Birmingham is said to have more canals than Venice. Certainly, in the middle of the 18th Century, there were 174 miles of canal in the area. Now only 114 miles of them remain as navigable water, most of the rest has completely disappeared. Walking the towpath gives you a chance to see the city and its surrounding towns in a new light. In the centre of the city, over 15 miles of canal have been improved to make safe and enjoyable walking - you don't need a boat! Birmingham and the Black Country developed, at least in part, because of the canals. When walking or boating you can see some of the reasons why the history of the canals is part of the development of the city and its industries.