Northern Ireland
- All the following classifications are operative from April to October at normal ‘summer’ water levels. At other times and high water levels the inland classifications should be raised one level and appropriate precautions taken.
- April to October is also the fishing season and access to many rivers and lakes may be restricted. Local advice should be sought.
- There is no clarity on rights of access on many inland waters: barbed wire fences may stretch across smaller rivers.
- Water Activities are not generally permitted on Reservoirs in Northern Ireland
- Waves created by fast ferries are an occasional hazard near the shore in Belfast Lough
- Millisle Lagoon
- ECOS lake, Ballymena
- Downhill Lake
- Small Natural Loughs or ponds in the Mourne catchment area, Antrim Plateau (including Cranaghs of Benmore, Loughs of Knocknore, Quolie 1&2), or Sperrin mountains, within 20m of a bank with easy pedestrian access to the water
- Pools on upland rivers less than 20m wide, in summer conditions where flows are not significant and water depth at downstream end is less than knee deep
- River Lagan from jetty at Red Bridge (Lock-keepers Cottage) to Lagan Watersports Jetty, excluding within 20m of Stranmillis floodgate (to be portaged)
- River Lagan Shaws Bridge to old canal junction below Edenderry ‘Eel Weir’
- River Lagan Drumbeg Bridge upstream to 30m below next weir
- River Lagan upstream of Hillsborough Road Bridge to 30m below next weir
- River Lagan upstream from Glenmore Activity Centre to 30m below next weir and downstream to 30m above weir
- River Bann Knock Bridge to Bannfoot
- Craigavon Lake in sight of Watersports Centre
- Quoile River (Jaynes Shore Downpatrick to 1st weir on Annacloy River)
- Quoile River (south of barrage at Castle Island to Jaynes shore - no shore access permitted)
- Hillsborough Lake
- Newry Canal
- Pool on River Maine above Randalstown weir excluding area close to weir
- Sixmilewater excluding areas close to weirs
- Pools on Antrim Glen Rivers when permitted
- Arney River, Fermanagh
- Sillees River, Fermanagh
- Upper Lough Erne (Share Centre Bay, Enniskillen Eastern River Loop (from Lakeland Farm to Police Barracks), Enniskillen High School Bay)
- Lower Lough Erne- Duross Bay at Castle Archdale
- River Blackwater from Augher to Battleford Bridge and from Maydown Bridge to Lough Neagh
- Camowen River (as far as Omagh excluding weirs and Salmon Leap)
- Coalisland Canal
- Ballyronan Marina
- Enagh Lough, Londonderry
- River Roe in Country Park, except within 30 metres of weirs, with permission of Park Warden)
- River Bann Navigation from Toome to Coleraine Marina, except Lough Beg (includes canal sections but excludes all weirs, floodgates and associated sections of river channels. Locks to be portaged by kayaks/canoes unless rafts securely formed.
Tidal
- Bangor Bay (South of a line from Wilson's Point to Luke's Point, and within 100m of shore)
- Ballyholme Bay - South of a line from Luke's Point to Ballycormick Point and within 100m of shore
- Helen’s Bay and Crawfordsburn Bay -South of a line from Grey Point to Swineley Point and within 100m of shore
- Belfast Lough-Holywood Yacht Club to Cultra within 100m of shore
- Belfast Lough-Carrickfergus Marina and Harbour, and Marina to Kilroot jetty within 100m of shore
- Donaghadee (Sailing Club slip to Harbour up to 100m from shore)
- Carlingford Lough, North shore, Killowen to Warrenpoint marina Breakwater up to 100m offshore
- Portballintrae- Bay from beach to a line drawn E-W 100m South of Seagull Rock
- River Lagan at weirs and from Shaw's Bridge to Red Wooden Bridge, excluding weir at Edenderry (‘Eel Weir’) (to be Portaged)
- Castlewellan Lake
- Craigavon Lakes except where otherwise classified
- River Bann from Banbridge to Knock Bridge
- Annacloy River above first weir from Quoile
- River Cusher from Clare Glen to River Bann
- Lough Neagh (up to 1 mile offshore)
- River Main except for Pool at Randalstown (above)
- River Braid
- Kellswater
- River Bann (Coleraine Marina to Barmouth)
- Sixmilewater
- Lough Beg
- Colebrook River
- Lough Macnean Upper and Lower
- Upper Lough Erne unless otherwise classified
- Lower Lough Erne south east of Owl Island unless otherwise classified
- Lough Melvin within 400m of North shore
- River Foyle Strabane to Foyle Bridge
