Canals
Berths available
Venetian Marina
Cholmondeston, Cheshire · Shropshire Union Canal (Middlewich Branch)
£3,254 a year for a 57ft narrowboat
Walk-ashore berths near Chester
Berths you step off onto a pontoon, quay or bank: no tender, no rowing out to a buoy. Easier for loading, for a dog, and for getting aboard after dark.
13 sites · 1 with space now · 2 with a waiting list · typical £3,365 a year for a 57ft narrowboat (£3,254–£6,359 across 3 published tariffs)
At a glance
- 13 sites: 10 on canals, 1 on a river and 2 on estuaries and tidal rivers.
- 1 of the 13 told us in the last six weeks they have space: Venetian Marina.
- Keeping a waiting list: Calveley Offside - L1 Moorings (South) L1 Leisure and Barbridge (Site 1) L1 Leisure.
- For a 57ft narrowboat, published prices run from £3,254 a year (Venetian Marina) to £6,359 a year (Liverpool Marina); the middle of 3 is £3,365 a year.
- Longest boat taken: 21.3m (70ft) at Venetian Marina.
- Of the 13, 6 have electric hook-up, 2 a pump-out, 3 diesel, 2 a boat hoist and 1 visitor berths.
- 1 of the 13 allow liveaboards, outright or by arrangement.
- Groups running more than one: Canal & River Trust (7).
- Closest to Chester: Greenfield Lock L1 Leisure, 2.7km east of the centre. 1 of the 13 within 10km.
Canals
Waiting list
Calveley Offside - L1 Moorings (South) L1 Leisure
Calveley, Cheshire · Shropshire Union Canal
Prices not published
Canals
Waiting list
Barbridge (Site 1) L1 Leisure
Nantwich, Cheshire · Shropshire Union Canal
Prices on request
Canals
Full
Greenfield Lock L1 Leisure
Chester, Cheshire · Shropshire Union Canal
Prices not published
Canals
Full
Preston Brook Wharf
Warrington, Cheshire · Bridgewater Canal
Prices not published
Canals
Full
Stoke Hall Lane L1 Leisure
Nantwich, Cheshire East · Shropshire Union Canal (Middlewich Branch)
Prices not published
Estuaries & tidal rivers
Full
Albert Dock
Liverpool, Merseyside · River Mersey
Prices not published
Canals
Full
Red Lion Barnton L1 Leisure
Northwich, Cheshire · Trent & Mersey Canal
Prices on request
Canals
Full
Henhull
Nantwich, Cheshire · Shropshire Union Canal
Prices not published
Estuaries & tidal rivers
Liverpool Marina
Liverpool, Merseyside · River Mersey
£3,661 a year for a 10m yacht
Canals
Swanley Bridge Marina
Nantwich, Cheshire · Llangollen Canal
£3,365 a year for a 57ft narrowboat
Canals
Tattenhall Marina
Tattenhall, Cheshire · Shropshire Union Canal
Prices on request
Rivers
Northwich Drydock Company
Northwich, Cheshire · River Weaver
Prices on request
Compared: prices for a 57ft narrowboat
| Site | Distance | A year, 57ft narrowboat | Berths | Space |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Venetian Marina | 24.6km east | £3,254 | pontoon berths, linear moorings | Berths available |
| Calveley Offside - L1 Moorings (South) L1 Leisure | 19.9km east | – | linear moorings | Waiting list |
| Barbridge (Site 1) L1 Leisure | 22.9km south-east | On request | linear moorings | Waiting list |
| Greenfield Lock L1 Leisure | 2.7km east | – | linear moorings | Full |
| Preston Brook Wharf | 21.6km north-east | – | linear moorings | Full |
| Stoke Hall Lane L1 Leisure | 23.7km east | – | linear moorings | Full |
| Albert Dock | 24.2km north | – | pontoon berths, linear moorings | Full |
| Red Lion Barnton L1 Leisure | 24.7km east | On request | linear moorings | Full |
| Henhull | 25.4km south-east | – | linear moorings | Full |
| Liverpool Marina | 23.1km north | £6,359 | pontoon berths | Not reported |
| Swanley Bridge Marina | 25.1km south-east | £3,365 | pontoon berths | Not reported |
| Tattenhall Marina | 11.4km south-east | On request | pontoon berths | Not reported |
| Northwich Drydock Company | 25.9km east | On request | linear moorings | 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 near Chester?
Across the 3 walk-ashore berths here that publish a price, a 57ft narrowboat costs from £3,254 a year at Venetian Marina to £6,359 a year at Liverpool Marina. The middle figure is £3,365 a year. Check what each includes: electricity, water and VAT vary.
What are the cheapest walk-ashore berths near Chester?
For a 57ft narrowboat, Venetian Marina is cheapest at £3,254 a year in Cholmondeston.
Which walk-ashore berths near Chester have space now?
1 of the 13 told us in the last six weeks they have space: Venetian Marina. Each page shows the date they told us and what they have.
What is the nearest walk-ashore berth to Chester?
Greenfield Lock L1 Leisure, 2.7km east of the centre of Chester, on the Shropshire Union Canal.
Can you live aboard at walk-ashore berths near Chester?
1 of the 13 say you can: Venetian Marina (liveaboard by arrangement). 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, 10 need a Canal & River Trust boat licence and 1 need the navigation's own licence. Coastal marinas usually need none.
Broader
Walk-ashore berths near other towns
- Manchester 12
- Liverpool 14
- Stockport 11
- Bolton 13
- Stoke-on-Trent 14
- St Helens 14
- Warrington 11
- Sale 11
- Wythenshawe 11
- Bury 13
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