Peter's Waterways Blog

Afloat Without Buying A Cruising Licence
This was first published in IWA West Riding's Milepost in February 2016 as follow-up of a series of descriptions of cruising options where the navigator does not have to buy themselves a cruising licence.

Click to read full issue

Another of the fleet
The headline reminds boatowners who need a cruising licence, that it is possible to be afloat without one: a good plan is to lockwheel for someone else who has paid their licence, or hire a boat for an hour, or a day or a week or a month or for all summer.

There are also lots of trips available to paying passengers, continuing the theme of being afloat on interesting boats on interesting waters, but without having a tiller or wheel in hand, this is an Eastwards expedition.

Looking forward

Bridge at Spalding
Travel East to the River Welland, and inland from the tidal stretch is a trip to a shopping arcade aboard Spalding Beauty or one of the sister ships running the Spalding Water Taxi service.

It's £7 for a return journey and will take you from the centre of Spalding to the Springfields Outlet Shopping arcade any day from Easter to end of September. It's a turn-up-and-go service, with no booking necessary.

With a spare day or two it's possible to hire the boats from the operating company for a whole day for a trip a dozen miles upriver, or a narrowboat for a whole weekend. Phone 01406 380 532 or 07740 664017 or see here

Peter Scott
@peterjohnscott

Spalding Boarding Point

Outlet Boarding Point

Leaflet showing route

Entrance to Coronation Channel