Rivers
Berths available
Bishop Meadow L1
Loughborough, Leicestershire · River Soar
£3,272 a year for a 10m cruiser
Linear moorings for 70ft narrowboats
Moored alongside a bank or towpath, one boat behind another. Canal marinas and moorings that take a full-length 70ft (21.3m) narrowboat. Many marinas stop at 60ft or 62ft, and some canals can't take a 70ft boat at all.
21 sites · 10 with space now · 1 with a waiting list · typical £3,344 a year for a 70ft narrowboat (£463–£5,801 across 8 published tariffs)
At a glance
- 21 sites: 9 on canals and 12 on rivers.
- 10 of the 21 told us in the last six weeks they have space: Bishop Meadow L1, Bosworth Marina, Cathedral Marina, Lowsonford L1 Leisure, Mancetter Marina, National Trust Stonebridge Wharf Moorings and 4 more.
- Keeping a waiting list: Sileby Mill Mooring Basin.
- For a 70ft narrowboat, published prices run from £463 a year (Bosworth Marina) to £5,801 a year (Saltford Marina); the middle of 8 is £3,344 a year.
- Longest boat taken: 33.5m (110ft) at Mancetter Marina.
- Of the 21, 14 have electric hook-up, 11 a pump-out, 9 diesel, 1 a boat hoist and 2 visitor berths.
- 4 of the 21 allow liveaboards, outright or by arrangement.
- Groups running more than one: Canal & River Trust (3) and National Trust (4).
Canals
Berths available
Bosworth Marina
Market Bosworth, Leicestershire · Ashby Canal
£463 a year for a 57ft narrowboat
Rivers
Berths available
Cathedral Marina
Ely, Cambridgeshire · River Great Ouse
Prices on request
Canals
Berths available
Lowsonford L1 Leisure
Lowsonford, Warwickshire · South Stratford Canal
£3,183 a year for a 57ft narrowboat
Canals
Berths available
Mancetter Marina
Atherstone, Warwickshire · Coventry Canal
Prices on request
Rivers
Berths available
National Trust Stonebridge Wharf Moorings
Shalford, Surrey · River Wey Navigation
Prices not published
Rivers
Berths available
Shardlow Marina
Shardlow, Derbyshire · River Trent
£1,242 a year for a 10m cruiser
Canals
Berths available
Tibberton Towpath L1 Leisure
Worcester, Worcestershire · Worcester & Birmingham Canal
£2,791 a year for a 57ft narrowboat
Canals
Berths available
Venetian Marina
Cholmondeston, Cheshire · Shropshire Union Canal (Middlewich Branch)
£3,254 a year for a 57ft narrowboat
Rivers
Berths available
Willow Moorings
Kegworth, Leicestershire · River Soar
£1,782 a year for a 10m cruiser (from)
Rivers
Waiting list
Sileby Mill Mooring Basin
Sileby, Leicestershire · River Soar
Prices on request
Canals
Aqueduct Marina
Church Minshull, Cheshire · Shropshire Union Canal (Middlewich Branch)
£4,536 a year for a 57ft narrowboat
Canals
Barby Moorings
Barby, Northamptonshire · Oxford Canal
£1,440 a year for a 57ft narrowboat
Rivers
Pyrford Marina
Pyrford, Surrey · River Wey Navigation
£3,729 a year for a 10m cruiser
Rivers
Saltford Marina
Saltford, Somerset · River Avon
£2,696 a year for a 10m cruiser
Rivers
National Trust Addlestone Moorings
Addlestone, Surrey · River Wey Navigation
Prices not published
Rivers
National Trust Godalming Wharf Moorings
Godalming, Surrey · Godalming Navigation
Prices not published
Rivers
National Trust Papercourt Lock Moorings
Ripley, Surrey · River Wey Navigation
Prices not published
Rivers
Newbury Marina
Newbury, Berkshire · Kennet Navigation
Prices on request
Canals
North Kilworth Wharf
North Kilworth, Leicestershire · Grand Union Canal, Leicester Section
Prices on request
Canals
Sovereign Wharf
Banbury, Oxfordshire · Oxford Canal
Prices not published
Compared: prices for a 70ft narrowboat
| Site | Where | A year, 70ft narrowboat | Berths | Longest boat | Space |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bishop Meadow L1 | Loughborough, River Soar | £3,272 | linear moorings | 21.4m (70ft) | Berths available |
| Bosworth Marina | Market Bosworth, Ashby Canal | £463 | pontoon berths, linear moorings | 21.3m (70ft) | Berths available |
| Cathedral Marina | Ely, River Great Ouse | On request | pontoon berths, linear moorings | 21.3m (70ft) | Berths available |
| Lowsonford L1 Leisure | Lowsonford, South Stratford Canal | £3,416 | linear moorings | 22m (72ft) | Berths available |
