Notice

Wallingford Winter Head 2025: river closure notice

Published 17 October 2025

This notice was withdrawn on

Closure notice no longer in force.

When

Sunday 30 November 2025, 10am to 12pm and 1:30pm to 3:30pm.

Where

Cleeve reach, Moulsford Railway Bridge to Wallingford Bridge.

Details

The river between Moulsford Railway Bridge and Wallingford Bridge will be closed between 10am and 12pm, and between 1:30pm and 3:30pm.

Outside of these times competitors, officials and others must adhere to the Thames Navigation and General Bylaws 1993 and leave a clear unobstructed channel for through traffic at all times. These provisions must be brought to the attention of all participants and officials prior to the event.

Boats cannot navigate anywhere on the River Thames between Moulsford Railway Bridge and Wallingford Bridge during the stated times.

Casual mooring to the towpath or anchoring anywhere between Moulsford Railway Bridge and Wallingford Bridge is not allowed.

Mooring at all authorised public, commercial or domestic moorings is allowed provided that all directions given by our Waterway Officers are followed.

All boats must be navigated in accordance with any instructions given from Environment Agency control points or patrol launches.

Bathing or swimming is not allowed in the river between Moulsford Railway Bridge and Wallingford Bridge during these times.

All directions as to the left and right side of the river are given looking upstream.

Byelaws

Nothing contained in these directions shall supersede those parts of the Thames Navigation Licensing and General Byelaws 1993 and the UK Merchant Shipping (Distress Signals and Prevention of Collisions) Regulations 1996 as may be relevant. Particular attention should be paid to byelaws 24-42 of the Thames Navigation Licensing and General Byelaws 1993, Steering Sailing and Speed.

And Notice is hereby given, that it is provided by Byelaw 52 of the Thames Navigation Licensing and General Byelaws 1993 that:

The master of any vessel shall except in an emergency not pass any boat-race regatta public procession or gathering for the launch of a vessel or any other event or function which may cause a crowd to assemble on or by the river nor station his vessel thereon in such a manner as would risk obstructing impeding or interfering with such boat-race regatta procession launching event or function or endangering the safety of persons assembling on the river or preventing or interfering with the maintenance of order thereon.

The maximum penalty for breach of the Byelaws is £1,000.

Read our Thames Navigation Licensing and General Byelaws 1993.