York lock reopens thanks to IWA volunteers
CASTLE Mills Lock in York has reopened to boats thanks to volunteers from IWA and the River Foss Society who operate the lock.
A 16ft Norfolk crab boat, Slipstream, was the first pleasure boat to travel through the lock since 2018.
Castle Mills Lock, which provides access to the River Foss from the River Ouse in the centre of the city, is open due to the determination of local volunteers and the expertise of IWA.
The new formal agreement between City of York Council, the navigation authority, and IWA means that volunteers can again operate the lock.
Following an IWA campaign cruise in 2004, volunteers were trained to operate the lock. Thanks to a new formal arrangement in 2020, volunteers from IWA and the River Foss Society received training to operate the lock.
However, the pandemic and two long stoppages on the lower river delayed the reopening. Further training took place in early August 2021 ahead of the York Walls Festival.
The River Foss up to Wormalds Cut is a recent addition to IWA’s Silver Propeller Challenge. The challenge aims to get more people out on the water and enjoy the far-flung reaches of the wonderful waterways.
You can book a passage through Castle Mills Lock – at least two days’ notice is needed. Visit waterways.org.uk/ fosslock for details.