Is the Wendover Arm Navigable?

[SandyD]

Hi, 

 

We were going to have a go down the Wendover Arm today (57ft narrowboat 24 inch draft) but were warned off going down there due to it being too shallow and overgrown with nowhere to turn at the end. We haven't had the chance to walk down there yet, but has anyone been down recently? (in a similar boat?)

 

Thanks

Edited April 19 by SandyD
Tidied up

[David Mack]

The photo in my signature (if your are viewing the forum in desktop mode) is of Belfast moored at the end of the Wendover Arm. Belfast is 71'6" long and draws 3 ft. There is plenty of room to wind on the bend at the end of the arm.

 

Edited to add:

Just seen that the end of the arm is subject to an indefinite stoppage. CRT advise "Dependant on the size of your craft you may be able to turn at the Tring Feeder that crosses Icknield Way and joins the arm (GV-002 375m), otherwise you'll need to reverse."

https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/notices/0196904b-75d4-754a-9b85-9a3e42b78a63

 

Edited April 19 by David Mack

[BEngo]

I have turned a 60ft boat in the Tring feeder, many times.  I remember one year at an ACS do we nearly got Bilster round.  Nearly!

 

Put the bow up the feeder. Drag the stern round with a rope. Easier when the Tringford pumps are off.

[agg221]

I can't find any notes on why the section is closed through to the winding hole, but I can find this from the Wendover Canal Trust's Winter 2025 newsletter:

 

Sadly our “Phase 1” restored section from the stop-lock to the winding hole is not only closed, but a permanent-looking dam has been placed across it and fences either side. CRT say that currently reopening this is not anywhere on their 3-year-plan of work. This seems to be because they have heard few if any complaints, so may I recommend that as many of us as possible contact CRT to explain how this inconveniences us especially boaters, use enquiries.londonsoutheast@canalriv ertrust.org.uk

 

Newsletter-Winter-2025.pdf

 

If there's one thing the good folk of CWDF are good at then it's complaining, so here is the perfect opportunity!

 

Alec

[SandyD]

Thanks for the comments, I think we will give the Wendover Arm a miss this time, but whilst I'm here, any comments on the Aylesbury Arm (or the trip down the GU to Paddington Basin?)

[David Mack]

Aylesbury Arm is a worthwhile trip. Even if the very reedy middle section gives off African Queen vibes.

You can moor up in the Basin at Aylesbury to visit the town, and Aylesbury Canal Society offer free short term visitor moorings at Circus Field Basin a mile and two locks from the town centre. Wilstone, part way down, is also a nice stopping point (with pub).

[BEngo]

The Aylesbury Arm passes through open country for much of the way, with views to the Chiltern hills so is  quite scenic.  It is  regularly navigated by the former working boats that moor at Circus Field, but it is a narrow canal and you will notice a difference after the GU main line.

 

The ACS moorings are handy for LIDL and a mini Tesco, McDonalds if you like that sort of thing and The Dog House pub, though the ACS bar (with very good prices)  is usually open Friday evenings and visitors are welcome.  Tesco are just above the bottom lock, and Waitrose can be found adjacent to the town basin. There are assorted pubs, restaurants and take away places in the town as well as some brutal 60's architecture.

[David Mack]

1 hour ago, BEngo said:

There are assorted pubs, restaurants and take away places in the town as well as some brutal 60's architecture.

It's not all brutal 60's architecture. You can have a pint in the National Trust-owned 15th century coaching inn, The King's Head, just off the Market Square.

[junior]

This is Albion moored at the end of the Wendover Arm about 10 years ago.

Am I reading this thread right and that you can no longer get to this part? I seem to remember a bit of a basin/wharf at the end. 

[agg221]

Just now, junior said:

This is Albion moored at the end of the Wendover Arm about 10 years ago.

Am I reading this thread right and that you can no longer get to this part? I seem to remember a bit of a basin/wharf at the end. 

 

Yes, you are correct that you can no longer get to that point.

 

The arm was abandoned and piped from the pumping station. The assumption was that no boats would use it, so it was retained as a feeder from the Chilterns rather than a navigation, hence no winding hole was provided at the end and the bridge was removed. Wendover Canal Trust raised the funds through their festival for the reinstatement of the bridge and completed the first section, which included a wide bend that serves as a winding hole. The next section on was not restored next because it was part of the plant access route but the aim was to get through to the A41 and then connect that length up. They had a bit of a win when the Aston Clinton bypass was built as the contractors needed drainage from the road so reinstated the canal with a navigable bridge for the new road. Progress then seems to have been pretty good, working to join the lengths up.

