River Guides

Wilson Tyler Narrowboat Owners Club

WTNBC and the author accept no responsibity for the use of the information contained on this page. Advice regarding local conditions should always be sought from the Trent lock keepers at West Stockwith, Cromwell, Keadby and Torksey.

Tidal River Trent

Please note all VHF working channels have altered from those included below, they are now:-

Trent Falls (Apex) to Keadby VHF 17

Ouse VHF 14

Humber Bridge to Apex VHF 15

Bellow Humber Bridge VHF 12

The above Information kindly provided by Humber Pilot W.J Strafford ABP.

At West Stockwith, the tide runs in for only two & a quarter hours, it follows then that it runs fast, very fast, & on spring tides, faster still.

AEGRE

Now lets get rid of some of the folklore that's sprung up about this natural phenomenon. First of all you aren't going to meet one every time you stick your nose out on to the Trent, the only time you might see one is when the tidal height at Hull is over 8 metres, true, the further down the Trent you are, the more spectacular it is but anywhere above Gainsborough bridge it is, just a ripple. For the statistically minded, Aegre height is roughly equal to the height above 8 metres at Hull plus about 2 feet, decreasing in height as it proceeds up the Trent finally running out of steam at {as stated previously Gainsborough} Now lets try to make sense of some of those nautical terms that the {experts} like to throw around in an attempt to impress and baffle us all with. If for instance you were told "Flood at Stocky,s at eight o'clock in the morning."...Well all that means is that that's the time in the morning that the water in the river instead of running to the sea {via the Humber} turns round at West Stockwith and heads back up stream, now by one of those wonderful quirks of nature flood at West Stockwith is exactly at the same time as high water {here we go again} Albert dock Hull, what that means to us is that when we buy a tide table showing {always} high water Hull then its also saying, though not in so many words that {"Its flood at Stocky"} so if you were making for Torksey from Stocky your best time to leave would be about three quarters of an hour after flood at West Stockwith.

To CROMWELL LOCK from West Stockwith

Assuming we are leaving from the basin, This time we really want to be leaving as soon after flood as there is enough water over the lock sill to allow us out on to the river, that way we will have the tide with us for most of the way. "what? the journey to Cromwell takes more than two and a quarter hours" I Hear you say, You bet it does!, What you are doing in effect is travelling up the Trent on one body of water so if you went at it too fast you could actually overtake the tide and run out of water, still if you do run aground you can always blame it on the barge that pushed you all the way over,.. We'll all believe you!.

BEST TIME FOR KEADBY [from Stocky]

Well almost any time after high water but between one and four hours is best, VHF channel 74 is used by the lock keeper here as are all the locks on the Trent, the lock keepers are knowledgeable and helpful.

THE HUMBER

Leave an hour before high water. the tide you will be punching will have lost most of its power and when it does turn under you, you will have enough water to get through Trent falls where, near low water, keeping to the channels is a work of art, follow the channel markers and have a Trent guide handy. {Guides available from most chandlers in the Trent vicinity.} charts for the Humber’s upper and lower reaches which are surveyed by Associated British Ports are updated regularly and on the Humber they need to be, e.g.. if you saw the house on Reeds island a few years back, you may be surprised to learn that it’s not there now, not just the house.....Reeds island, well most of it anyhow, nature I understand is now rebuilding the island. bet it won’t rebuild the house though!

THE JOURNEY BACK TO WEST STOCKWITH

KEADBY

If you want to arrive at West Stockwith at slack water there, leave a good while after flood [Keadby] channel 74 gets the lock keeper. now lets depart to Stocky from upstream starting from............................

CROMWELL LOCK

Look at the tide table and find what time high water is at Hull, you want to be leaving Cromwell an hour after this time, {you could always ask the lock keeper but remember you are a long way in land and he just may not know, especially if he's the relief keeper,} this should see you passing....TORKSEY at high water there you will now have a fast flowing tide all the way home. Now, in order to get into Stocky lock, you will have to round up and face the current, {which unlike on slack water will be running pretty fast} you then have two options either turn into the lock under power or tie up to the jetty and walk her in with the ropes, now not all that long ago the water alongside the jetty was always slack, not now though, they extended the jetty and prettied it up, the Trent itself obviously didn't like the alterations, it no longer bides awhile it simply shoots past at the same rate of knots as it does elsewhere. Remember just take your time ,think about it, and you will experience no difficulty in getting in.

Right, let’s reiterate,

Flood at West Stockwith is at the same time as high water Hull. High water West Stockwith is two and a quarter hours after flood. High water Torksey is about one and a half-hours after H.W. Stockwith,or about four hours after High water Hull.

