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Boating In Britian
Introduction:
Britain is blessed with some 3,000 miles of navigable rivers, canals and lakes. Rivers are generally quite wide, are subject to a flow of current, have few locks, and where there are locks, such as on the River Thames, these are usually fairly wide, allowing the passage of boats of a wider beam (ie width)
Boating In Britain The River Thames
The River Thames
The Thames, The Royal River, is by far the longest and best-known waterway in Britain, and there are many books devoted to it, including several specialist “boating” books, so this article is intended simply as an introduction to boating on the Thames, and hopefully to provide readers with sufficient knowledge to make a more informed decision about which parts of this wonderful river to explore. For those looking to hire a boat anywhere on the 125 mile mainly non-tidal section of the Thames between Teddington and Lechlade you can get full details from the Thames Hire Cruiser Association.
Boating In Britain Norfolk Broads
The Norfolk Broads
Strictly speaking we should say the Norfolk and Suffolk Broads, because the southern broads are mainly in the county of Suffolk.
Boating In Britain The Fens
The Fens
“The Fens” cover an area of some 800 square miles, and include parts of Norfolk, Lincolnshire, Northamptonshire, Huntingdonshire and Cambridgeshire, even extending a little into Suffolk and Bedfordshire as well! It comprises of eight principall rivers, namely the Great Ouse, the Little Ouse, the Wissey, the Lark, the Cam, the Nene, the Welland, the Glen, the Witham and the Middle Levels which are a network of rivers between Ely and Peterborough which provde a connection between the Great Ouse and the Nene. Essentially all these waterways are connected to The Wash,
Boating In Britian British Rivers
Other British Rivers
The River Adur (Sussex) – Is navigable for some 12 miles via the Southwick Channel through Shoreham to Bines Green and Shermanbury Place before splitting into the Western and Eastern non-navigable arms.
Boating In Britain - Scotland
Scotland’s Waterways
Although Scotand has many rivers and lochs, there are only four canals, the Caledonian Canal being by far the best-known.
Boating In Britain - Canals History
Britain’s Canals History -
Whilst Britain’s rivers had been used for transporting people and goods for hundreds of years, they have their limitations – floods, droughts, the strength of the stream, shallows etc all dictated that only certain rivers were suitable for “shipping” and even these were at the mercy of the weather.
Boating In Britain - Summary
Summary of Britain’s Canals
Firstly the wide canals:
(with locks more than 7 feet wide)
Boating In Britain Inland Waterways- Preface
Preface:
An Introduction to the British Inland Waterways
By Clive Edwards, RMI Ltd
