It's Christmas, and Santa is in his grotto at the National Waterways Museum at Ellesmere Port in Cheshire. The elves are running boat trips so children can help them find all the decorations they've lost, and Mother Claus is keeping the whole show on the road. We hear from her, Santa himself, and one of the boat trip skippers, and learn some history about Ellesmere Port along the way. Plus there are memories of Christmases afloat from some boating friends.

Special thanks to the Canal and River Trust volunteers who make this event possible.

The Water Road is produced and presented by Adam Porter. If you enjoy what I do, please consider supporting me on Ko-fi! https://ko-fi.com/thewaterroad

Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):

https://uppbeat.io/t/cory-alstad/the-night-circus

License code: 6C2EOHGE8YVPWENR

The Montgomery Canal is under restoration, and has been for more than fifty years. In this episode of The Water Road we speak to Chris Chambers, a lock keeper at Frankton Locks, who's been involved in the restoration since the 1960s, and we hear from Tom Fulda, the Shopshire Union Canal Society's Restoration Project Manager, about what's happening right now to extend the navigable length. Plus we hear about the canal centre at Llanymynech, which will one day be connected to the main canal network.

The Water Road is produced and presented by Adam Porter.

If you enjoy what I do, consider supporting me on Ko-fi! https://ko-fi.com/thewaterroad

In this episode of The Water Road we reach Llangollen, at the end of the Llangollen Canal, and explore the Horseshoe Falls a couple of miles from the town, which supply the canal with water from the River Dee. Plus we hear about the horse drawn boat trips up to the falls, and learn about the horses that do the work.

Produced and presented by Adam Porter.

In this episode of The Water Road we cross the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct on the Llangollen Canal, one of the wonders of the waterways. We get the facts and figures about this record-breaking aqueduct, and talk to people who've walked, boated, or kayaked across.

The Water Road is produced and presented by Adam Porter.

In this episode of The Water Road, we begin a journey along the Llangollen Canal, and discover why the water flows so strongly. Hurleston Reservoir near Nantwich in Cheshire takes around 40 million litres of water a day from the canal, which brings it nearly fifty miles from North Wales. We speak to Rob Moore from United Utilities, who explains why the water is needed and what happens to it next. And CRT's National Hydrology Manager, Dr Adam Comerford, tells us about how water transfer schemes could be expanded to other parts of the canal network.

Produced and presented by Adam Porter.

In this episode of The Water Road, we walk a couple of minutes from the Shropshire Union Canal in Cheshire to the Hack Green Secret Nuclear Bunker. This underground building was on permanent alert in the 1980s and 90s, standing by to become the seat of government for north west England in the event of a nuclear attack. We learn about the site's history, and about the museum it has become. Back on the Shroppie itself, we travel through the Hack Green Locks, and find reminders of other bygone times.

Produced and presented by Adam Porter.

In this episode of The Water Road we're at Cholmondeston Lock on the Middlewich Branch in Cheshire, where members of the local branch of the Inland Waterways Association are working boaters through the lock during a fundraising and awareness raising weekend. Hear from volunteers and boater's they've helped. We'll also try to get to the bottom of how the lock's name is pronounced.

The Water Road is produced and presented by Adam Porter.

In this extra episode of The Water Road, we examine the issue of the moment -- extreme water shortages which have led to canal and lock closures in the north of England and the Midlands. We hear from businesses affected, including Kingsground Narrowboats on the South Oxford, Braidbar Boats on the Macclesfield Canal, Chamberlain Chandlery on the Middlewich Arm, and Grand Union Narrowboats in Northamptonshire. And we speak to Dr Adam Comerford, the National Hydrology Manager for the Canal and River Trust, who explains why this year has been so bad, and answers some of the criticism directed at the Trust.

Produced and presented by Adam Porter.