 | IWA Peterborough Branch www.iwapeterborough.org.uk | |
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The Inland Waterways Association was invited by the Environment Agency (Anglian Region) to indicate where in its view public moorings should be located on the waterways for which that Region was responsible. This paper is the joint submission of Lincolnshire and Peterborough branches of the IWA in relation to the rivers Welland and Glen.
The scope of the paper has been increased to note existing facilities where these are not recorded on the Agency’s plan and to include not only proposals for public moorings but also for additional facilities. The branches’ proposals for the creation of additional facilities are noted in Bold.
The possibilities of creating a navigable link between the rivers Witham and Nene are under discussion. Such a link would almost certainly be by way of the rivers Welland and Glen. As the discussions are at an early stage the branch has thought it sensible, in preparing this paper, largely to ignore the link and the facility requirements which would flow from it. Such additional facilities would no doubt be part of the detailed plans for any eventual link.
The purpose of this paper is to suggest where facilities should be sited with a view to encouraging navigators both to visit the rivers Welland and Glen from the tidal Welland and/or to base their craft on those two rivers.
There are air draught limitations for craft using both river but there is a special problem on the Welland. There is a single footbridge about 4 miles upstream of Spalding at Four Mile Bar which has a lower air draught than all the other bridges on the river and thus prevents the passage of many craft beyond that point. If the height of even one span of this bridge was adjusted to bring its air draught in line with the minimum available farther downstream it would constitute a major improvement to the river Welland and permit larger craft to navigate for a further 12 kilometres upstream to reach Crowland and beyond. Indeed such craft would then be able to reach the current head of navigation at the Folly River Outfall near Peakirk.
The branches propose that at least one span of the bridge at Four Mile Bar be raised to provide an air draught which at least matches the minimum available farther downstream. Attention is however drawn to the Bullen Report dated August 2000 relating to the proposed linking of the Rivers Witham and Nene. The bridge at Four Mile Bar appears at Appendix 3 item 64 where it is proposed that it be raised to provide an air draught of 2.3 metres. If it is decided that the link is to go ahead but if this proposal in this report is also accepted as an interim project then it would clearly save money long-term to raise the bridge to the 2.3 metre height now rather than to make two adjustments.
Craft arriving from the tidal Welland enter the non - tidal river at Fulney lock on the north side of Spalding. The lock can only be used with an Agency lock keeper in attendance. There is a total absence of mooring sites for the use of navigators passing through that lock. The branches propose that landing stages should be constructed above and below this lock.
Once passage has been made through the lock river traffic follows the old course of the river through the town of Spalding. There are ample moorings in the town giving access to its varied facilities.
South of Spalding lies the Welland Yacht Club premises. At that site as noted on the Agency plan there is a water point and a slipway.
There are on the river no sites where refuse or sewage can be discharged. This absence needs to be addressed:
a) The branches suggest that, if the Club will agree, screened facilities for rubbish disposal should be installed at the Club premises for the use of the boating public. The use of this site would reduce the chances of the facilities being damaged by vandalism.
b) As to the question of sewage disposal it is unlikely that the Club premises would prove suitable since it is understood that they are served by a septic tank and that the sewer main is some distance away making it an expensive project to create a link. It is assumed that the sewer mains pass on both sides of the river as it progresses through Spalding. The branches suggest that a site be sought in Spalding where facilities linked to the sewer main can be created for the disposal of pump out and chemical toilets.
Above Spalding the river is a man made channel with the water level above most of the surrounding land. There are low berms on both sides of the watercourse and then high banks on both sides that contain the river in times of flood. On the east side there are washlands beyond the bank. The slope of the channel of the river is such that with the river at normal summer level it is only possible for craft with very shallow draught to moor alongside the bank of the berm. The river above Spalding would therefore benefit from the creation of public mooring sites at key locations. However, this will only be a requirement if the first recommendation i.e. to raise at least a span of the bridge at Four Mile Bar is implemented. If it is not, it will still only be possible for relatively small craft to journey above the bridge. They by definition will have less difficulty in mooring and less need for purpose- built moorings.
The remaining recommendations for the river Welland are put forward only on the basis that at least a span of the bridge at Four Mile Bar is lifted.
The B1166 enters Crowland from the west. At the point where it crosses the river Welland there is a public house which is not marked on the Agency plan. The site is about 800 metres from the centre of the village and would be a good place to construct public moorings. By the public house there is a facility which was built by the NRA some years ago as a toilet block for the use of fishermen. It is currently in a vandalised state. If it can be protected it might be worth the Agency considering its refurbishment both for the use of fishermen and as a site for a water point and possibly for sewage disposal for navigators if this facility cannot, for any reason, be provided at Spalding.
The branches propose that public moorings should be constructed at this site at Crowland and that investigations be carried out into the possibilities for the re - use of the existing facility block.
Above Crowland the river has a similar character to that between Spalding and Crowland. The effective head of navigation for most craft is a point near Peakirk where the navigation is entered by a number of channels. The head of navigation would make a good place for the construction of a mooring. From that site it is possible to walk into Peakirk. There is an existing wheeltrack along the banks to the public road. While the branches are not aware of the existence of any right of way they suspect that the banks are owned by the Agency so that the granting of limited rights of access between the proposed moorings and the public road ought not to be a problem.
The tidal rivers Glen and Welland join at Surfleet Seas End. Entrance to the non - tidal river Glen is gained by passing through the nearby Surfleet Sluice. Such passage can only be made when there is a level. The Sluice is operated by an Agency sluice keeper. There is generally space on the tidal side of the Sluice for craft to moor while waiting for the water to level. There is, however, no available mooring site on the freshwater side of the Sluice.
The branches propose that a landing stage should be installed immediately above the Sluice and on the east bank for the use of craft wishing to pass through the Sluice.
There is a fresh water tap close to the site of the proposed mooring. This is not an official facility. The branches propose that negotiations should be conducted to make the tap an official facility or that an official tap be installed at this site.
The lower reaches of the river Glen above the Sluice meander between high banks through the villages of Surfleet and Pinchbeck.
Between the Sluice and the centre of Surfleet village, close to the point where the A16 road crosses the river, there is a public house with moorings.
Farther upstream the river passes through the village of Surfleet. The village has a post office/ shop and a public house with a restaurant next to the river. Although informal mooring is possible the situation is not satisfactory. At a point to the west of the village centre a minor road passes within a matter of feet of the river. This would be a good place to construct a public mooring to give access to the village. The branches propose that public moorings be constructed at this site.
The river flows past the north side of this village which has a full range of shops. There are, however, no public moorings and the river is virtually unused at this point. Beside the river is the Ship Inn. This would constitute the most obvious site for the construction of public moorings.
The branch proposes that negotiations be opened with a view to public moorings being constructed near the Ship Inn.
If, for any reason, such construction is not feasible there are alternative sites farther upstream, namely to the west of the railway bridge or to the east of the immediately subsequent road bridge.
Above the village of Pinchbeck the river continues between high banks. There is a bar / restaurant near Money Bridge and there is another pub / restaurant farther upstream at Pinchbeck West. Beyond that point the river is navigable for cruising craft to the junction with the Bourne Eau.
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