Short-stay moorings, also called visitor moorings, are where boaters can moor for the signposted time.
Popular places can get very busy, so visitor moorings with short stay times help as many boaters as possible find space to tie up.
Where to find short-stay / visitor moorings
Our visitor moorings are marked by a red mooring icon on our maps. If you're on one of our waterway maps pages (and anywhere with our interactive map) zoom into the map to enlarge the icons.
The image below is an example of our waterway maps, which clearly displays the red mooring icons.
Length of short-stay/visitor moorings
Please read all signage carefully. Short-stay/visitor moorings can be for:
4 hours shop and drop
48 hrs
7 days
14 days
Mooring is free for the time shown on our visitor mooring signs.
If you decide to stay for longer, you may need to pay a £25 extended stay charge for each extra day you are moored. We'll contact you to let you know this is going to happen if our sightings show you have exceeded the free mooring time.
'Stop and shop' moorings
These are ultra-short stay moorings to allow boaters to top up their supplies at the nearby shops.
Please don't stay any longer than needed to do your shopping and never longer than the maximum stay time shown on the towpath signs.
Short-stay in the winter
From 1 November until 31 March, some short stay moorings operate as winter moorings for those without a long-term permit. These allow you to moor up for a period of one, two, three or four months during the winter if you wish.
Please make sure you check the signs carefully as in very popular areas the time restriction applies all year round.
Pre-bookable short-stay mooring in London
If you're planning a visit to central London and want certainty that you will have somewhere to moor when you arrive, you can pre-book a mooring for a small charge.
Quiet zones
Our canals and waterways are peaceful and tranquil places where you can escape from the hustle and bustle of everyday life, please help us keep them that way.
In some places where waterways and buildings are in close proximity to one another there can be a risk of noise that may cause a disturbance. Quiet zones are advisory areas where we ask canal users to keep noise to an absolute minimum.
In a quiet zone we ask that people avoid:
Generator or engine running
Loud music
Any other disturbance to others nearby
The decision to create quiet zones is made by waterway managers, but they would be expected to consult with local people, groups and parish/local councils before establishing a quiet zone.
Please be considerate to the needs of everyone. Moor up in a way that makes the best use of the available space, be prepared to shuffle up and share the space.
Respect the maximum stay time, no triple mooring, no running of engines or generators before 8am or after 8pm and be mindful of smoke from stoves and exhaust fumes and noise from engines and generators, particularly in built up areas.