Moorings on the Upper Trent

The Upper Trent is the name boaters give to the Canal & River Trust-managed river section of the River Trent above Nottingham, running roughly 30 kilometres from Derwent Mouth near Shardlow, through Sawley, Trent Lock and Beeston, to Meadow Lane Lock at the edge of Nottingham city centre. It is the point where the Trent & Mersey Canal, the Erewash Canal, the River Soar and the Nottingham & Beeston Canal all meet the river.

Unlike the tidal Trent further downstream, this is a controlled, locked navigation with large mechanised locks, generous depth and comfortable width — easy water for a wide-beam boat, and a pleasant change of pace from the narrow canals feeding into it. Flood conditions can still make the river unnavigable in winter, and boaters need to watch levels and stream warnings.

This is one of the busiest long-stay mooring corridors in the Midlands. Sawley Marina, Trent Lock, Redhill Marina and Nottingham's Castle Marina between them offer hundreds of serviced berths, with full boatyard facilities, and the junction position means almost every major Midlands cruising ring starts within a few hours' cruise. Rail access at Long Eaton and East Midlands Parkway is excellent, and the M1 is close, making it a practical base for owners who visit their boat rather than live aboard.