canal and marina facilities

[magbrin]

Following recent trip down the road to Fort Augustus (see also http://www.wildcamping.co.uk/forums/fun-games/9345-where-did-we-wake-up-morning.html ) I was wondering how many of you use the facilities provided for canal boats and sailors around the country. I noticed during our evening stroll two separate blocks - one at the top or the locks and the other by the shore of L Ness, which included toilets, showers & laundry facilities. They were locked at the time, but it was almost dark. There were also no overnight camping signs. (We stayed a little way or of the village on the road to Whitebridge).
There must be facilities along all canals, and all around the coast where there are piers and marinas. Do you use them, are they expensive, can you park up as well, and do you have particular favourites? If so - pictures please

 

[kangooroo]

I've used marina facilities but they're generally for the use of berth-holders only and have a key-code for access. However, I was at Watchet harbour yesterday and could see a few members of the public nipping in as there didn't appear to be anything preventing unrestricted access.

 

[robjmckinney]

Canals and navigable rivers

There is toilet and water all over the canal system normally very close to the road, even in central London. There are books that show elsen point and water facility published for boaters. Each large canal has its own book with list of points but if you call at manned locks or begining of each canal and navigable river there is usually a leaflet free of charge!

As long as you take a low profile can't see any problems using them!

 

[Brandyman]

Following recent trip down the road to Fort Augustus (see also http://www.wildcamping.co.uk/forums/fun-games/9345-where-did-we-wake-up-morning.html ) I was wondering how many of you use the facilities provided for canal boats and sailors around the country. I noticed during our evening stroll two separate blocks - one at the top or the locks and the other by the shore of L Ness, which included toilets, showers & laundry facilities. They were locked at the time, but it was almost dark. There were also no overnight camping signs. (We stayed a little way or of the village on the road to Whitebridge).
There must be facilities along all canals, and all around the coast where there are piers and marinas. Do you use them, are they expensive, can you park up as well, and do you have particular favourites? If so - pictures please

Went there (Fort Augustus) August 2009 No overnight parking we were asked to move on parking was only for canal user's,, This was at nine at night

 

[defitzi]

Marina facilities?


I gave up sailing on the sea when marinas arrived- because I could not - afford being driven into these extortion places (on a par with greedy caravan sites where they have a monopoly) because insurers would no longer cover my moorings although my boat had never suffered damage on moorings).
So take it from me wherever boats are concerned, it is taken as a licence to rip-off, just like the motor home world.
But people it seems, will pay rip-off prices in these places and so they get away with their rip-offs .
My rule of thumb is- but nothing from yacht chandlers if you can source it anywhere else , and buy nothing from camper stores unless be almost 90 per cent sure I can source whatever I need elsewhere!
So wherever there are such facilities, expect someone to be waiting there to empty your purse

 

[Nolly]

Look out for hire fleet yards as they favour tourists, especially if you show an interest in the possiblity of renting a boat at a later date. We never turned anyone away, as far as we were concerned promoting tourism was our business in any shape or form.

 

[twosugars]

Following recent trip down the road to Fort Augustus (see also http://www.wildcamping.co.uk/forums/fun-games/9345-where-did-we-wake-up-morning.html ) I was wondering how many of you use the facilities provided for canal boats and sailors around the country. I noticed during our evening stroll two separate blocks - one at the top or the locks and the other by the shore of L Ness, which included toilets, showers & laundry facilities. They were locked at the time, but it was almost dark. There were also no overnight camping signs. (We stayed a little way or of the village on the road to Whitebridge).
There must be facilities along all canals, and all around the coast where there are piers and marinas. Do you use them, are they expensive, can you park up as well, and do you have particular favourites? If so - pictures please

I use the Cool canals - leisure guide | Waterways Directory website to find facilities on the canals in the uk. just select the waterway you are looking for in the upper box,then select the the type of facility in the lower box.

this site tends to lean towards canals rather than rivers,

hope this helps

 

[Canalsman]

Hi magbrin.
We stayed for a couple on nights at Fort Augustus and we did notice the signs so we moved at night to the parking area that the village or is it a town provided for motorhomes.
Yes, they provide a FREE parking area for motorhomes.
If you come from the dead end rd from Loch Ness and turn right,onto the A82 direction Inverness, go past the garage which is on your immediate left, and the big car park and then turn immediately left up a hill.
The overnight parking area is about 200yds on your left and will hold quite a few vans.
Very quiet, we shared it with a Belgium family.
We use our own facilities, although we may get water from a marina or boatyard.

It's here ... fort augustus - Google Maps

 

[Airecraft]

I gave up sailing on the sea when marinas arrived- because I could not - afford being driven into these extortion places (on a par with greedy caravan sites where they have a monopoly) because insurers would no longer cover my moorings although my boat had never suffered damage on moorings).

Fully agree that marinas suck the marrow from your bones. I still sail but lay my own mooring and haven't been in a marina for 5 years. It's always a pleasure to fill up with water from a marina but , as robjmckinney says, "low key" is the answer.
Had the Fort Augustus experience of being asked to leave the empty car park in '07. Told him we hadn't seen the signs and were too pizzled to drive. Scowled and left. Thing is, although we stayed there it left a bitter taste. Why don't places like that make a nominal charge for overnighting, even if they give boaters preference for parking? Seems like a "dog in the manger" attitude to me.

 

[magbrin]

Thanks to you all for the useful posts
We live about 40 minutes from Fort Augustus and do not normally stop overnight there, however we recently went for a pub meal at The Lock Inn, which has varied over the years, but now serves good food, if not particularly cheap, and spent the night in a layby on the Whitebridge road, just at the end of the loch. At this time of year the view of the loch (L. Ness) is excellent, but later on, with leaves on the trees, it will not be so good

 

[Happychick]

Neptune's staircase

Thanks to you all for the useful posts
We live about 40 minutes from Fort Augustus and do not normally stop overnight there, however we recently went for a pub meal at The Lock Inn, which has varied over the years, but now serves good food, if not particularly cheap, and spent the night in a layby on the Whitebridge road, just at the end of the loch. At this time of year the view of the loch (L. Ness) is excellent, but later on, with leaves on the trees, it will not be so good

I used the facilities at the Fort William canal marina. I asked the lock keeper and he told me that I could fill up my water tank from the hosepipe on the wall and while I was there I had a fabulous shower in the unlocked showerblock. No-one seemed to mind and I was respectful and left it as I found it. I was advised by the lock keeper that I could not park there overnight, but if you look at my previous threads you will see some of the other places I stayed in the area

 

[Tco]

Point of information Mr Speaker!

The reason the British Waterways Toilets/elsan emptying points were locked (see OP) is that they are, or should be ALWAYS locked. They can be opened by boaters who have possession of a BW Sanitary Facilities key. These keys can be obtained for a few beer tokens from almost any boatyard/chandlery.

There are many sanitary station scattered around the canal system (not always at Boatyards). You will need a canal guide for the area that you are in to locate them. However some are not exactly handy for road access. A trolley would come in handy, but who does not have one of them? BTW It will only work if you have a cassette toilet. BW have yet to install a "drive over" facility.