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We will shortly be going into Birmingham once the floating market bods have vacated the VM's. We know all the Brum mooring options pretty well as we've been many times before. But we also plan to go down the arm to Titford Pools which will be new territory for us. I only draw 2ft so are the pools navigable since they did the dredging? Can you moor in the pools? Are they quiet (except for the motorway noise) regarding footfall and local yoofs? Any recommendations for the best place to moor? We then plan to moor at the BCLM afterwards. I've researched this using previous threads on here, but are there any current changes there which I should know about?

We going to do the Warwickshire ring (Clockwise) and looking for advice please (A bit more specific than previous threads, I have looked....honest). We're not going into central Birmingham so will be heading up the Grand Union and turning right at Bordesley Junction up the Birmingham and Warwick before joining the B&F. We're planning to stop for lunch at Catherine-de-Barnes, hopefully to meet some friends at The Boat! However I'd quite like to push on a little bit in the afternoon, for an hour or so, to help shorten the next day ideally so we can get well past Star City (although I'm not adverse to stoping there, if space allows). I seem to remember an awful lot of the bank heading up to Boardsley Junction, where you may wish to moor, is solid concrete / paving and is very difficult to moor too. Is my memory right? If there are any reasonable / recommended mooring spots on this stretch your advice would be most welcome. We've plenty of time so don't really wish, or need, to cruise lots of hrs a day. As always many thanks in advance for all useful replies 😁

Well I've gone and done it and yes I know for many it's the wrong option but I've put the deposit down on a lined sailaway with additions that comes within my budget and now I've got to wait 12 months ... but in the meantime my thoughts or rather concerns now turn to where to moor the boat long term whilst I start on the fit out. I'd like to be near Atherstone on the Coventry I'm seeking your advice - given that I'm looking at the beginning of 2020 then is it too soon to start knocking on marina, wharf and boat yard doors ? Is it usual for such places to take a holding deposit or reserve a mooring or is it pay in full even if the boat won't be there? I also need a mooring that will tolerate me working on the boat and I've assumed that this would be acceptable but having walked past many moorings I've rarely seen any activity, more like cemeteries than marinas - is this frowned upon ? Any suggestions for suitable long term moorings in and around the Atherstone area ? Thanks in anticipation Martin

Hi all, I’m new here and would really appreciate some help... I have a residential mooring, which I’m considering selling. I have no idea where to start with valuations. The local estate agents haven’t dealt with moorings before didn’t give me much confidence. I can’t find comparable plots on line for comparison. Does anyone know a specialist in this type of valuation? thanks in advance. Brizz

OK, so we've had the boat for the best part of eight years and these came with it - in amongst the mooring pins, nappy hooks, ropes etc. I've always known that they were to moor with so on a recent trip I used one to moor to Armco. Fell out straight away. Don't laugh - what the Hell are they and how do you use them??? Diagrams/pictures welcome.... Doh!

We would like to move our 13.5m long, 4.1m beam motor cruiser from St Jean de Losne in France to Paris, in December this year, 2014. We missed out on securing a berth at The Arsenal despite sitting on their waiting list since August 2013. Does anyone know any other good mooring options for marina's in Paris where we can access the metro and enjoy Christmas there this year? The boat would then necessarily stay until the following June.

Hi, apologies if this is in the wrong section/has been covered before. I took on a boat in December. We have been fine in general for mooring, but due to the recent bank holiday, usual spots where mooring spikes are not needed have been filled and I've been forced to use our antiquated mooring spikes. I wanted to know if anyone could point me in the right direction to purchase some new ones in London. Second hand would be fine but I can't seem to find anyone in London who stocks them. I could really do with picking them up ASAP so if anyone could help I'd be really appreciative. Thanks in advance. Michael.

Hi, I'm looking into moving onto a widebeam in the Surrey (Surbiton) area. I've heard residential moorings are hard to come by, so I'm wondering if it's possible to find a local farmer or land owner, with land backing onto the Thames and renting a mooring off them? What license would I need? Would the land owner need planning permission? What else would I and the land owner need to stay legal? Thanks Andy

I am possibly starting a new job in the new year, unfortunately it will be a 2 1/2 hr commute each way on a good run each day. I am considering moving my boat (currently on the K&A) up to a more local location and spending a few nights per week on the boat to cut down my travelling time. Does anyone know of suitable mooring locations close to J3 of the M5 preferably with electric hookup and parking I will also be looking for a suitable crainage point and contractor in the same locality that can handle a 42footer Any helpful info will be very much appreciated

