Canals
Berths available
Ladybird Pontoon
Market Drayton, Shropshire · Shropshire Union Canal
Prices on request
Pontoon berths that allow liveaboards in the Midlands
Walk-ashore berth alongside a floating pontoon, usually in a marina. Moorings where the site says you can live on board, outright or by arrangement. Residential moorings often need planning consent and pay council tax; we show the terms as each site states them.
26 sites · 2 with space now · 2 with a waiting list · typical £3,737 a year for a 57ft narrowboat (£2,275–£4,560 across 6 published tariffs)
At a glance
- 26 sites: 17 on canals and 9 on rivers.
- 2 of the 26 told us in the last six weeks they have space: Ladybird Pontoon and Memory Lane.
- Keeping a waiting list: Saltisford Canal Centre and Sileby Mill Mooring Basin.
- For a 57ft narrowboat, published prices run from £2,275 a year (Northampton Marina) to £4,560 a year (Memory Lane); the middle of 6 is £3,737 a year.
- Longest boat taken: 22.9m (75ft) at Woodford Riverside Marina.
- Of the 26, 24 have electric hook-up, 15 a pump-out, 12 diesel, 1 a boat hoist and 3 visitor berths.
- Groups running more than one: ABC Leisure Group (3), Aquavista (7) and Canal & River Trust (6).
Canals
Berths available
Memory Lane
Leicester, Leicestershire · Grand Union Canal
£4,560 a year for a 57ft narrowboat
Canals
Waiting list
Saltisford Canal Centre
Warwick, Warwickshire · Grand Union Canal (Saltisford Arm)
Prices not published
Rivers
Waiting list
Sileby Mill Mooring Basin
Sileby, Leicestershire · River Soar
Prices on request
Canals
Full
Cambrian Residential Moorings
Birmingham, West Midlands · Birmingham & Fazeley Canal
Prices not published
Canals
Full
Shireoaks Marina
Worksop, Nottinghamshire · Chesterfield Canal
Prices on request
Canals
Full
Sneyd Wharf (Electric) L1
Bloxwich, West Midlands · Wyrley & Essington Canal
Prices not published
Canals
Full
Stoke Bruerne (Residential) L1
Stoke Bruerne, Northamptonshire · Grand Union Canal
Prices not published
Canals
Alvechurch Marina
Alvechurch, Worcestershire · Worcester & Birmingham Canal
£4,460 a year for a 57ft narrowboat
Canals
Kings Orchard Marina
Huddlesford, Staffordshire · Coventry Canal
£3,671 a year for a 57ft narrowboat
Canals
Mercia Marina
Willington, Derbyshire · Trent & Mersey Canal
£3,803 a year for a 57ft narrowboat
Rivers
Northampton Marina
Northampton, Northamptonshire · River Nene
£1,310 a year for a 10m cruiser
Canals
Springwood Haven Marina
Nuneaton, Warwickshire · Coventry Canal
£3,243 a year for a 57ft narrowboat
Canals
Barton Marina
Burton upon Trent, Staffordshire · Trent & Mersey Canal
Prices on request
Rivers
Blackthorn Lake Marina
Ringstead, Northamptonshire · River Nene
Prices not published
Canals
Brinklow Waterside & Marina
Brinklow, Warwickshire · Oxford Canal
Prices on request
Canals
Crick Waterside & Marina
Crick, Northamptonshire · Grand Union Canal, Leicester Line
Prices on request
Rivers
Evesham Marina
Evesham, Worcestershire · River Avon
Prices on request
Rivers
Kings Waterside & Marina
Newark, Nottinghamshire · River Trent
Prices on request
Canals
Nottingham Castle Waterside & Marina
Nottingham, Nottinghamshire · Nottingham and Beeston Canal
Prices on request
Rivers
Redhill Marina
Ratcliffe-on-Soar, Nottinghamshire · River Soar
Prices on request
Rivers
Sawley Waterside & Marina
Long Eaton, Leicestershire · River Trent
Prices on request
Canals
Trinity Waterside & Marina
Hinckley, Leicestershire · Ashby Canal
Prices on request
Canals
Wigrams Turn Waterside & Marina
Napton on the Hill, Southam, Warwickshire · Oxford Canal and Grand Union Canal
Prices on request
Rivers
Woodford Riverside Marina
Woodford, Northamptonshire · River Nene
Prices on request
Rivers
Wyre Marina Boatyard
Pershore, Worcestershire · River Avon
Prices on request
Compared: prices for a 57ft narrowboat
| Site | Where | A year, 57ft narrowboat | Berths | Liveaboard | Space |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ladybird Pontoon | Market Drayton, Shropshire Union Canal | On request | pontoon berths, linear moorings | Liveaboard by arrangement | Berths available |
| Memory Lane | Leicester, Grand Union Canal | £4,560 | pontoon berths | Residential moorings with planning consent | Berths available |
| Saltisford Canal Centre | Warwick, Grand Union Canal (Saltisford Arm) | – | pontoon berths, linear moorings | Liveaboard by arrangement | Waiting list |
| Sileby Mill Mooring Basin | Sileby, River Soar | On request | pontoon berths, linear moorings | Liveaboards allowed | Waiting list |
| Cambrian Residential Moorings | Birmingham, Birmingham & Fazeley Canal | – | pontoon berths | Residential moorings with planning consent | Full |
| Shireoaks Marina | Worksop, Chesterfield Canal | On request | pontoon berths, hard standing | Liveaboard by arrangement | Full |