| Mancetter Marina | Atherstone, Coventry Canal | On request | pontoon berths, linear moorings | 33.5m (110ft) | Berths available |
| National Trust Stonebridge Wharf Moorings | Shalford, River Wey Navigation | – | linear moorings | 21.9m (72ft) | Berths available |
| Shardlow Marina | Shardlow, River Trent | – | pontoon berths, linear moorings | 21.3m (70ft) | Berths available |
| Tibberton Towpath L1 Leisure | Worcester, Worcester & Birmingham Canal | £2,791 | linear moorings | 22m (72ft) | Berths available |
| Venetian Marina | Cholmondeston, Shropshire Union Canal (Middlewich Branch) | – | pontoon berths, linear moorings | 21.3m (70ft) | Berths available |
| Willow Moorings | Kegworth, River Soar | from £3,834 | linear moorings | 21.3m (70ft) | Berths available |
| Sileby Mill Mooring Basin | Sileby, River Soar | On request | pontoon berths, linear moorings | 21.9m (72ft) | Waiting list |
| Aqueduct Marina | Church Minshull, Shropshire Union Canal (Middlewich Branch) | £5,268 | linear moorings, hard standing | 21.3m (70ft) | Not reported |
| Barby Moorings | Barby, Oxford Canal | £1,440 | pontoon berths, linear moorings | 21.9m (72ft) | Not reported |
| Pyrford Marina | Pyrford, River Wey Navigation | – | pontoon berths, linear moorings | 21.3m (70ft) | Not reported |
| Saltford Marina | Saltford, River Avon | £5,801 | pontoon berths, linear moorings | 21.9m (72ft) | Not reported |
| National Trust Addlestone Moorings | Addlestone, River Wey Navigation | – | linear moorings, pile moorings | 21.9m (72ft) | Not reported |
| National Trust Godalming Wharf Moorings | Godalming, Godalming Navigation | – | linear moorings, quay and harbour wall berths | 21.9m (72ft) | Not reported |
| National Trust Papercourt Lock Moorings | Ripley, River Wey Navigation | – | linear moorings | 21.9m (72ft) | Not reported |
| Newbury Marina | Newbury, Kennet Navigation | On request | pontoon berths, linear moorings | 21.3m (70ft) | Not reported |
| North Kilworth Wharf | North Kilworth, Grand Union Canal, Leicester Section | On request | linear moorings | 21.3m (70ft) | Not reported |
| Sovereign Wharf | Banbury, Oxford Canal | – | pontoon berths, linear moorings | 21.3m (70ft) | 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 70ft narrowboat cost in the UK?
Across the 8 linear moorings for 70ft narrowboats here that publish a price, a 70ft narrowboat costs from £463 a year at Bosworth Marina to £5,801 a year at Saltford Marina. The middle figure is £3,344 a year. Check what each includes: electricity, water and VAT vary.
What are the cheapest linear moorings for 70ft narrowboats in the UK?
For a 70ft narrowboat, Bosworth Marina is cheapest at £463 a year in Market Bosworth.
Which linear moorings for 70ft narrowboats in the UK have space now?
10 of the 21 told us in the last six weeks they have space: Bishop Meadow L1, Bosworth Marina, Cathedral Marina, Lowsonford L1 Leisure, Mancetter Marina, National Trust Stonebridge Wharf Moorings, Shardlow Marina, Tibberton Towpath L1 Leisure and 2 more. Each page shows the date they told us and what they have.
Where can I keep a boat over 21.3m (70ft) in the UK?
All 21 say they take a boat that long. Stated maximums: Bishop Meadow L1 (21.4m (70ft)), Bosworth Marina (21.3m (70ft)), Cathedral Marina (21.3m (70ft)), Lowsonford L1 Leisure (22m (72ft)), Mancetter Marina (33.5m (110ft)), National Trust Stonebridge Wharf Moorings (21.9m (72ft)), Shardlow Marina (21.3m (70ft)), Tibberton Towpath L1 Leisure (22m (72ft)) and 13 more. Check beam and draught too.
Can you live aboard at linear moorings for 70ft narrowboats in the UK?
4 of the 21 say you can: Bishop Meadow L1 (residential moorings with planning consent), Venetian Marina (liveaboard by arrangement), Sileby Mill Mooring Basin (liveaboards allowed) and Saltford Marina (liveaboards allowed). 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, 11 need a Canal & River Trust boat licence, 3 need Environment Agency registration (Thames, Medway, Anglian waterways), 1 need an Avon Navigation Trust licence and 6 need the navigation's own licence. Coastal marinas usually need none.
Broader
Linear moorings for 70ft narrowboats by county
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