A section of the historic canal towpath in Loughborough has reopened after we completed the latest phase of improvements, making it easier for people to access the canal.

The project

Working in partnership with Loughborough Town Deal, we are improving a 2km stretch of the River Soar towpath running between Moor Lane Bridge and Belton Lane in the town. Most of the new wider towpath has reopened, with a few short sections still being completed. A final stone chip top surface will be laid later this summer as it requires warmer temperatures to bond with the base layer.

As well as widening and resurfacing the towpath, the project has installed 24 additional moorings for visiting boats and strengthened a 100-metre stretch of canal bank between Moor Lane and Little Moor Lane.

The project, made possible thanks to a £885,000 grant from Loughborough Town Deal, is part of our ongoing work to protect and preserve the canal for boats and wildlife, and to make it easier for people to use all year round.

With research showing that time spent by water can help people feel happier and healthier, and with more people looking for a local escape on their doorstep, the works make it easier and more appealing for people to get out and explore the local canals and other routes on their doorstep.

A beautiful stretch of canal

Alan Leather, our partnerships manager, said: "It's great that we're able to reopen the towpath and make it easier for people to enjoy this beautiful stretch of canal.

"The works have gone well, with the final stone chip layer, which will give the path a more natural feel, being applied later this summer. In the meantime, we hope people enjoy getting back out on their local canal.

"We're very grateful to Loughborough Town Deal for making these improvements possible. As a charity this kind of support is vital in our ongoing work to protect and preserve our historic waterways and to make sure they are here for future generations to enjoy."

The canal improvement is one of 11 projects Loughborough Town Deal is supporting after securing £16.9 million of Government funding. In total, the projects are worth over £40 million of investment for the town.