| Sneyd Wharf (Electric) L1 | Bloxwich, Wyrley & Essington Canal | – | pontoon berths | Residential moorings with planning consent | Full |
| Stoke Bruerne (Residential) L1 | Stoke Bruerne, Grand Union Canal | – | pontoon berths | Residential moorings with planning consent | Full |
| Alvechurch Marina | Alvechurch, Worcester & Birmingham Canal | £4,460 | pontoon berths | Liveaboard by arrangement | Not reported |
| Kings Orchard Marina | Huddlesford, Coventry Canal | £3,671 | pontoon berths | Liveaboard by arrangement | Not reported |
| Mercia Marina | Willington, Trent & Mersey Canal | £3,803 | pontoon berths | Liveaboards allowed | Not reported |
| Northampton Marina | Northampton, River Nene | £2,275 | pontoon berths | Residential moorings with planning consent | Not reported |
| Springwood Haven Marina | Nuneaton, Coventry Canal | £3,243 | pontoon berths | Liveaboard by arrangement | Not reported |
| Barton Marina | Burton upon Trent, Trent & Mersey Canal | On request | pontoon berths | Residential moorings with planning consent | Not reported |
| Blackthorn Lake Marina | Ringstead, River Nene | – | pontoon berths | Liveaboards allowed | Not reported |
| Brinklow Waterside & Marina | Brinklow, Oxford Canal | On request | pontoon berths | Residential moorings with planning consent | Not reported |
| Crick Waterside & Marina | Crick, Grand Union Canal, Leicester Line | On request | pontoon berths | Residential moorings with planning consent | Not reported |
| Evesham Marina | Evesham, River Avon | On request | pontoon berths, quay and harbour wall berths | Liveaboards allowed | Not reported |
| Kings Waterside & Marina | Newark, River Trent | On request | pontoon berths | Liveaboards allowed | Not reported |
| Nottingham Castle Waterside & Marina | Nottingham, Nottingham and Beeston Canal | On request | pontoon berths | Residential moorings with planning consent | Not reported |
| Redhill Marina | Ratcliffe-on-Soar, River Soar | On request | pontoon berths | Liveaboard by arrangement | Not reported |
| Sawley Waterside & Marina | Long Eaton, River Trent | On request | pontoon berths | Liveaboards allowed | Not reported |
| Trinity Waterside & Marina | Hinckley, Ashby Canal | On request | pontoon berths | Residential moorings with planning consent | Not reported |
| Wigrams Turn Waterside & Marina | Napton on the Hill, Southam, Oxford Canal and Grand Union Canal | On request | pontoon berths | Liveaboards allowed | Not reported |
| Woodford Riverside Marina | Woodford, River Nene | On request | pontoon berths | Liveaboards allowed | Not reported |
| Wyre Marina Boatyard | Pershore, River Avon | On request | pontoon berths | Liveaboard by arrangement | Not reported |
From each site's published tariff. "–" means the site doesn't say. Prices change; confirm with the site.
Questions
How much does a mooring for a 57ft narrowboat cost in the Midlands?
Across the 6 pontoon berths that allow liveaboards here that publish a price, a 57ft narrowboat costs from £2,275 a year at Northampton Marina to £4,560 a year at Memory Lane. The middle figure is £3,737 a year. Check what each includes: electricity, water and VAT vary.
What are the cheapest pontoon berths that allow liveaboards in the Midlands?
For a 57ft narrowboat, Northampton Marina is cheapest at £2,275 a year.
Which pontoon berths that allow liveaboards in the Midlands have space now?
2 of the 26 told us in the last six weeks they have space: Ladybird Pontoon and Memory Lane. Each page shows the date they told us and what they have.
Can you live aboard at pontoon berths that allow liveaboards in the Midlands?
All 26 say you can: Ladybird Pontoon (liveaboard by arrangement), Memory Lane (residential moorings with planning consent), Saltisford Canal Centre (liveaboard by arrangement), Sileby Mill Mooring Basin (liveaboards allowed), Cambrian Residential Moorings (residential moorings with planning consent), Shireoaks Marina (liveaboard by arrangement), Sneyd Wharf (Electric) L1 (residential moorings with planning consent), Stoke Bruerne (Residential) L1 (residential moorings with planning consent) and 18 more. Living aboard can need planning consent and council tax; ask each site about its terms.
Do I need a licence as well as a mooring?
On top of the mooring fee: of these, 17 need a Canal & River Trust boat licence, 7 need Environment Agency registration (Thames, Medway, Anglian waterways) and 2 need an Avon Navigation Trust licence. Coastal marinas usually need none.
Broader
Pontoon berths that allow liveaboards in the Midlands, by county
Run one of these sites? Tell boaters what you have free in a minute, no account needed. Update your availability