About the rivers
Quiet, unspoilt and relatively undiscovered. These are the words that often come to mind when people think of the River Welland and the River Glen in Lincolnshire.
And they are often the main reasons why many people use the rivers as a focus for their time in the county.
The rivers Welland and Glen wind their way across the Lincolnshire Fens. The Glen is a tributary of the Welland, joining it at Surfleet where the river becomes tidal.
This website also includes information about the Black Sluice Navigation, which was reopened in 2009.
River Welland
The River Welland is navigable from just below Stamford to Fosdyke Bridge near the Wash which is a distance of 50km (31 miles).
The upper reaches of the Welland extend right up into Stamford. Here the channel is small and only really suitable for light craft and canoes.
The channel widens as it makes its way downstream to Peakirk. You can use larger craft on this stretch, but you must navigate with care. This section of the river dates back to Roman times. The remains of Car Dyke can still be seen north of the river between Uffington and Stamford.
Downstream of Peakirk, the channel is wide. Many people use small sailing craft close to Spalding.
The tidal Welland
The Welland becomes tidal in nature at Surfleet. This is also where it meets with the River Glen before finally merging to form the important marine environment known as the Wash Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB).
The Environment Agency provides slipways at both Crowland and Surfleet which offers boaters safe and easy access into the Welland and the Glen.
River Glen
The River Glen rises in the Lincolnshire Limestone Ridge, east of Grantham. It travels for 19kms (12 miles) through the Fen landscape where it meets the River Welland at Surfleet Seas End.
It's at Pinchbeck and Surfleet where the majority of boaters enjoy the river's charm and the amenities that are available. Most of the channel upstream of Pinchbeck is shallow and only suitable for light craft and canoes.
Black Sluice Navigation
The 19-mile (31 kms) Black Sluice Navigation was reopened in 2009 after being unused for nearly 40 years. A typical Fen drain, the navigation is situated to the west of Boston on the South Forty Foot Drain.
The opening of this navigation is the first major step towards the Fens Waterways Link. This project will connect the Rivers Witham, Glen, Welland, Nene and Ouse, opening up almost 150 miles of waterways in the east of England.
See Black Sluice Lock for details about entering this navigation.