The WME Canal Register

A recent walk along the Walsall Canal round the back end of Darlaston set me thinking about just how much of the local canal network I've actually explored. Casting my mind back, I reckoned I must have covered many miles of current waterways, not to mention occasionally tracking down the remnants of those that became abandoned and disused. When I got back home I decided to investigate my canal history a bit more closely, thus sowing the seeds for a new project - the WME Canal Register.

I must admit that the register is a bit of an obsessive indulgence on my part - I doubt anybody else will find it in the slightest bit interesting, but I'm rather enjoying going back down memory lane and putting the pieces together. Indeed, I've been genuinely surprised at just how much canal exploring I've done - and how much I'd forgotten - as the list of canals I'd sampled kept on steadily growing before my eyes. Sure, the likes of the Staffs & Worcs and the Wyrley & Essington have long been the bedrock of my canal exploits, but it was good to remind myself of fragments of other canals such as the Stratford-upon-Avon or the Cannock Extension.

Putting the register together has given me the chance to tentatively explore Google Docs. I've kept things really basic, but I do like the option of linking between documents to effectively create a website, and it should also prove handy having the register online when I'm writing the commentaries for future WME photo updates. At the moment, the register consists of a front page providing a basic listing of canals, from where you can click through to the individual canal page for a quick intro, a summary of the sections I've explored and notes about any relevant significant outings I've done.

I must stress that the register (like the WME galleries) is very much a work in progress. I have only got as far as December 2006 in terms of recording my exploits, so I need to bring things much more up to date. I will then look to add in more background to the canals (maybe researching the history, routes, mileage etc), and perhaps be a bit more descriptive by rabbiting on about what the canals mean to me personally, whether it be childhood memories or more recent walks braving various weather conditions whilst on the lookout for photo opportunities. I will chip away as and when I can, and am looking forward to seeing the register develop into a comprehensive record that maybe just might prove to be of interest to people other than myself! For anyone who might be curious (you fools!!!), I've placed a link to the register as part of my blog links on the right hand side of the page...