The Canal
The Canal is somewhat of a misnomer, the name having been given to a lake at the heart of the Alton Towers gardens, designed to look like a stretch of working waterway. The lake is fed by the Cascade at one end before passing under a wrought iron bridge, which was noted when built for its similarity to the recently constructed Southwark Bridge (a predecessor to the current bridge over the Thames).
It is not clear which of the Garden architects designed the bridge over the canal, but Thomas Allason designed an alternative stone footbridge in a gothic style, which was rejected in favour of the bridge we see today.
Then and Now
Then (c. 1930s):
Now (2020):
The lakes at Alton Towers require regular maintenance and dredging to keep them looking their best, and never more so than in 2020 - you might be forgiven for missing The Canal all together under the sheer mass of pond weeds that have completely obscured the small bridge across the lake.
Right through to the 1920s, The Canal was well known for its displays of aquatic plant life, including colourful swathes of lilies, but we're not sure that this is what the original garden designers had in mind.
