Canoeing and access rights?

[outlaw biker]

Just wondering if any canoeists can tell me what the situation is with access rights to canals and lakes? I can't find much info on the web, and what I can find seems a bit vague. Do you need a licence? If so, where do you get one and how much does it cost?

[ewenm]

Unfortunately it'll depend on who owns the river/lake as to what access permissions there are on it. Checking with a local canoe club might be the best way to do it.

[bigandclever]

http://www.canoe-england.org.uk/membership/waterwa...

Not a canoeist myself but I do a lot of towpath miles on the pushbike, heretic that I am. I've only ever been stopped twice by some officious oaf wanting to see my permit to pedal, or whatever you want to call it.

Have you got a catapult and ball bearings as a scrote deterrent?

[outlaw biker]

Ahh, cheers...I've just found the website of the lake I had in mind. Day tickets for canoeists are £5 each. Sounds pricey as I was hoping to get on there a few times a week!

Any idea on canals? I can't find any info at all on them other than 'all canals and towpaths are privately owned'. I even heard you need permission to cycle on them! But from who?

[outlaw biker]

bigandclever said:

http://www.canoe-england.org.uk/membership/waterwa...

Not a canoeist myself but I do a lot of towpath miles on the pushbike, heretic that I am. I've only ever been stopped twice by some officious oaf wanting to see my permit to pedal, or whatever you want to call it.

Have you got a catapult and ball bearings as a scrote deterrent?

Ahhh. Cheers for that! That sounds a lot more reasonable price wise.

[bigandclever]

outlaw biker said:

Any idea on canals? I can't find any info at all on them other than 'all canals and towpaths are privately owned'. I even heard you need permission to cycle on them! But from who?

Bikes... http://www.waterscape.com/things-to-do/cycling/per...

[outlaw biker]

Sorry, I have another noob question to ask....what sort of paddle should I be looking for? Its a challenge type canoe (if that makes any difference?) and what sort of money is reasonable? The price ranges on Ebay are crazy! I already have a helmet and buoyancy jacket sorted...used to do canoeing years ago and just trying to get back into it. Only thing missing is a paddle. They seem to go from £15 to £200. What do I need? Ideally I'd like to use the canoe for canals and lakes initially, followed by rapids once I have a bit more experience....

[dougc]

I'm pretty sure you can launch anywhere on the canals as long as you're not inconveniencing anyone. There's a code of practice for unpowered craft here

http://www.british-waterways.org/listening-to-you/...

If you want to make sure of the rules try contacting British Waterways

Head Office & Customer Service Centre
64 Clarendon Road
Watford
Herts
WD17 1DA
Telephone: [phone]
Fax (customer services): 01923 201304
Email: [e-mail]

[dave_s13]

can't believe i'm supposed to fill in a form for a free permit to cycle down my local towpath. Something i do a few times a week.

Fvkking nazis!

[Parrot of Doom]

Nobody bothers. Its not as if anyone is around to check. Its a silly requirement.

As for boats, nearly all canals are owned by BW. Just take your canoe and do whatever you want, nobody will mind.

[Tom_C76]

Parrot of Doom said:

Nobody bothers. Its not as if anyone is around to check. Its a silly requirement.

As for boats, nearly all canals are owned by BW. Just take your canoe and do whatever you want, nobody will mind.

...provided you've joined the BCU to get your license sticker. BW are allegedly cracking down on license evasion and for £30 odd it's probably not worth the hassle.

TC

[dern]

Parrot of Doom said:

As for boats, nearly all canals are owned by BW. Just take your canoe and do whatever you want, nobody will mind.

This isn't true. Only about 2% of rivers and canals in england and wales have access rights. Strictly speaking you need to join the bcu and in doing so you get a license to access those 2%. I've never had my license checked though so either wing it or pay your money to the bcu who use it to promote the sport and increase access (allegedly). The rest of the water ways are privately own and you'll either have to pay to use them (like the lake mentioned) or just steer clear. You could try a raid on private water if you wanted but I've been threatened with a kicking, prosecution for trespass and one farmer suggested he'd simply fetch his shotgun. It's a great passtime but some people are greedy as fk and simply don't want you using their land (or at least the water on it) even though you have no impact on it whatsoever. Then you have the miserable bd fisherman... you can see why people take up sea kayaking

[Dave 500]

Tom_C76 said:

Parrot of Doom said:

Nobody bothers. Its not as if anyone is around to check. Its a silly requirement.

As for boats, nearly all canals are owned by BW. Just take your canoe and do whatever you want, nobody will mind.

...provided you've joined the BCU to get your license sticker. BW are allegedly cracking down on license evasion and for £30 odd it's probably not worth the hassle.

TC

I've been kayaking for 15 years or so and never paid anyone anything.

Rule One. Don't take the piss keep out of other peoples way.
Rule Two. Take your rubbish home with you.
Rule Three. Wave at the nice Environment Agency boats and keep clear of the locks on the Thames.

[otolith]

dern said:

Then you have the miserable bd fisherman...

What, the ones who have paid the landowner for access?

Why not pay the landowner yourself?

[tonyvid]

I must admit, I am amazed at this! I never knew you needed permits to canoe in a river.

[dern]

otolith said:

dern said:

Then you have the miserable bd fisherman...

What, the ones who have paid the landowner for access?

Why not pay the landowner yourself?

I don't go on private rivers any more (the shotgun thing put me off) so can only comment about the ones on the canal/river. Like most people doing most thing most of them are ok... it's the one that mutter (or louder) that you're spoiling their use of their river that piss me off... this is in the situation where we've both paid for our respective licences. They're the ones that should go and pay for unshared access if that's what they want.

Regards,

Mark

Edited by dern on Monday 29th September 12:12

[Crusoe]

tonyvid said:

I must admit, I am amazed at this! I never knew you needed permits to canoe in a river.

in scotland you don't

[Tunku]

outlaw biker said:

Just wondering if any canoeists can tell me what the situation is with access rights to canals and lakes? I can't find much info on the web, and what I can find seems a bit vague. Do you need a licence? If so, where do you get one and how much does it cost?

You're not thinking of doing a runner are you?

[ewenm]

tonyvid said:

I must admit, I am amazed at this! I never knew you needed permits to canoe in a river.

It's someone's property so why shouldn't they charge people for using it? I know the Lake District National Park Authority spend a lot of time in access negotiations for the rivers and lakes (it's my ex-girlfriend's job). Similar to the more historical negotiations about land access and rights of way.

[tonyvid]

ewenm said:

tonyvid said:

I must admit, I am amazed at this! I never knew you needed permits to canoe in a river.

It's someone's property so why shouldn't they charge people for using it? I know the Lake District National Park Authority spend a lot of time in access negotiations for the rivers and lakes (it's my ex-girlfriend's job). Similar to the more historical negotiations about land access and rights of way.

I guess it is something I have never thought about, is a long river like the Gt Ouse divided up into thousands of little lengths then?