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This article from the September 1994 issue of Kent Area
News reported the Ramblers' continuing contribution to
the completion of the path along the Royal
Military Canal.
The Royal Military Canal
The project to create a continuous path along the
Royal Military Canal gained momentum this summer with a
presentation to the media.
On 21st July, KCC organized a meeting at Rye to which
representatives from tourism interests, local
organisations and authorities, and the press were
invited. Presentations were made by members of the
Steering Group covering the history of the Canal, its
potential for quiet recreation and plans to dramatically
improve public access. £150,000 is now committed
to the project, with planning and design work well
advanced. Upgrading of stiles and improved
waymarking is already under way.
Members will be interested to have their first sight
of the new logo that appears [on the left].
Unfortunately, we cannot pnnt it in colour, but it
depicts the 'stepped' design of the Canal for defence
purposes that is in blue, with the characteristic reeds
being shown in white and green against a green
background.
Progress with the creation of a continuous right of
way is encouraging. The permissive path over National
Trust land is shortly to be dedicated as an official
right of way by the Trust. KCC are now in
negotiations with the landowners in the middle 7 mile
section over which there are presently no public rights
of way, but for which the RA has been campaigning for
many years. We have agreed to certain sections of
the path being routed along the south bank rather than
the north to minimise difficulties, but only where there
is no loss of amenity. Doubtless some objections
will result in Public Inquiries, but we hope these will
be limited. We anticipate that the project will be
complete by the end of 1996.
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