Denver Lock
Lock information
Click the link below for a map and a list of facilities at the lock.
Location and facilities at Denver Lock
Denver Lock is manned by Environment Agency only and cannot be operated by members of the public. Lock opening times are based on the tides. To book your lock passage please call the lock keeper on 01366 382340.
At the lock site is Denver Complex, and it's well worth a visit. There's no visitor centre but parties can be catered for provided that prior arrangements are made. You will need to contact the lock keeper for more infoarmation on 01366 382340.
Denver Lock is only a short walking distance from Dever Windmill where you can stop for tea and cakes.
Tidal passage
The River Great Ouse is tidal for 26kms (16 miles) downstream of Denver Lock.
The Environment Agency navigation on the tidal river ends at Stowbridge where after the Port of Kings Lynn Conservancy Board and Port Authority take over. For navigators accessing the River Great Ouse system from the Wash please contact the Port of Kings Lynn Authority contact information.
The majority of inland waterway craft tend to only make the short 500 metre passage between Denver Lock on the River Great Ouse and Salters Lode Lock on Well Creek on the Middle Level. Registered craft can pass between these locks during daylight hours with suitable tidal and fluvial river conditions. To arrange passage and to find information on tidal crossing windows please contact the lock keeper in advance of arrival.
Between Denver and Earith the New Bedford or Hundred Foot River offers tidal passage directly onto the Bedford Ouse. This route is not recommended and can be hazardous if attempted by anyone unfamiliar with the passage or using unsuitable craft. If you do wish to navigate the Tidal New Bedford (Hundred Foot) River we strongly advise you contact the Denver Lock Keeper before attempting to make our passage. You can then check the latest tide, river flow and level status.
History of Denver Lock
In the first part of the 1970s, modifications were carried out at Denver Lock. A sluice was built so that water could be diverted into the cut-off channel.
The second modification was another sluice enabling the natural diverted water to be stored in the cut-off channel. This was one of the first examples of a 'water grid' - it allows water to be transferred over long distances.