Not noticing what's right under your nose

How delightful.

Has anyone ever done the canal trip around Birmingham? It really is amazing, seeing parts of the city you would never know existed.

Welshwife I thought most people chatted to people they meet in queues etc in Britain - I have done this in Australia and they look at you as if you are strange and edge away. Unless they are British on holiday or of British origin and want to tell you where their ancestors came from and do I know their third cousin twice removed - who, by strange coincidence, may live just a street away from us in the UK!

In our village in England everyone greets you.

That's an English/ British thing I think not speaking to people you meet - in France everyone greets you even the shy teenage boys -and the same in parts of US. The village we lived in in Wales (with the river) everyone you passed spoke to you - I loved that.

The last place we lived in the UK had a small river running through - it had a lot of rubbish in if and it was along the cycle path/ walkway alongside. The community organised a clearing party with bags and also lorries to collect rubbish as designated places. The amount of rubbish collected was amazing - everyone finished with a community barbecue and games for the children on a local park. A great day as everyone had on clothes which did not matter so was not worried about getting messy! We did have a couple of shopping trollies pulled out of the water!

We have just got back from a week on the Kennet and Avon canal and indeed it was wonderful to see all the wild life plus everyone was so friendly. All the joggers,cyclists,dog walkers and other canal users said hello or good morning etc. if I spoke to people on my normal trip locally they would think I was mad!

Yes its really odd! I lived in London all my life until recently, and had never been to the tower of London until that fabulous poppy display for rememberance day a couple of years ago! Made a special trip there!

We have a bit of the Grand Union Canal in our village and the tow path is one of our favourite walks. Unfortunately we live up a very steep hill from the canal.

I lived in London for 10 years and never "did the sights" until I had friends come to stay. I think it was just that I knew they were there, and never needed to make a specific visit to see them. My friends couldn't believe that I wasn't out sightseeing every weekend lol

Oh that brings back memories! I used to work in Birmingham city centre and a few of us used to go for a walk along the canal at lunchtime in good weather. Sounds exactly like that!

Welcome to my world! I live on a boat and scenes like this are an every day occurrence for me. I don't think I'll ever take it for granted or stop appreciating it - and the best thing is, it's constantly changing as the seasons roll around.

Water courses, natural or man made are always an attraction. I have lived close to a canal many years ago before all the boost in holidays in boats on canals and can well understand your surprise at finding so much to enjoy. Unfortunately litter is a problem everywhere. The UK is suffering from a distinct lack of appreciation about keeping our environment clean - that needs a lot of education to overcome.

Why do idiots not realise litter kills wildlife , grrrrrrrr

Mentioned! But hell, mantiobed is so good it should be a word!

DH mantiobed a beautiful lake in the park where he had a bowls match, not 10 mins from our house. Said don't be daft I've lived here all my life if there was a beautiful lake I'd kn about it! I didn't -but it's now one of our favourite places

On our retirement we moved to the coast It was my choice, not late DH, he would have preferred the countryside and its waterways . Watching Tv and life on a long boat I can see what he meant.

Yes I said to DH that I would go out with a bin bag and pick up the litter, which I will. Unfortunately some of it was in the canal itself.

Walking with my dog around the park this morning, I saw at least 3 people litter picking in the 20 minUte's I was out. Well done you 3.

We are so lucky to have a canal run through part of our town ,plus three rivers , canal and river walks are so beautiful and healing. So yes take a bag and pick up litter, keep the area beautiful

We live in the Lake District and it's lovely when you take people off to see it's wonders. It gives us a whole new appreciation on where we live.

Canal walks are generally lovely!
As for the letter,I go out in my local area with a bag and a litter picker (which I bought) and about once a fortnight collect some of the rubbish. I makes me feel better and enjoy my walks more when I'm not litter picking!
Win win!

You should make your walk a regular thing. As for the litter, why not take a few bags and pick it up?

Up until last summer we had a narrowboat so regularly saw exactly what you are describing . Ours 2 sons often joined us with their little families and used to say "we travel these roads on a regular basis and never know what is behind the trees and hedges"
We found beautiful villages we had never heard of and of course when we got back we would always Google properties in the area we had visited.
It is beautiful ..apart from the rubbish as you said.

What a lovely, cheerful post. A great way to spend your afternoon.