Boating along the River Stour (Suffolk)

For practically the whole way, the River Stour runs through a wide valley with pleasant views. It is eminently suited for exploring by craft light enough to be portaged, and able to negotiate the shallow sections and areas of weed which occur in some places.

Sailing, canoeing and rowing are permitted throughout the length of the river, but craft will need to be portaged around fixed structures, many of which have replaced the original locks. Where these structures are associated with mills, or the site of mills, permission to portage around them may in some cases be required from the owner.

Powered boats are allowed on the river only between Ballingdon Bridge, Sudbury, and Henny Mill, approximately 4 km (2 1/2 miles). Rowboat and dinghy hire is available at Sudbury, Dedham and Flatford Mill. The Environment Agency is the navigation authority.

Along the freshwater river

The best place to start a trip is at Sudbury, where several places are available for launching. The best and most convenient is at Quay Lane, where the River Stour Trust have built their headquarters and where there are two launching sites adjacent to a car park. The town is a pleasant place to stock up with supplies. It is famous as being the birthplace of Gainsborough and still shows traces of being a former Flemish wool town.

At Cornard Mill, on the outskirts of the town, the first portage is next to a lock constructed by the River Stour Trust in 1997. Picnicking is allowed on the lock island. Light craft, including canoes, are able to use the lock instead of portaging and lock keys are available from the Trust.

The next obstruction is at Henry Street where there is a landing stage on the left bank immediately above the weir; the right bank is private property.

Just above the weir on the right bank is the Henry Swan, an attractive pub set back from the water. A short distance below is Shalford Weir, a shallow structure with jetties above and below to assist the paddler.

Portaging is required at Pitmire where a Crump Weir was built in 1999, with jetties above and below for use by boats being portaged. Immediately below are the remains of Pitmire Lock and the current passage is via the old bypass channel on the Suffolk bank. The river passes through a Nature Reserve and boats are requested not to tarry.

The next portage is around Lamarsh Gauging Station, and should be made via landing stages on the left bank.

The following reach is a long one and passes through Bures, a pleasant village set astride the river. The village recreation ground is on the left bank of the village and is a convenient place to land, perhaps to sample the food and drink at any of the pubs in Bures. The next portage, at attractive weather-boarded Bures Mill, is rather difficult and is best carried out by landing on the right bank above the automatic weir, passing under a footpath bridge and so to the landing stage opposite the millpond.

The following reach is often shallow, particularly in the region of Clicket Hill. Care must be taken all the way down to Wormingford Mill. Just before the Mill, the river divides; take the right channel. The portage at the end of this channel will then be reached.

The next portage is around a large horseshoe weir next to Wissington Mill, which is another large, white, weather-boarded structure. There are two landing stages on the right bank, upstream and downstream of the weir.

An almost identical portage must be made only 2km downstream at Nayland. This interesting village, with an appearance of a small town, once had its own market. It is noted for Alston Court, a fine 15th and 16th century town house. The Anchor pub is sited next to the river and makes a convenient mooring.

At first, the reach below can be quite shallow, but is easier towards Boxted Mill where the portage is made over to the millpond on the left-hand side. At the next structure, Langham Flume, the portage is made on the right side.

The reach below is shallow until one reaches the Langham pumping station. The next stretch of river is deep and placid. Joining the Stour from the left bank is the River Box, and further on, near Higham Church, the River Brett.

At Stratford St Mary the easiest portage is currently next to the weir by the remains of the Mill, and into the lock cut, where there is a small jetty. The following pound to Dedham is particularly beautiful, being wide and deep and flanked by mature trees.

At Dedham, portage should be carried out via a small jetty immediately above the Lock Cottage, with boats being carried past the cottage on the landward side. The lock here, together with that at Flatford, is fully operational during the summer and, by arrangement with the River Stour Trust, light craft can pass through the lock instead of portaging.

