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Mooring on rivers- free? allowed?


Lia

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Hi!

 

So I've been living on my boat for about 6 weeks now. We usually travel round canals, but are thinking of heading up onto the Avon and Severn soon.

 

We've been on the Severn from Stourport to Worcester, and did this in an afternoon. However, I don't really know anything about mooring on rivers. We have Pearson maps, and there were visitor moorings in Worcester marked on the Severn, but when we approached, it seemed you were supposed to pay 4 quid a night and pay and display. Obviously, we didn't stop there but carried on up the locks into Worcester and moored on the canal.

 

What's your experiences with mooring on rivers? Does this happen a lot, that you have to pay to moor on rivers? Or are there places you can moor?

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River banks are private property, so you need the land owners permission to moor up. The ones you saw in Worcester belong to the council who charge, not all councils do this, but then not all councils provide moorings at all

 

So no, you can't moor just anywhere: and as anyone who gives permission is probably having to maintain a pier for you to moor to, they are likely to charge for it.

 

In some instances you can moor on lock landings overnight, or on the "wrong side" of a lock landing - that is the side that doesn't give access to the lock (it probably leads to the weir!). Pubs will often allow you to moor up if you are a patron.

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On the Severn, the riverside pubs often have moorings, which you can use overnight if you're visiting the pub. There are free Canal & River Trust pontoon moorings at Worcester (between the canal and the lock), Upton-on-Severn, and Lower Lode (below Tewkesbury). On the Avon, most locks have free Avon Navigation Trust moorings, and there are several other free mooring sites.

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On the Severn, the riverside pubs often have moorings, which you can use overnight if you're visiting the pub. There are free Canal & River Trust pontoon moorings at Worcester (between the canal and the lock), Upton-on-Severn, and Lower Lode (below Tewkesbury). On the Avon, most locks have free Avon Navigation Trust moorings, and there are several other free mooring sites.

There are indeed free and good moorings on the River Avon (River Seven not K&A Avon) but as the River Avon is not CRT you will have to buy a licence for the River. From memory it is about £50 for a week.

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Are you sure you want to? The River Severn is pretty dire compared to what the country has to offer. I've only been up it once to be fair but the banks have been damaged by storm damage and a lot of structures are in a state of disrepair and neglect. As for the scenery, well it doesn't really change for miles on end... In my case, I couldn't wait to get off it! Perhaps I'm just fussy but there's much nicer places off the river Severn imho.

 

But to answer your question; I moored at the Lower Lode Inn (very nice traditional English pub) and also at Upton upon Severn where there's visitor moorings.

Edited by Armitage Shanks
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Are you sure you want to? The River Severn is pretty dire. I've only been up it once to be fair but the banks have been damaged by storm damage and a lot of structures are in a state of disrepair and neglect. When I went on it, I couldn't wait to get off it! Perhaps I'm just fussy but there's much nicer places off the river imho.

Your description doesn't sound like the River Severn that I use!

There's no more "despair and neglect" on the Severn than there is anywhere else - actually a lot less than most. There's the old power station up at Stourport perhaps, and few old tumbledown barns, but otherwise it passes through pleasant towns and typical English countryside, much of it beautiful.

Edited by PaulG
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Tend to agree that there is not much worth mooring for between Gloucester and Worcester on the River Seven.

When we come up from Gloucester we usually go to Worcester without stopping, then moor on the pontoons just after the River Lock or onto the canal.

If travelling North the next day we moor up by the Racecourse on the river - but you are expected to pay £4

 

If on your travels you do come down to Gloucester, check with the Gloucester lock keepers in advance as when the tides are high they flood over the Gloucester weir and it is very dangerous to be on the River.

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Tend to agree that there is not much worth mooring for between Gloucester and Worcester on the River Seven.

When we come up from Gloucester we usually go to Worcester without stopping, then moor on the pontoons just after the River Lock or onto the canal.

If travelling North the next day we moor up by the Racecourse on the river - but you are expected to pay £4

 

If on your travels you do come down to Gloucester, check with the Gloucester lock keepers in advance as when the tides are high they flood over the Gloucester weir and it is very dangerous to be on the River.

There is if you make that little detour into our loverly town of Tewkesbury.