 

I'm not sure exactly what then happened. I know there were some claims about contamination on the field they used for the festival, meaning people couldn't put pegs in for gazebos etc. so they had to stop the festival which was their main source of fundraising. I know they also hit a problem with the coal pitch that had been used to try and seal the canal bed in places being declared as hazardous waste. I believe they also have some problems because the canal is technically still CRT's, so there are a whole load of extra contractor type requirements being placed on the Trust now in relation to its working methods (things like welfare facilities and meeting the cost of a CRT oversight liaison person to restore CRT's own canal!) What I can't find is exactly why the opened restored length has now been closed again (I worked on the restoration!), and with such substantial fencing and no plan to reopen it, without which navigating the arm is distinctly challenging. If I was a conspiracy theorist I would be thinking Wednesbury Old, ie stop navigation, let it choke up and eventually lose the requirement to call it a canal at all, but if they still need the water feed then that probably won't work so well on the Wendover.

 

Alec

[David Mack]

1 hour ago, agg221 said:

I know there were some claims about contamination on the field they used for the festival, meaning people couldn't put pegs in for gazebos etc. so they had to stop the festival which was their main source of fundraising.

My understanding is that the field adjoining the arm which had been used for the festival for years changed hands, and the new owner did not make it available. I don't think contamination there was an issue.

However contamination of the length of the canal route immediately beyond the section reopened a few years back has been a problem, which is why the restoration of the rest of the arm has proceeded from the other end, and has now just about reached the contaminated section. The Trust and CRT have been in discussion about what needs to be done in this section, so I don't think there is anything more sinister going on - just frustration that CRT's finances don't allow them to address whatever the problem is (presumably leakage) on the reopened-and-now-closed-again Little Tring section.

[agg221]

37 minutes ago, David Mack said:

My understanding is that the field adjoining the arm which had been used for the festival for years changed hands, and the new owner did not make it available. I don't think contamination there was an issue.

However contamination of the length of the canal route immediately beyond the section reopened a few years back has been a problem, which is why the restoration of the rest of the arm has proceeded from the other end, and has now just about reached the contaminated section. The Trust and CRT have been in discussion about what needs to be done in this section, so I don't think there is anything more sinister going on - just frustration that CRT's finances don't allow them to address whatever the problem is (presumably leakage) on the reopened-and-now-closed-again Little Tring section.

Your understanding appears to be correct from what I can find. I manned the festival for a few years with WRG BITM and I remember someone ranting about it the year it didn't go ahead on the original site - they were definitely complaining about not being allowed to put in pegs because of contamination but they may well have got the wrong end of the stick.

 

Restoration was definitely stopped at the current limit and then worked backwards from the A41 due to plant access. The access route and car park are on a bend in the road which lines up with this and the short section which is still infilled was always intended to be the final stretch, working from the current limit of navigation (protected by a bund) to the compound before final reconnection. At the time, the rubbish tip was presumed to be benign (we dug it for bottles to sell to raise funds for the restoration) and those issues have only shown up later. The original contamination issue was that when the canal bed leaked the first attempt at sealing it was to use the waste from the bottom of Wendover gas works, which is essentially coal pitch with a lot of gravel and sand mixed in. This was taken out of the gasworks still semi-liquid and dumped hot across the bed. You can see it from the shape of the plates it formed. It didn't actually work as it was too brittle and cracked. This was initially just being dug out and piled up until someone worked out it was hazardous. A fair amount of it disappeared though - there may or may not be a few wooden boats which made use of it in chalico...

 

Alec

Edited April 20 by agg221

[Twopints]

This is the notice on the bridge at the Bulbourne Wharf end of the Wendover Arm. It's fairly easy to miss the A4 notice cable tied to the bridge....

[Mike Griffin]

Sadly, the reason for the long term closure is the canal still leaks and householders gardens adjoining the restored section were affected by seepage. Other factors came into play = CRT's requirements for a dedicated member of staff to work alongside restoration members on any restoration work proved expensive and in the case of the Wendover arm changes needed to secure the storage site made life difficult. It's a shame when so many volunteers have worked hard over the years to try to restore this arm.

The festivals were great fun, and raised large sums of money, but the loss of the field due to a change of ownership made it impossible to carry on with festivals on this site and the loss of many older original members caused problems, although others came forward to take up the challenge, CRT changes have not helped them. 

Close by, maintenance bills mount up, CRT have just completed a £4 Million+ piling job strengthening the banks of Wilstone reservoir.

 

Edited April 23 by Mike Griffin
Include Pic

[matty40s]

On 20/04/2026 at 20:12, junior said:

This is Albion moored at the end of the Wendover Arm about 10 years ago.

Am I reading this thread right and that you can no longer get to this part? I seem to remember a bit of a basin/wharf at the end. 

That boat brings back memories!!