I first shared this idea with Daniel (site owner) and he suggested that I post it here to see what other people think, so please respond with short or lengthy comments or additional related ideas: My boat is currently stuck on the Leeds & Liverpool (near Wigan) due to a stoppage at Rishton which may take over 8 weeks to be sorted by CRT. This experience has made me wonder whether there is any way to contact other boaters who may be in a similar position and who might have a mooring on the Wigan side of the stoppage that they could swap with my permanent mooring near Skipton in North Yorkshire? I have tried to find a forum set up to deal with this issue but have failed so far. I suggested that CRT might help set something up but received a message from Sally Ash (Head of Boating at CRT) as follows: Using the internet to broker moorings swaps is an attractive idea which we have pondered in the past periodically. The conclusion today is that this would be a venture much better developed independently of the Trust and which didn’t limit itself to occasions when boats are stranded because of bad weather or emergency navigation restrictions. E.g. I have friends with a nice end of garden mooring on the GU in Hertfordshire and they’d love to spend a summer exploring northern waterways. For the Trust to investing its resources in such a venture would be hard to reconcile with our charitable objects which are about providing public, rather than personal benefit from navigation. Nevertheless, it’d be something that we’d be happy to help promote if a suitable scheme was developed. Having just found (and joined) the Canalworld website it seems to me that this would be an ideal place to host such a helpful new service and so I'm making this suggestion to you in the hope that you might be interested in taking it up. If so, I would suggest establishing a new section of the website where people with suitable and available moorings can advertise their availability to either boaters who are either a ) needing help in an unexpected situation (such as mine), or b ) who would like to stay awhile in a different part of the country. On reflection, the idea of "doing a swap" is rather restrictive and may not meet as many people's needs. Mooring "adverts" could perhaps be structured in a way to include some or all of the following: Canal Address Dates available Security Facilities available (electicity, water, rubbish disposal, toilets, toilet cassette emptying, parking, public transport links, distance from shops etc.) Fee payable (either to individual boater, or "site landlord") Comments on using the individual mooring (e.g. I'd put: friendly live-aboard neighbours, lovely farm setting etc) Contact details I hope that this idea will be greeted positively by other Canalworld Forum members, and at this moment my permanent mooring is currently vacant and I'd be happy to use it as a trial for this new service.

Hello, I'm looking at buying a new boat unfortunately it has a cassette toilet which I don't want. I would like a Pump toilet to holding tank how much would it cost to have it fitted install + labor (I don't trust myself to do it!). The boat is a viking 26 cc, very similar to a narrow boat. Also do any of you know cheap mooring on the River Wey for a viking 26 cc. James

Will be doing a post soon about the best places in Britain to moor, whether it be Permanent or Temporary, so was just wondering where the best place you've ever moored was, and why it was so good?

These mooring vacancy details have just dropped in my inbox. Woodlesford is a nice spot, easy access to the shops and pubs along with a rail station a 10 minute walk away. There is rubbish collection and water nearby but there is no elsan. May be of interest to somebody on here.

Hi travelling from Wakefield next week hope to do about 7 hours to get me into Leeds, where is best place to stay,? are the visitor moorings the best place,? if I only do 5 hours [ more likely ] any tips where best place to moor

Hi all, we have just bought our first 16ft river cruiser and looking for somewhere to moor it/ store it in oxfordshire, we are in woodstock. Please can someone help us or point us in the right direction!! THANKS

I'm making plans and need the forum's expertise, please. Is it possible to moor at or in the vicinity of Bugsworth for longer than 48hrs, would it be wise to leave a boat unattended there, and is it practical to get a train from close by? Cheers, MP.

Hello! I'm moving to Oxford in September to start an MA and I've been thinking about getting a narrowboat to live on whilst I'm there. A room in a house would be £400/month minimum and I'd much rather put the £5000 living costs for the year towards a boat instead (I realise some of that would go on various licences, fuel and fees, but I'd imagine less than half). I've started to research boats and their costs, and I've spent a day travelling through London with friends on their narrowboat, I want to illustrate that this isn't an idle fantasy but something that I'm considering carefully. However, from my research it seems that Oxford is a difficult place to find a mooring. I called up Osney Mill and was surprised that they have no residential moorings and weren't able to suggest anywhere else I might call. I asked about continuous cruising, and was told there wasn't anywhere I'd be able to stay near Oxford for more than a night or two at a time (whereas most of London seemed to work on a 14 day basis). At this point, I'd be open to either a permanent mooring or cruising and I wondered if anyone had any recommendations for either. Apparently its possible to apply for an Agenda 21 mooring, so advice on this would also be well received. I'm planning on visiting Oxford in the next week to do some ground work, so please let me know if you'd like to meet Sam P.S. I'd also be interested if anyone was looking to rent space on a boat that they used lightly.

