Slapton offside moorings-now private land

[sirweste]

 Since the removal of the CRT offside permanent moorings at Slapton in 2018 (as part of CRTs policy to get rid of their own online moorings) the mooring spot has opened up to all boaters. 

 

It is a brilliant moring , Nice and quiet, no tree cover so good solar, across from a water point and close to the car park

 

However, I have just nipped home  for my dinner and found a letter in my door from the land owner, the farm, telling me in fairly strong but polite words that effectively I need to bugger off! I should point out that there’s also a CRT work boat ‘abandoned’ here, and has been for weeks! Not that it’s of any relevance to me being there of course

 

Thought I would just let Folks know that the offside moorings are no longer for public use, perhaps they never were,

 

Edited October 18, 2019 by sirweste

[ditchcrawler]

Looks like CRT wanted to charge them as a mooring provider.

[nicknorman]

Not that CRT have the power to issue fines of course, that is only for the courts. But let us give CRT the benefit of the doubt and presume it was lost in translation!

[ditchcrawler]

Who use to let the long term moorings then?

 

[Tuscan]

If I remember correctly the farmer wanted to create a marina in the field which was refused so is not particularly friendly.  When the moorings  were there I think latterly a fence was erected just in from the moorings to prevent access. Presumably as there had been long term moorings there for many years CRT must have had some rights to enable them to have them. There is no way CRT could fine you for mooring there but it would be interesting to see what CRT say about this assuming you contact them. 

[MtB]

 

 

 

I'd say CRT have just sent him a big bill for EOG moorings.

 

 

[ditchcrawler]

16 minutes ago, Tuscan said:

If I remember correctly the farmer wanted to create a marina in the field which was refused so is not particularly friendly.  When the moorings  were there I think latterly a fence was erected just in from the moorings to prevent access. Presumably as there had been long term moorings there for many years CRT must have had some rights to enable them to have them. There is no way CRT could fine you for mooring there but it would be interesting to see what CRT say about this assuming you contact them. 

Are I remember that case, wernt they CRT moorings and the farmer ran a fence along the back of them

[Dr Bob]

2 hours ago, sirweste said:

 Since the removal of the CRT offside permanent moorings at Slapton in 2018 (as part of CRTs policy to get rid of their own online moorings) the mooring spot has opened up to all boaters. 

 

It is a brilliant moring , Nice and quiet, no tree cover so good solar, across from a water point and close to the car park

 

However, I have just nipped home  for my dinner and found a letter in my door from the land owner, the farm, telling me in fairly strong but polite words that effectively I need to bugger off! I should point out that there’s also a CRT work boat ‘abandoned’ here, and has been for weeks! Not that it’s of any relevance to me being there of course

 

Thought I would just let Folks know that the offside moorings are no longer for public use, perhaps they never were,

 

Ow!!!

I had to stand on my head to read it!

[MtB]

Just now, Dr Bob said:

Ow!!!

I had to stand on my head to read it!

 

 

You missed Post No 6 then?!!

 

 

 

[Dr Bob]

6 minutes ago, Mike the Boilerman said:

 

 

You missed Post No 6 then?!!

 

 

 

You posted that as I was trying to get back to the right way up!

[dmr]

This is sad, as more of the towpaths become high speed cycleways I think it would be great if landowners could provide off side short term moorings where boaters could stop for the night, sit on a chair and have a drink/barbie and let the dog have a run etc.

Its only a dream as finance and enforcement would be quite a challenge.

 

Something like the quarry on the Oxford and the little old quarry just above Middlewich, both very popular spots.

 

...............Dave

[sirweste]

Yer is a shame, is a lovely spot. But there are many moor nice spots, just they are never on the quiet offside. 

 

Ive been here for almost a week before I got the note. Interesting that the CRT workboat is tied up here, the employees obviously haven’t been told that they shouldn’t use the old permanent moorings. 

[AndrewIC]

1 hour ago, dmr said:

Something like the quarry on the Oxford and the little old quarry just above Middlewich, both very popular spots.

“Bramble Cuttings” just below Middlewich is I am old clay pit and I believe belongs to CRT. The site is maintained by Broken Cross Boat Club. There are signs asking you not to stray onto the surrounding farmland, which is fenced off from the site.

[mrsmelly]

1 hour ago, Mike the Boilerman said:

 

 

 

I'd say CRT have just sent him a big bill for EOG moorings.

 

 

He is not on his own. CART are having a bit of a field day with this matter at present, a well known moorings not a million miles from me is going through the mill re this at the moment. Nuff said.