 

I moored down there in 2009...during the Icelandic ash cloud episode...it was so quiet without the planes, it was like being in the Scottish Highlands !!

[SandyD]

16 hours ago, Twopints said:

This is the notice on the bridge at the Bulbourne Wharf end of the Wendover Arm. It's fairly easy to miss the A4 notice cable tied to the bridge....

Sorry, we missed that sign completely!

 

[Bristolfashion]

On 20/04/2026 at 15:54, David Mack said:

Aylesbury Arm is a worthwhile trip. Even if the very reedy middle section gives off African Queen vibes.

You can moor up in the Basin at Aylesbury to visit the town, and Aylesbury Canal Society offer free short term visitor moorings at Circus Field Basin a mile and two locks from the town centre. Wilstone, part way down, is also a nice stopping point (with pub).

Yep, the Half Moon at Wilstone is a great pub and serves the fine Tring brewery beers. The walk over to Tring is a bit longer, but worthwhile and can take in the nearby farm shop. Try Nona's for lunch.

 

Statue of Ronnie Barker in Aylesbury basin, the legendary Friars music venue and a tribute to David Bowie nearby. The medieval Kings Head pub near the basin serves the excellent Chiltern Ales.

 

The Aylesbury arm is definitely worth it.

[Twopints]

1 hour ago, SandyD said:

Sorry, we missed that sign completely!

 

Yes, you would have done, because it was folded in half and twisted round so would have been totally invisible from a boat. It is only now visible because I straightened it out to take the photo!

Edited April 23 by Twopints

[alan_fincher]

5 hours ago, Mike Griffin said:

Sadly, the reason for the long term closure is the canal still leaks and householders gardens adjoining the restored section were affected by seepage. 

 

I'm a bit confused by that.  Presumably you mean houses on the right before you reach the bridge?

Once through the bridge my memory can't recall any housing, and Google Maps seems to confirm that.

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Little+Tring+Rd,+Tring/@51.8071434,-0.6736357,305m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m6!3m5!1s0x4876597e41068733:0x1463ae3c6e813da9!8m2!3d51.8041928!4d-0.6705645!16s%2Fg%2F1vr1w3s_?entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI2MDQyMC4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D

[Mike Griffin]

3 hours ago, matty40s said:

That boat brings back memories!!

 

I moored down there in 2009...during the Icelandic ash cloud episode...it was so quiet without the planes, it was like being in the Scottish Highlands !!

Sadly, boats cannot reach this section any more, really it is closed at the stop lock as before. There are the remains of a basin in Wendover, but many problems have to be overcome before boats could reach it.........there is proof that at least one boat did get there and stayed there, look for the stem post in the picture of the silted up basin.

4 minutes ago, alan_fincher said:

 

I'm a bit confused by that.  Presumably you mean houses on the right before you reach the bridge?

Once through the bridge my memory can't recall any housing, and Google Maps seems to confirm that.

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Little+Tring+Rd,+Tring/@51.8071434,-0.6736357,305m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m6!3m5!1s0x4876597e41068733:0x1463ae3c6e813da9!8m2!3d51.8041928!4d-0.6705645!16s%2Fg%2F1vr1w3s_?entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI2MDQyMC4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D

 It's the houses between the pumping station and the re-built bridge....this section was dry before restoration.........

[alan_fincher]

One of the now largely ended CWDF banters took place at Cow Roast, some of it aboard "Koukouvagia's" (Jim's) lovely Josher Owl.

The following morning those of us with "normally" draughted boats all took a trip down to this now closed Wendover Arm winding hole.  Dased on their previous experience those with deep draughted boats chose to give it a miss.

 

Although navigable (slowly) by ex working boats, it was never very deep.

Fun fact:  When the second batch of "Wendover boats" was dumped in the area near the pumping station in the 1970s, people pilfered the very large btomze propellers off some of the motors.  The most expedient way to do this was to drop and discard the rudders onto the bed of the canal.  People who bought the boats probably didn't know this, and they were towed away rudderless.
 

My brother subsequently took his motor "Bilster" down there, and retrieved a rudder that was a much better prospect than the one it currently had.  I can't recall if he left his old rudder in the same place he had retrieved it's replacement from.

 

 

17 minutes ago, Mike Griffin said:

Sadly, boats cannot reach this section any more, really it is closed at the stop lock as before. There are the remains of a basin in Wendover, but many problems have to be overcome before boats could reach it.........there is proof that at least one boat did get there and stayed there, look for the stem post in the picture of the silted up basin.

 

 

We walked the dog along that stretch a few weeks back, but saw no sight of the infamous stem post.  

It's possible I missed it, but I suspect it is no longer there, (or at least not above water level).

I'm happy to be corrected if I am wrong though!

