Boaters who normally travel around the system but who want to stay in one place for longer than the usual permitted fortnight over the winter months can now apply to do so, as the Canal & River Trust’s Winter Moorings have gone on sale.
After an initial problem with online payments when it opened for business, CRT reports that the system is now back online – although we understand that some issues relating to customers who attempted to book moorings first thing are still being dealt with. There have been a number of changes since last winter: the ‘general towpath permit’ allowing mooring at non-specific locations has been withdrawn (following legal advice that it might contravene the 1995 British Waterways Act); also there are no moorings in inner London. However there are a number of new mooring sites, added in response to boater feedback.
In total there are 173 sites across the network, each offered at one of three price tiers (£6.50, £10.00 or £13.50 per metre length per month) depending on factors including facilities and convenience of location, for periods of one month to four months between November and February. Although primarily aimed at boaters with no home mooring, they are available to all.
For those hardy boaters who want to carry on cruising all winter, CRT Head of Boating Mike Grimes offered assurances that “where we offer winter moorings on visitor mooring sites, at least half the space will be left free for cruising boats.”
For more details and to book a mooring see https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/boating/mooring/winter-moorings
