Not knowing where to even locate the canal, I googled it and found that there was an easily accessible car park not far from the town centre. I also printed out a leaflet with map and details of a walk along it.
From the car park I followed the track leading to the slipway and then proceeded along the towpath.
In the sunshine, it was a peaceful sight with the canal having groups of water plants with mallards and moorhens swimming casually around.
mallards
moorhen and chick
moorhen chick walking among water lilies
I met someone with a camera and enquired if they had seen any water voles; they hadn't but had heard some 'plops' as they went into the water. However, she did tell me the likeliest places where they might be seen which wasn't that far along the towpath from where I was, next to a bridge where there was a seat.
Reaching the bridge I sat and waited for a while, and then noticed something on the other side of the bank, which seemed like something climbing out onto the bank, but then it disappeared. Maybe it my first sighting of a water vole!
Nothing more was seen so I continued as far along the tow path as I could before the canal is filled in, then retraced my steps,
Seeing someone else with a camera I asked them about water voles and she told me one was frequently appearing near a mud bank on the opposite side to an area of concrete on the path. I found the concrete area and stood and waited, and sure enough after a few minutes a water vole appeared down the mud bank and swam right across to an area of weeds right next to me! It then disappeared.
Another couple came along and stood watching and spotted a vole (the same one?) a few yards further away on the far bank and it started going to and fro collecting water lily type leaves and then taking them back up the bank. We must have seen it do this about half a dozen times, Each time, however ,it only ventured a couple of feet from the far bank before turning and going back.
Time was getting on, but I must make a return trip some time in the hope of getting some better photos.
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