![A swan opens its wings by the Grand Union Canal in Loughborough.](/https/www.telegraph.co.uk/content/dam/news/2018/05/22/TELEMMGLPICT000162564392_trans_NvBQzQNjv4BqepFX7Cjaz_vGTytwS0xbx5-FsDXdn_BjjunZp4jQoHE.jpeg?imwidth=680)
Canals prescribed by GPs to combat depression
![A swan opens its wings by the Grand Union Canal in Loughborough.](/https/www.telegraph.co.uk/content/dam/news/2018/05/22/TELEMMGLPICT000162564392_trans_NvBQzQNjv4BqepFX7Cjaz_vGTytwS0xbx5-FsDXdn_BjjunZp4jQoHE.jpeg?imwidth=680)
Canal walks are being prescribed by GPs to combat depression, the Canal and River Trust has revealed.
A trip to the canal reduces stress and helps people deal with low mood and loneliness, the charity's chairman has claimed, as he unveiled a rebrand focusing on the health and wellbeing benefits of the waterways.
Allan Leighton told the Daily Telegraph that the conservation charity wanted to promote a "natural health service" which could help reduce pressure on the NHS.
In one case a GP service in Buckinghamshire has begun prescribing a canalside walking route to help patients deal with high blood pressure, depression and lung conditions.
"It's complementary to the NHS," he said.
"It is a health issue, there is no doubt. If people go by the water they are less stressed, they're more healthy, they have more fun, they're more relaxed. We are saying 'come and enjoy this, it's good for you'."
The announcement came as Helen Stokes-Lampard, chair of the royal college of GPs, said "social prescribing", which involves directing a patient towards an activity or community group, should be used more often.
She said GPs were having to deal with people's loneliness as they often had nowhere else to turn, but this was not the best use of their time.
"We need to be there to be people's doctors and have other people to sort out the loneliness so we can focus on disease," she said.
"For social prescribing we need access to up-to-date databases of what is out there.
"But this is patchy around the country, sometimes local councils run them, sometimes the NHS runs them but we need some sort of standardised way of doing it that is kept up to date.
![Two women enjoy lunch at a canalside pub in Oxfordshire](/https/www.telegraph.co.uk/content/dam/news/2018/05/22/TELEMMGLPICT000131950583_trans_NvBQzQNjv4BqFQfAtbbiWQ9LTv4s2yIts-g5BMvmLTrOMAe0KXRJ5Is.jpeg?imwidth=350)
"I propose a Wiki-style approach to doing it where organisations themselves contribute to the database - but it would need to be quality-assured," she said.
The CRT's research has found that visiting waterways is associated with higher levels of life satisfaction.
Mr Leighton said canals on prescription were already being offered "in many areas" and they could be further rolled out following the study.
"It does help, the fact that we've done this work about the benefits.
"People are less stressed, more happy, they feel they belong to things. It's a big thing for mental health.
"We know definitely if you do do it it will make you feel better. It's pretty difficult to be stressed when you're walking down a canal or a river," he said.