Worth paying a few quid, mind...

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There is if you make that little detour into our loverly town of Tewkesbury.

Worth paying a few quid, mind...

But surly that would be back on the Avon which was mentioned earlier unless you pay to moor below the lock

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But surly that would be back on the Avon which was mentioned earlier unless you pay to moor below the lock

That's why I said it was worth paying a few quid (£3.00 a night AFAIR).

 

And stop calling me Shirley...

Edited by PaulG
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I would rather come down the Avon to see it, you still have to pay to moor.

I'd agree with that.

But a lot of people who travel the Seven between Gloucester and Worcester don't realise that Tewkesbury is an option.

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You have to pay for moorings on Tewkesbury and Stratford, but they're the only two places on the (Warwickshire) Avon you would. Even then, if you're early enough you could obtain a free mooring at Bancroft Basin (up the lock, onto the Stratford Canal). River Severn from Tewkesbury to Stourport is pretty dull compared to the rest of the area, due to it being large flood plains. There is Gloucester and Worcester though but I can't really comment because I've never stopped there.

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Well, the Severn between Gloucester and Worcester might be a bit underwhelming in places I suppose, and can be a challenging navigation particularly at spring tides, but Upton has free moorings and is well worth a visit. From Worcester to Stourport, the Severn is normally very pleasant and it only takes half a day if it turns out not to be startling enough for you. I rather like Worcester, where there's a few free moorings on the river and lots just up the locks, and the same can be said of Stourport. Be aware that some of the pub moorings are often a bit Heath-Robinson scaffolding contraptions on the Severn, perhaps better suited to the cruiser fraternity than a Narrowboat, so don't have one you don't know as your late in the day destination with no backup plan.

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It's completely inconsistent.

 

Some places, you moor up, and then the farmer comes and asks for his fiver. Other places you can stop for free.

 

 

That's because either the land owner doesn't know you're there or they are too busy doing farming stuff.

Phil

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Thanks for your help smile.png I had no idea the Avon didn't belong to CRT, shame it doesn't sad.png

It is worth visiting, moorings can be a bit difficult to find at the popular places in school holidays.

Bit more here if you want general info

http://www.avonnavigationtrust.org/

 

and licence fees

http://www.avonnavigationtrust.org/Licence%20Info%202016.pdf

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Thanks for your help smile.png I had no idea the Avon didn't belong to CRT, shame it doesn't sad.png

Oh no it's not!

Our lovely river navigation jogs along quite happily without the involvement of CRT, thank you very much tongue.png

  • Greenie 1
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There is ashort mooring to enable you to visit Ashleworth tithe barn and church. Theres also a pub. Its a really nice stopping place.

http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/ashleworth-tithe-barn

 

Yes, a very interesting place. The pub does ask for payment, though, even as a patron. I remember notices about all the rules and regulations regarding elver fishing. Does this still go on?

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Yes, a very interesting place. The pub does ask for payment, though, even as a patron. I remember notices about all the rules and regulations regarding elver fishing. Does this still go on?

Absolutely it does. You can make a lot of money fishing for elvers.

They are only allowed to be caught by netting.

http://www.glasseel.com/page8.html

post-5065-0-51837300-1464956601_thumb.jpg

Edited by PaulG
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PaulG, on 03 Jun 2016 - 10:01 AM, said:

Oh no it's not!

Our lovely river navigation jogs along quite happily without the involvement of CRT, thank you very much tongue.png

Hear, hear - monopolies can be are bad.

Especially if CaRT are hell bent on making up the rules without the correct authority so to do.

 

Hands off my River too....

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Why the Severn-hate? I bloody love it on that river. The stretch from Worcester down the Gloucester is great. Feels so remote and full of wildlife. Great views over to the Malverns. Tewkesbury and Upton are great stopping off points and there's a good choice of pubs to visit.

 

Perhaps more than anything I love how my boat slips so smoothly through the deep water.

 

The Avon is wonderful too but very different to the Severn.

 

Last summer, my elderly parents came and joined us on my boat for a week. They wanted relaxation and few or no locks. We met them at Diglis and went down to Sharpness and back. They loved it, and once on the river, they didn't have to lift a finger.

  • Greenie 1
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