It was nice to see a bit of greenery again at the weekend, although snow still dominates the scene in the higher Dales. One planned short walk turned into an even briefer outing as I made a quick about-turn after reaching waist-high drifts. Undeterred I headed for lower ground and took a stroll by the Leeds-Liverpool canal which skirts the Dales through some lovely countryside between Yorkshire and Lancashire. The water was frozen solid and ducks skidded towards me hopeful that my sandwiches were for sharing. The few hardy types who live on the boats and barges remained cheerful despite problems with frozen water supplies. One chap told me the temperature had dropped to -15 one night – the thermometer was inside his boat! Despite the weather there were many people using the canal paths proving what a useful amenity our waterways are. Many people may never have heard of the  Inland Waterways Association’s Waterway Recovery Group (WRG) but they do a tremendous job in restoring and maintaining our canals. This year they celebrate their 40th anniversary and will be running ‘canal camps’ throughout the country and anyone can join in - see www.wrg.org.uk