- River Roe (within 50m of weirs) and downstream of Swann’s Bridge to railway bridge
- River Blackwater from Battleford Bridge to Maydown Bridge excluding Benburb weirs
- Oonagh River
- Ballinderry River (weirs between Cookstown and Loch Neagh)
- Claggan River (Tullylagan Bridge to junction with Ballinderry River)
- River Finn (Strabane to Clady)
- River Strule (Omagh to Newtown Stewart)
- River Derg (from Castlederg to junction with River Mourne)
Tidal
- Sea areas along coastline up to 400m offshore (unless otherwise classified)
- Belfast Lough - Macedon Point to Whitehead and Holywood Yacht Club to Grey Point up to 1mile offshore
- Bangor Bay (Wilson's Point to Luke's Point up to 1 mile offshore) unless otherwise classified
- Ballyholme Bay (Luke's Point to Ballycormick Point up to 1 mile offshore unless otherwise classified
- Donaghadee to Orlock up to ½ mile offshore (for passage)
- Strangford Lough/Quoile River (south of a line from Chapel Island through Green Island to Nickeys Point to Barrage)
- Strangford Lough (North of a transit between Chapel Island and Ballyhenry Island) within 1 mile of shore
- Newry River North of Warrenpoint
- Larne Lough
- Murlough Bay South of a line from Drumnakill Point to Ruebane Point
- Ballycastle Bay South of a line from Dunineny Castle to Pans Rock and within 100m of shore
- Whitepark Bay South of a line between Gid Point and Long Gilbert and within 100m of shore
- Lough Neagh (1 to 3 miles offshore)
- Lower Lough Erne north west of Owl Island
- Lough Melvin unless otherwise classified
- River Blackwater at Benburb weirs
- River Bann- river channel at Cutts weir, Coleraine
- River Bann, between Portglenone and Drumaheglis: channels at Weirs and floodgates (Canal sections and bulk of river is B1 as above)
- The following in high water: River Blackwater; Ballinderry River; Mourne River (from Newtown Stewart to Strabane);Owenkillew River (The Gorge 100 yards below junction with Glenelly River), Glenelly river (from Plumbridge to junction with Owenkillew River), River Roe, Annacloy River
Tidal
Sea along coastline (unless otherwise classified) ¼ mile to 3 miles offshore
- Coastline up to 400m offshore from Runkerry Point east to Corrymeela, Ballycastle excluding areas of B2 at White Park Bay and Ballycastle Bay
- Coastline up to 400m offshore from Corrymeela, Ballycastle east to Drumnakill Point, from Ruebane Point to Torr Head and south from Torr Head to Tornamoney Point Cushendun
- Coastline of Rathlin Island up to 400m offshore
- Strangford Lough (south of a transit between Chapel Island and Ringburr Point to Portaferry Quay)
- Strangford Lough more than 1 mile from shore
- Sea area within 1 km of mouth of River Bann.
- Coastline from Magilligan Point 1 km east and south
- Belfast Lough more than 1mile offshore
- Rathlin Sound including area up to 3 miles offshore from coastline from Portballintrae east to Torr Head and South to Tornamoney Point, Cushendun, except where otherwise classified.
- Strangford Narrows: South of Portaferry Quay to Line between Killard Point and Ballyquintin Point, and 1 mile in any direction seaward from this line
- Lough Neagh (More than 3 miles offshore)
- All sea areas more than 3 miles offshore
Waterways Directory
This directory provides an indication of the classification of waters in the United Kingdom in normal summer conditions.
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Current conditions must be considered before use.
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Water levels can rise and fall rapidly, it is strongly advised that local knowledge is sought.
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Water grading gives no guarantee that an access agreement is in existence. There are several problems concerning river access.
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Where access agreement is in force it must be observed by members of The Scout Association, unless the permission of every individual landowner over whose water it is proposed to paddle has been obtained.
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The Scout counties or areas concerned have provided the information contained in this directory. If an area of water is not listed in this directory, please contact the local Scout County or area for up-to-date advice.