The Montgomery Canal runs through Montgomeryshire countryside, as well as towns and villages such as Welshpool, Berriew and Abermule © Flying Film Lab
Go on a Canal Safari
Our free, bilingual app, Canal Safari, is the perfect tool to discover the wildlife
of the Montgomery Canal in Wales
About Canal Safari
Once downloaded to a smartphone, Canal Safari uses GPS signal to plot a user on an illustrative ‘map’ of the Welsh section of the canal, from Llanymynech to Newtown. As you walk along the towpath, your location changes accordingly. The app notifies you of nearby nature-themed points of interest, complete with fascinating facts and fabulous photography, for a fun, interactive experience.
Just scan this QR code with your phone camera to download the app - or click the link at the top of this page
Jon Hawkins - Surrey Hills Photography
Designed to enable people to spot, identify and record the wildlife found here, the app boasts at-a-glance facts and more detailed information on over 60 of the plants and animals most associated with the canal. It also signposts users to the nine Montgomeryshire Wildlife Trust nature reserves located just off the towpath or nearby. There are quizzes perfect for children and families to test their newfound knowledge, while access points that link up with Google maps make planning trips to different spots on the canal a breeze.
Social butterflies will be able to share pics of the canal’s wildlife on Facebook and Instagram, as well as inviting friends to join them on a Canal Safari. What’s more, you can clock up your miles on each visit and keep logging your sightings to progress from Scout to Adventurer.
The free app works on iPhones and Androids, and is a brilliant tool that will help you learn more about the canal and its wildlife
If that wasn’t enough, the app also has a strong conservation function at its heart. The Montgomery Canal in Powys is one of the best places in the world for a rare aquatic plant called Floating Water-plantain, Kingfishers are frequently seen here and it’s also a stronghold for Otters, a species currently experiencing worrying declines. Anyone using the app is able to record a sighting and these valuable records will help build up important data across the county and the UK as a whole.
