Essex Waterways
Try the Chelmer & Blackwater Navigation Walk
Things To Do
Step on board one of our trip boats and enjoy a cruise along the glorious Chelmer & Blackwater Navigation in Essex with Chelmer Cruises. The Navigation offers nearly 14 miles of waterway to explore. We have a base at Paper Mill Lock approximately midway along the Navigation allowing trips in either direction, and another at Heybridge Basin.
Much of our wonderful waterway runs through tranquil Essex countryside, and is the perfect place for an afternoon or evening cruise. Charter a boat for your outing or celebration or turn up and buy a ticket for your leisurely cruise.
Charter trips can be arranged for any day of the week with timings to suit hirers. The minimum period is 2 hours. All vessels are wheelchair and push-chair friendly, and we can provide food and drinks on board.
Find out more about hiring our boats for group outings and celebrations.
Ticket boat trips run from two locations along the Chelmer & Blackwater Navigation. Hop on a boat at Paper Mill Lock or Heybridge Basin, most days between Good Friday and the end of October. Trips depart every hour, on the hour, from 11.00 a.m. to 4.00 p.m. Trips do not run in poor weather conditions or on Mondays (other than bank holidays).
Trips from Heybridge Basin head towards Beeleigh, then turn and return to the kiosk. Trips from Paper Mill Lock usually depart from just below the lock, and head downstream towards Rushes Lock, turn and return to Paper Mill – but sometimes boat can head upstream and turn to return before Baddow Mill Lock.
We also offer two-hour ticket trips from available Paper Mill on board Victoria, usually with onboard bar and catering, on certain days.
You can book tickets for Albert and Blackwater Dawn on line.
We do not provide parking facilities at either location.
Find out more about our ticket boat trips.
Victoria is perfect for wedding receptions, celebrations and group outings. The boat can accommodate up to 36 guests seated for food or 43 standing and includes a qualified skipper and crew. Our licensed bar also serves hot and cold drinks. Trips depart from Paper Mill Lock.
Albert is a 13.7m narrowboat, ideal for families and groups of up to 12 people and includes a trained skipper (with crew if necessary) and normally operates from Paper Mill Lock from Good Friday until the end of October. Trips do not run in poor weather or on Mondays in October.
Blackwater Dawn is a widebeam trip boat for up to 12 people with an open forward seating area. Normally operating daily ticket trips from Daisy Meadow Car Park at Heybridge Basin, from Good Friday until the end of October. Trips do not run in poor weather or on Mondays in October. The boat is also available for charter bookings and early evening hire.
Essex Waterways acquired the 48-passenger, 57’ wide-beam boat in 2017 with the aid of a grant of just over £30,000 from European LEADER Funds via The Rural Community Council of Essex.
The funding came from European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development.
