British Waterways Maps Britain's Canals and Rivers On Screen

9 January 2009

Water has long been an inspiration for creativity and, in recent times, canals and rivers have started featuring in supporting roles in everything from reality TV to James Bond movies. Now, British Waterways has mapped out the most iconic film and TV locations on the nation’s 2,200-mile network of canals, rivers and docks, and is inviting the public to discover the real-life film sets on their doorstep.

The map, which can be viewed at www.waterscape.com/filmmap, features big budget Hollywood favourites like ‘28 Weeks Later’ and ‘The World is Not Enough,’ which were filmed around the imposing cityscape of London’s Docklands. It also includes British hits like ‘The Full Monty’, with its famous scene where characters are marooned on the roof of a sinking car in the Sheffield & Tinsley Canal, and ‘This is England,’ featuring scenes on the Nottingham Beeston Canal.

Also represented on the map are long-running TV classics like ‘Inspector Morse’ and ‘Coronation Street’, and more recent productions like the adaptation of Terry Pratchett’s fantasy novel ‘The Colour of Magic’ or ‘Crusoe’ starring Sean Bean.

In the last few years, ‘location vacations’ have seen a big increase in popularity, and as budgets are increasingly tightened, taking a break in the UK is becoming a preferred option. So whether you want to go on a Nessie hunt at Loch Ness or follow in the footsteps of cult cooks the Two Fat Ladies on the spectacular Pontcysyllte Aqueduct in north Wales, there’s plenty of scope for imagination.

Simon Salem, British Waterways’ marketing director says: “If you only see Britain’s canals and rivers on screen, you might be forgiven for thinking the waterways are mostly frequented by criminals, zombies and creatures from the pages of fantasy novels - but the truth is very different.

“Your local waterway is a great everyday place to escape from it all, walk to work or spot some wildlife. And with more than half the British population living within five miles of a canal or river, there’s plenty of opportunity to dream up your own waterside blockbuster.”

Brian Robinson, communications manager for Archive & Heritage at The British Film Institute says: “Britain's rich heritage of waterways is paralleled by the richness of our film culture. This is a great project which links the two together. Both film and industrial heritage are inextricably linked and as guardians of the BFI National Archive we are happy to support it.“

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For further media information please contact Victoria Shooter on 020 7985 7276 / 07796 610427 or at victoria.shooter@britishwaterways.co.uk

Notes to editors:

British Waterways cares for and maintains the nation's 2,200 mile network of canals and inland waterways, working in partnership with private companies, local authorities, voluntary groups and other government agencies to protect and enhance the waterways for the benefit of local communities.

The waterway film and TV location map can be viewed at www.waterscape.com/filmmap, British Waterways’ leisure website. Each location links through to visitor information about the waterway featured and attractions in the area.