(It still saddens me to say "we walked the dog" (singular) - we still massively miss our other one who passed last year.  He would have been the one in the water!)

 

 

17 minutes ago, Mike Griffin said:

Sadly, boats cannot reach this section any more, really it is closed at the stop lock as before. There are the remains of a basin in Wendover, but many problems have to be overcome before boats could reach it.........there is proof that at least one boat did get there and stayed there, look for the stem post in the picture of the silted up basin.

 

 It's the houses between the pumping station and the re-built bridge....this section was dry before restoration.........

Thanks for the clarification.  This is the first I have heard of this being the reason for the closure.

Edited April 23 by alan_fincher

[Mike Griffin]

4 hours ago, alan_fincher said:

One of the now largely ended CWDF banters took place at Cow Roast, some of it aboard "Koukouvagia's" (Jim's) lovely Josher Owl.

The following morning those of us with "normally" draughted boats all took a trip down to this now closed Wendover Arm winding hole.  Dased on their previous experience those with deep draughted boats chose to give it a miss.

 

Although navigable (slowly) by ex working boats, it was never very deep.

Fun fact:  When the second batch of "Wendover boats" was dumped in the area near the pumping station in the 1970s, people pilfered the very large btomze propellers off some of the motors.  The most expedient way to do this was to drop and discard the rudders onto the bed of the canal.  People who bought the boats probably didn't know this, and they were towed away rudderless.
 

My brother subsequently took his motor "Bilster" down there, and retrieved a rudder that was a much better prospect than the one it currently had.  I can't recall if he left his old rudder in the same place he had retrieved it's replacement from.

 

 

 

We walked the dog along that stretch a few weeks back, but saw no sight of the infamous stem post.  

It's possible I missed it, but I suspect it is no longer there, (or at least not above water level).

I'm happy to be corrected if I am wrong though!

(It still saddens me to say "we walked the dog" (singular) - we still massively miss our other one who passed last year.  He would have been the one in the water!)

 

 

Thanks for the clarification.  This is the first I have heard of this being the reason for the closure.

Alan, It was a passing comment I read or heard about this some time ago, after the recent breach and problem at a reservoir a few years back CRT are very careful with reports of a leak. The picture of Wilstone reservoir is interesting, it has been lowered and it also shows the extensive piling works, the Wendover Arm is at the top of the picture. M.

[GUMPY]

To think that in the early/mid 90s there was an article in WW, I think, that said the Wendover Arm would be restored by the millennium. I'm sure it wasn't the April edition,  mind you it didn't say which millennium.

[ditchcrawler]

12 hours ago, Mike Griffin said:

Sadly, the reason for the long term closure is the canal still leaks and householders gardens adjoining the restored section were affected by seepage. Other factors came into play = CRT's requirements for a dedicated member of staff to work alongside restoration members on any restoration work proved expensive and in the case of the Wendover arm changes needed to secure the storage site made life difficult. It's a shame when so many volunteers have worked hard over the years to try to restore this arm.

The festivals were great fun, and raised large sums of money, but the loss of the field due to a change of ownership made it impossible to carry on with festivals on this site and the loss of many older original members caused problems, although others came forward to take up the challenge, CRT changes have not helped them. 

Close by, maintenance bills mount up, CRT have just completed a £4 Million+ piling job strengthening the banks of Wilstone reservoir.

 

Ipswich IWA use to have a stand there 

 

 

7 minutes ago, ditchcrawler said:

Ipswich IWA use to have a stand there 

 

 

Found some photos, I think it was 2004

Edited April 23 by ditchcrawler

[agg221]

13 hours ago, Mike Griffin said:

Sadly, the reason for the long term closure is the canal still leaks and householders gardens adjoining the restored section were affected by seepage. Other factors came into play = CRT's requirements for a dedicated member of staff to work alongside restoration members on any restoration work proved expensive and in the case of the Wendover arm changes needed to secure the storage site made life difficult. It's a shame when so many volunteers have worked hard over the years to try to restore this arm.

The festivals were great fun, and raised large sums of money, but the loss of the field due to a change of ownership made it impossible to carry on with festivals on this site and the loss of many older original members caused problems, although others came forward to take up the challenge, CRT changes have not helped them. 

Close by, maintenance bills mount up, CRT have just completed a £4 Million+ piling job strengthening the banks of Wilstone reservoir.

 

Thanks for posting this Mike - I was at that one!

 

The Wendover was one of the first canals I worked on (the very first was the W&B at Dauntsey) and I always enjoyed Roger Leishman's utterly practical engineering approach with proper project planning. It's also good to have some information about the Wendover on what is turning out to be a rather interesting thread, albeit with the realisation on my part that now of the places where I went with WRG BITM there is only one section of canal which I worked on that I could take my boat to.

 

Alec