River Nene: bridge heights, locks and facilities
Information for boaters on the River Nene.
The River Nene links the Grand Union Canal to the River Great Ouse via the Middle Levels. Originally a commercial navigation, the Nene is now used almost entirely for recreation.
The Environment Agency navigation starts at the junction with the Northampton Arm of the Grand Union Canal near Cotton End Lock. It extends 91 miles to the sea, ending at Bevis Hall just upstream of Wisbech.
Read the recreational byelaws for Anglian waterways.
You need to register your boat with the Environment Agency if you want to take your boat on this stretch of the River Nene.
If you are visiting the River Nene from the Grand Union Canal you can buy your visitor registration and navigation key from the Environment Agency marina at Northampton.
River Nene bridge heights
| Location | Headway (metres) | Headway (feet) |
|---|---|---|
| Billing Bridge | 2.4 | 7.87 |
| Whiston Farm Bridge | 2.8 | 9.18 |
| Doddington Road Bridge | 2.6 | 8.53 |
| Wollaston Footbridge | 2.6 | 8.53 |
| Mills Road Bridge | 2.6 | 8.53 |
| Ditchford Bridge | 2.7 | 8.86 |
| Higham Ferrers Farm Bridge | 2.9 | 9.51 |
| Irthlingborough Bridge | 2.6 | 8.53 |
| Ringstead Bridge | 2.75 | 9.02 |
| Woodford Old Rail Bridge | 2.9 | 9.51 |
| Denford Farm Bridge | 2.6 | 8.53 |
| Pipes Viaduct | 3.0 | 9.84 |
| Islip Road Bridge | 2.7 | 8.86 |
| Islip Footbridge | 2.2 | 7.2 |
| Thrapston Footbridge | 2.5 | 8.2 |
| Titchmarsh Farm Bridge | 3.0 | 9.84 |
| Thorpe Bridge | 2.6 | 8.53 |
| Achurch Footbridge | 2.6 | 8.53 |
| Ashton Footbridge | 2.5 | 8.53 |
| Cotterstock Bridge | 2.7 | 8.86 |
| Fotheringhay Bridge | 2.1 | 6.89 |
| Elton Footbridge | 2.8 | 9.19 |
| Wilgar Bridge | 2.6 | 8.53 |
| Nene Valley Rail Bridge | 3.3 | 10.83 |
| Bluebell Footbridge | 2.8 | 9.19 |
Speed limit
The navigation has a speed limit of 11.2 kmph (7mph).
Locks
There are 38 locks between Northampton and Peterborough. Typical lock dimensions are 26 metres long and 4.6 wide. Most locks have pointing doors at the upstream end and vertical guillotine gates at the lower end.
You’ll need an Environment Agency navigation key to operate the guillotine gates and a windlass to fit 2.6 centimetres square to operate the paddles.
You can get navigation keys along with registrations and pumpout tokens from:
- Northampton Marina 0160 460 4344 (maps and electricity cards are also available)
- Peterborough Visitor Information Centre 0173 345 2336
- Dog in a Doublet lock 0370 850 6506
Moorings
The Environment Agency hasn’t got any permanent moorings on the River Nene.
Boats must not be moored within 36 metres (118 foot) of any lock, sluice, weir or water intake expect when navigating a lock.
At the Dog in a Doublet lock, Bedfore Sluice lock (Northampton) and Weston Favell, (Northampton), you can’t moor for 100 metres on both sides of the structure.
You can’t use the landing stages either side of the lock for overnight mooring.
Tidal passage
The river is tidal for 45 kilometres downstream of the Dog in a Doublet lock. Registered craft can pass through the lock every day from 7.30am until sunset.
Call 0370 850 6506 at least 48 hours before you arrive to arrange passage.
Strong stream advice
Locks on the rivers Nene and Great Ouse are ‘reversed’ during floods and high flows. This closes the affected locks to navigation. The Environment Agency recommends that you don’t navigate during these periods. When strong stream advice is in force, signs along the river are activated and some marinas and boat clubs display red flags.
You can also call the floodline information service to find out whether the strong stream advice is active.
Telephone: 0345 988 1188 Select option 1, then option 1 again, and when prompted choose from the following:
- River Nene quick dial number: 032112
- River Great Ouse (Bedford Ouse, Kempston, Bedford to St Ives Town) quick dial number: 033211
- River Great Ouse (Bedford Ouse, St Ives Lock to Hermitage Lock, Earith) quick dial number: 033212
- River Ancholme quick dial number: 031212
Facilities
Environment Agency sanitary facilities (water, pump out, chemical toilet disposal) are available at Northampton Marina and Wellingborough Embankment. The pump outs at both these locations are token operated. Tokens can be purchased from the Environment Agency (telephone 0370 850 6506) and at Northampton marina (telephone 0160 460 4344 or 0786 758 0129 out of working hours).
Find out about call charges.
There are also water points at:
- Thrapston Nine Arches mooring
- Wadenhoe
- Upper Barnwell lock
- Yarwell lock
Water is free at all Environment Agency sites.
Updates to this page
Last updated 29 April 2024 + show all updates
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Corrected the telephone number for strong stream advice. Corrected the River Ancholme quick dial number.
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Updated contact telephone numbers for Northampton Marina and the Environment Agency.
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Removed a link.
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Reference to Gayton marina removed as they are no longer agent for the Environment Agency.
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Some small updates
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New information added.
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First published.