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Kennet & Avon Canal celebrates new ale

24th Mar 2010

This year the Kennet & Avon Canal is enjoying its bicentenary, and to help the celebrations go with a swing, local brewers Wadworth & Co. Ltd, have created their very own taste of the waterways - a cask ale called the 'K&A 200'.

On Friday 26 March, modern delivery techniques will be taking a back seat and there will be a temporary return to the golden age of canal transport, with the celebration ale travelling to its final destination by canal.

A Wadworth Horse Drawn Dray will deliver the special cask ale 'K&A200' to Devizes Wharf at 11am to be loaded onto Avon Vale an historic British Waterways workboat which has been restored by a group of volunteers from The Kennet & Avon Canal Trust. The ale will then be delivered to the canalside pub, The Bridge Inn at Horton.

"Pubs and canals go hand in hand"

Michael Ancram MP, President of the Kennet & Avon Canal Trust said: "What better way to celebrate the canal’s special birthday than combining it with another local treasure? Pubs and canals go hand in hand, and we hope that when people taste the special cask ale it will transport them back to their memories of enjoying a drink next to this picturesque waterway, and perhaps tempt a few more visitors to get out and about and explore this historic canal."

The ale aims to bring a taste of the canal to beer enthusiasts and pub-goers. It is inspired by the 200-year-old canal, rich in heritage and teeming with wildlife, and will be available from a number of Wadworth pubs throughout the year, as well as on-board the Kennet & Avon Canal Trust’s trip boats and from the brewery shop.

Mark Stephens, British Waterways’ waterway manager said: "The Kennet & Avon Canal is a national treasure, home to numerous listed structures, seven Scheduled Ancient Monuments and running through a world heritage site. It’s a pleasure for me and my team to work on this canal, alongside numerous voluntary groups, to maintain this unique piece of waterway heritage for the future.

Raise your glasses to the Kennet & Avon Canal

"We hope that even more visitors will visit a section of this 87-mile waterway during this, its bicentenary year. I’m sure many of them will enjoy raising a glass and toasting the canal, wishing it a long and prosperous future for many more generations to enjoy."

It’s anticipated that the canal’s special 200th birthday will encourage more people to enjoy the waterway this summer. There’s a whole host of activities happening along the canal, for more information visit www.waterscape.com/k&a200

Last updated: 22/02/2011

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