experience a coracle, with other demonstrations by the experienced members of The Coracle Society.

“One of the highlights of the day will be the reintroduction of the Welshpool coracle. There were many different designs of coracle along the River Severn, used for fishing – lawful or not! – and even retrieving the ball when it was kicked out of Shrewsbury's football ground, but until now the only Welshpool coracle has been in the local museum.

“The Montgomery Canal has so much to offer, to Welshpool and the area, and as an extension of the national waterway network. The towpath is used by walkers, anglers and cyclists, and canoes are seen regularly. Now we are adding coracles.

“Making Waves with Coracles is one of the Making Waves events that have brought so many visitors and so much activity to the Montgomery Canal. The first weekend in July sees Making Waves in Welshpool which will be The Welsh Waterway Festival, the climax of the Making Waves programme, bringing boats and visitors from across the country.”

Full details of Making Waves events can be found on www.MakingWaves2015.co.uk.

Making Waves is promoted by the Montgomery Waterway Restoration Trust and supported by the Friends of the Montgomery Canal, and the Inland Waterways Association’s Shrewsbury, District & North Wales branch.