Canalside mooring rings mark MK50 to welcome more boaters on Grand Union

The Canal and River Trust is installing 50 new mooring rings along the Grand Union Canal in Milton Keynes to encourage more boaters to explore the area in its special birthday year.

The mooring rings are being installed as part of the celebrations for MK50 along the canal at Campbell Park - a popular stopping point for boaters.

The 200-year-old Grand Union Canal has 14 miles of lock free cruising through the city.

From Cosgrove in Northamptonshire to Fenny Stratford, boaters can enjoy a scenic countryside view and get away from the hustle and bustle as they boat along the canal. Commemorative date bricks are being installed next to the mooring rings as a reminder to the thousands of people who visit the waterways each year of the special relationship between the canal and the people of Milton Keynes.

Lee King, from the Canal and River Trust, said: “Boating along the canal in Milton Keynes is a real joy as there aren’t any locks to contend with, just lots of open space and miles of care-free cruising. The addition of these mooring rings will ensure boaters can easily stop and explore the delights of the canal, enjoy a stroll along the canal and through Campbell Park and take some time to enjoy the waterways in Milton Keynes.”