National Rally, 1972

This National Rally held in Lymm, 1972 was The Inland Waterways Association (IWA) Nationa Rally of Boats and shows the field behind Cyril Bell Close next to Sutch Lane (the Bridle Path).

This held great significance for Lymm and was described as 'the biggest thing to ever hit Lymm'. The event attracted 1000's of visitors and hundreds of boats, including Royal Navy Vessels.  The primary purpose of the rally that year was to focus public attention on the critical condition of the Bridgewater Canal as just one year earlier, a major breach of the canal near Dunham had occurred which threatened the future of of through navigation and the entire Cheshire Ring waterway system.

The IWA had organised the Rally to campaign for the canal's restoration and to raise funds for the necessary repairs. Notably, the campaign was successful and canal was eventually re-opened in 1973

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