Dogs played a big part – not just the performers like this one, but the boater dogs and beloved pets out for the afternoon.

Today (20th September 2015) I got chance to go to the Lichfield and Hatherton Canal Restoration Trust’s Heritage Gathering at Huddlesford, near Whittington.

I didn’t really know what to expect; I’d not been to one before, and with all the talk of vintage cars, craft stalls and the like, I thought maybe it wouldn’t live up to the hype.

How wrong I was – it was fantastic. It’s easily the best canal do I’ve ever been to, even beating Pelsall’s wonderful even a few years ago.

Sadly, by the time I got there in the afternoon, the last of summer had evaporated and the day was dull; but there were loads of vintage vehicles, stalls, good food, music – and some wonderful boats. But as always at these events, it was the characters that made it, both human and canine.

I’ll certainly be going again – and best wishes to the Lichfield and Hatherton Trust, who staged a wonderful event to raise funds for a very important local history project.