Edited October 18, 2019 by mrsmelly

[ditchcrawler]

15 minutes ago, sirweste said:

Yer is a shame, is a lovely spot. But there are many moor nice spots, just they are never on the quiet offside. 

 

Ive been here for almost a week before I got the note. Interesting that the CRT workboat is tied up here, the employees obviously haven’t been told that they shouldn’t use the old permanent moorings. 

Maybe CRT own the first yard to where the fence was

 

[sirweste]

7 minutes ago, ditchcrawler said:

Maybe CRT own the first yard to where the fence was

 

 Do you mean the 1st yard from the lock or the 1st yard from the waters edge?

 

If from the waters edge I wondered the same thing. I actually fancied staying my second week here, so may stay the weekend . Will get in touch with CRT on Monday to find out what the facts are

[ditchcrawler]

Just now, sirweste said:

  1st yard from the waters edge?

 

If from the waters edge I wondered the same thing. I actually fancied staying my second week here, so may stay the weekend . Will get in touch with CRT on Monday to find out what the facts are

see above

[Sea Dog]

2 hours ago, nicknorman said:

Not that CRT have the power to issue fines of course, that is only for the courts. But let us give CRT the benefit of the doubt and presume it was lost in translation!

I'd be a bit surprised if CRT have had any involvement, let alone threatened to impose fines on behalf of the farmer. This looks more like a poorly written, self-generated letter as a first low-cost attempt to clear the moorings.

[sirweste]

2 minutes ago, Sea Dog said:

I'd be a bit surprised if CRT have had any involvement, let alone threatened to impose fines on behalf of the farmer. This looks more like a poorly written, self-generated letter as a first low-cost attempt to clear the moorings.

Oh yes, I totally agree with this. But if I am on the farmers land then I have no right to be and will move on. I am just curious if the farmer does own the land right up to the waters edge. 

 

 

[matty40s]

12 minutes ago, sirweste said:

Oh yes, I totally agree with this. But if I am on the farmers land then I have no right to be and will move on. I am just curious if the farmer does own the land right up to the waters edge. 

 

 

He will not, the 1st yard will be the CRT ransom strip. However, if CRT have removed the moorings, any access over the farmers land may no longer be allowed.

CRT have no recourse to fines, but are allowed to make charges for services.

[MtB]

9 minutes ago, matty40s said:

He will not, the 1st yard will be the CRT ransom strip.

 

 

Is that really the case? I often read this stated but never see any concrete evidence.

 

 

[Arthur Marshall]

And if there is a ransom strip, can we moor on it? You often see it where there's a new development and the gardens are fenced off a yard from the edge. 

[sirweste]

18 minutes ago, matty40s said:

He will not, the 1st yard will be the CRT ransom strip. However, if CRT have removed the moorings, any access over the farmers land may no longer be allowed.

CRT have no recourse to fines, but are allowed to make charges for services.

 

The access is over the lock from the towing path, then you walk down the bank to the boat. 

The first 3 yards or so used to be kept in lovely condition by the PMs that were there. As they predicted when they were kicked out, the bank is now just another bit of wild offside. 

Just now, Arthur Marshall said:

And if there is a ransom strip, can we moor on it? You often see it where there's a new development and the gardens are fenced off a yard from the edge. 

Yes, this. 

 

 

I have emailed CRT, hopefully they reply promptly. Might move down the lock to the tow path below. Will see how I feel tomorrow

[David Mack]

37 minutes ago, matty40s said:

He will not, the 1st yard will be the CRT ransom strip. 

 

27 minutes ago, Mike the Boilerman said:

Is that really the case? I often read this stated but never see any concrete evidence.

 

I think it varies from place to place, depending on the original practice when the canal was built and what has happened since. Some companies kept a strip of land (and in some cases marked the boundary with boundary posts), others set the boundary at the waters edge.

Since then, some sections of canal bank have eroded away, and the official boundary may be somewhere in the water. Elsewhere, piling or other bank protection may have been put in the offside shallows and backfilled with dredgings, meaning the boundary is (further) into the land.

Significant cuttings and embankments have generally always been in canal company/BW/CRT ownership.

[MtB]

1 hour ago, Sea Dog said:

This looks more like a poorly written, self-generated letter as a first low-cost attempt to clear the moorings.

 

 

I think so too, mainly because the letter contradicts itself saying firstly that charges from the author will be generated, then saying it is not within their remit to allow mooring at all. If they are not allowed by CRT to permit mooring, they cannot have a policy to charge for mooring.