Dedham is another interesting old village with many fine old buildings. Once it was an important weaving and market town, with a Grammar School where John Constable, the famous English landscape painter, was educated. The Boathouse restaurant, just below the road bridge, is a handy place to pause, either to wander up the High Street or stop for refreshments.

The next lock is at Flatford, world famous for its associations with Constable and now a popular spot for tourists, who come to admire the scenery he immortalised. Today, there are tea rooms, a small museum and a Constable interpretative centre, all worth a visit. To continue, if not passing through the lock, portaging is via the right side of the lock.

Until the construction of the Cattawade Barrage in the 1970s, the next reach was semi-tidal; it is now freshwater and colonised by a wide diversity of aquatic plants. At Judas Gap, about 1km below Flatford, the channel divides: the northern route is the navigation channel. Keep clear of the unguarded weir at the Gap by hugging the left bank and follow the channel down to the site of Brantham Sea Lock, now merely a broad basin, where there is a good picnic site.

Cattawade Barrage is about 2km below. Here, sluice gates regulate the outflow into the tidal reach. For those who wish to extend their cruise across the estuary to Manningtree, or continue down the tideway, a pair of concrete ramps are provided up and over the adjacent flood embankment. However, any transfer to the estuary should be timed close to high tide as the upper reaches are only in water for a brief period.

A good place to finish a freshwater cruise is either at Cattawade Bridge or at the flood embankment. For those used to saltwater work, there is always the prospect of continuing down the estuary to Harwich.

Possible landing and launching points for canoeists

The Stour has few access points, and so trips must be planned with regard to these.

• There is a slipway at the River Stour Trust Building, The Granary, Sudbury (for Trust members only).
• The Swan Pub, Henny Weir
• Bures village, recreation ground
• The Anchor Pub, Nayland village (pub 150 m after the weir), landing stage
• Langham (permission required)
• Stratford St Mary
• Dedham Mill
• Flatford
• At Cattawade Barrage there is a boat roller ramp, which provides access to the tidal river for small boats only.

On the river estuary, downstream of Cattawade, there are 140 free moorings at Stour Sailing Club, Manningtree (tel: 01473 788887).

Portage platforms maintained by the Environment Agency

• Great Cornard Mill
• Henny Weir
• Shalford Weir
• Pitmire Weir
• Dawes Weir
• Lamarsh Weir/Mill
• Bures Mill/Weir
• Wormingford Mill/Weir (often very slippery)
• Wissington Mill
• Nayland Weir
• Boxted Mill/Weir (through private property)
• Langham Weir
• Stratford St Mary
• Dedham Mill/Weir (do not disembark or launch from here; use spit of land beyond road bridge)
• Flatford Mill/Weir
• Brantham, Cattawade Bridge (canoe access platform; boat rollers for larger craft to access tidal river)

Canoeists should contact the Local Access Officer of the British Canoe Union (Tel: 0115 982 1100) for more information on access and launch sites.

Locks

Flatford Lock and Dedham Lock have restricted times of year when the locks are operable. During the winter months the sluices are open, so the locks are not operable. For information contact the Environment Agency Catchment Office (tel: 01376 572091). Great Cornard Lock is operable throughout the year, depending on weather conditions.

All lock opening times are by arrangement with members of the River Stour Trust, The Granary, Quay Lane, Sudbury, Suffolk CO10 2AN (tel: 01787 313199).

Table of distances

• Sudbury: 0km
• Cornard Mill: 1km
• Henny Street: 3km
• Pitmire Lock: 5km
• Bures Mill: 10km
• Wormingford Mill: 14km
• Nayland: 18km
• Boxted Mill: 23km
• Langham Weir: 24km
• Stratford St Mary Lock: 25km
• Dedham Lock: 28km
• Flatford Lock: 31km
• Brantham Lock: 34km
• Cattawade Bridge: 37km
• Manningtree: 39km
• Harwich Harbour: 52km

Information kindly supplied by the Environment Agency, River Stour Trust and British Canoe Union - revised 2005.

Bridge & lock opening times

Find detailed information on local services, moorings and stoppages by using the drop down menu on the left.