NAVIGATIONAL INFORMATION

Ships of reasonable size are in evidence from Trent falls to Keadby, listen out for them on channel 8, Trent falls to Keadby, above Keadby bridge and for the rest of the Trent, its channel 6. You will come across coasters as far up as Flixborough, and you may encounter barges almost as as far up Cromwell. Usual rules apply when meeting craft coming the opposite way, remember a loaded down barge draws a good deal more than you do so he will, of course need the deeper water, take care especially on bends, again, don’t be put off by the above information, when you do meet a large craft you will, ten to one, meet it on a nice long straight, but just in case, keep the above in mind. Finally {what’s where?}

KEADBY

Keadby marine is no more so no diesel to be had from here. There is a BW shower block and adequate moorings

WEST STOCKWITH BASIN

There's a pub and a yacht club. 1996 marked the end of the Yorkshire Electricity Port of Gainsborough Island Trophy. (yacht race) An event that was synonymous with West Stockwith Yacht club. The club annually organised the race "sound like a lakeside jaunt"?....don’t you believe it! The race started from Gainsborough and competitors would race virtually none stop for two, sometimes three days, the course followed the Trent through to the Humber into the North Sea, then the Wash..... Some lake, some event. Unfortunately the club lost the urge to take to the sea in the way that it once did and sadly the event died. They do occasionally hold waterside events of the bring and buy kind though!

TORKSEY Eating houses and pubs in abundance here, moorings are good and you don’t have to lock through, you can stay out on the Trent with no problems, {ideal for that early morning tide} alternatively the lock is manned, pretty lock and Saxilby isn't far away.

CROMWELL LOCK Good moorings above the lock but absolutely no amenities, a peaceful and pleasant spot to spend the night though as access by road is virtually impossible with out satellite navigation , carry on a little further toward Newark however, and you will come across an hostelry, Ferry Inn, {starboard side} with bow to moorings.

River Witham

Built by the Romans about 120 AD. The Fossdyke is the oldest navigable canal waterway in the country. The river Witham, to which it is contiguous, was in addition made navigable by the Romans. Consequently the Witham joined the Trent at Torksey and later, as they invaded England, The Vikings found this very handy offering them as it did a quick passage to the heart of 'Olde England. "From the Humber to the Wash" is a saying often heard on the local Lincs., FM radio. To the Romans, the Vikings and even to present day boaters it meant / means a passage to or from the above & not necessarily by sea. The Normans were next to make use of the two waterways, carrying stone to build the beautiful Lincoln Cathedral. By the 17th century the navigations had fallen in to the hands of riparian land owners who had no interest in maintaining or looking after anything that wouldn't earn them a bob subsequently they became all but impassable. Look round at the vanishing hedgerows of today and you will see a striking resemblance between then and present day farming attitudes. However to get to the Fossdyke from the Wash, as several Narrowboats have done in the past, you must first cruise the Witham, which is entered, via the Grand Sluice at Boston and, out of normal working hours, you must first book the lock.

Telephone 01205 364864.

As more and more people with narrowboats enter the Witham from the Wash here goes;

The lock is available 2 hours before high water Boston and 2 hours after.

British Waterways have plenty of finger, and a few linear, moorings situated above the sluice with power. Water is available and the moorings are now protected by high fences and covered by security camera's. Alongside these moorings are the Boston marina owned berths with a few visitors moorings, contact John or Christine on 01205 364420 re. availability. Carry on a little further however to a place that sounds like a rich Italian's illness, Anton's Gowt, the moorings there are free and the pub, just a small walk away is a good place for meals etc. There are, from then on, quite a few pontoons strategically placed, by BW, staying at these moorings overnight, or even a few days is also free. Further up river is the village of Bardney moorings and pubs carry on and just through the village is Bardney lock. Beyond that is a short cruise of about 8 miles to the village of Washingborough again with free moorings 2 miles further and you are in Lincoln and Stamp End lock. You can moor here and walk around Lincoln but I would recommend, if you intend to leave the boat for long in the evening, the short journey to Brayford pool and moor there. you may carry on through the guillotine lock up to the Fossdyke, for this you will need a BW key. On through the Glory hole, and this is an experience not to be missed, to Brayford pool which is smack in the centre of Lincoln. There is a marina here but for better access to the town the moorings to your right, upon entering the pool, are run by Brayford trust and reasonably priced. There is also a shower and laundry facility. Beyond Lincoln there are quite a few good, safe moorings alongside pubs and places of interest etc.

The Burton Waters complex houses, among other things, a boat yard and chandlery. Reports are that this place is quite expensive, so be aware of that should you have the need to visit. The village of Saxilby has good moorings with built in barbecue's, busy at summer weekend's, then on to Torksey.

Please send in a guide to the river you use the most, its always new to someone!