Ditch bricks and mortar and buy a canal boat? It costs a fraction of a house but it's not all plain sailing ...? http://www.dailymail.co.uk/money/mortgageshome/article-3084373/Living-canal-boat-cost-fraction-bricks-mortar-s-not-plain-sailing.html

Hi Im currently based in a Marina, and would like to buy or rent land or similar in the area, either alone or with a group, for mooring. I can imaging finding suitable land and getting mooring permission is difficult otherwise everyone would do it. Can anyone offer advice of the best place to start please. Thanks for any help offered. And if you are interested in this also please let me know, particularly if you might be interested in looking for a location as a group. Mark

Hello, So I know that this is a much discussed topic, and sometimes a hopeless case, but I thought I'd ask for advice anyway. My boyfriend and I live aboard in Cropredy at the moment on a 9 month short term permit from CRT. We work in schools, so were hoping to cruise over the summer and then get another 9 month permit in September. However, there do not seem to be any more short term permits being offered at Cropredy or nearby. Now I know there are off-side moorings up and down from where we are at the moment, but you seem to have to know someone (and I'm not quite sure who) to get in with a chance of them (which is perfectly fair, as I'm sure I'd do it the same way if I was renting out my land). So I was hoping some of you lovely people might have some suggestions as to who we need to get to know, how we could get to know them, or how we could prove that we are trustworthy, responsible and a delight to rent to! Any suggestions greatly appreciated. Alison

Just trying to get an idea of what the typical fee for a farmers field mooring with no facilities is ? Looking at an offside mooring no facilities as such other than a water tap ! And trying work out what a reasonable fee would be we're talking north here on the L&L not inflated prices southern folk pay ? Thanks

My partner and I are in the process of buying our first live aboard Narrowboat. We're looking for a residential mooring in the Hertfordshire area however we're having real trouble finding one, all the marinas we've contacted are full and have basically told us there's no point going on the waiting lists as they're so long. Does anyone know of any residential moorings or have any tips on how to go about getting one? Many thanks for any advice ?

Hello, Totally new to boating and looking for a permanent (non residential) mooring on the Bridgewater Canal (preferably close to Manchester) but can't find any information. Have been unable to get a response from bridgewatercanal@peel.co.uk and wondered what everyone else's experience was? Is it usual to have trouble gaining info about this sort of thing? Have seen mwebb@peel.co.uk suggested many times, but he has now retired. Finding it very frustrating. Thanks in advance for any help or advice, it would be very gratefully received! Amelia

Hi, We have just joined as recommended by another boater on the cut. We are hoping someone can help or advice us as we are on our way to Hounslow where I have a 3 month work contract and need a mooring within commuting distance by car to Hounslow. We are currently on route and should arrive in Hounslow about the 16th December. Many thanks Prakash

Hi everyone, I have been lurking around the forum for a while now and I hope you all don't mind but we are in need of a bit of advice! Me and my partner are looking for our first boat and we plan to live aboard in London. I've read around about how difficult it is to find a residential mooring in London and that generally if you want one you buy a boat on the mooring already (we would prefer a residential mooring as I don't think we could CC and work in our jobs without quite a bit of stress). The dilemma we're having is that we've found a boat we like the look of in London but the family is concerned that it isn't good value for money as its a bit older etc (which really they're right but I assume thats the deal with getting a boat on a mooring in London). Would you say that this boat is worth it to buy or would it be worth hunting around London for a mooring and buying a boat without one? http://london.apolloduck.co.uk/feature.phtml?id=473888 We would like to be living on a boat in the next year (although sooner if possible!), so my concern is that waiting for a mooring in London could take several years! By London we mean anywhere as far out as Hampton Court ish area - beyond that the train gets so expensive to travel in plus the long journey just makes it not worth it for us. Thanks so much for reading and I hope you don't mind me asking! I hope to be joining you all on the water very soon