Rivers
Berths available
Cathedral Marina
Ely, Cambridgeshire · River Great Ouse
Prices on request
Widebeam moorings for 70ft narrowboats
Places that take widebeams. Canal boats over 7ft beam. 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.
12 sites · 3 with space now · 1 with a waiting list · typical £5,801 a year for a 70ft narrowboat (£3,327–£8,979 across 5 published tariffs)
At a glance
- 12 sites: 3 on canals, 8 on rivers and 1 on the Broads or a lake.
- 3 of the 12 told us in the last six weeks they have space: Cathedral Marina, Engineers Wharf Residential L1 and Upper Large Moorings.
- Keeping a waiting list: Sileby Mill Mooring Basin.
- For a 70ft narrowboat, published prices run from £3,327 a year (Heyford Fields Marina) to £8,979 a year (Engineers Wharf Residential L1); the middle of 5 is £5,801 a year.
- Longest boat taken: 22.9m (75ft) at Woodford Riverside Marina.
- Of the 12, 11 have electric hook-up, 7 a pump-out, 5 diesel, 1 a boat hoist and 1 visitor berths.
- 6 of the 12 allow liveaboards, outright or by arrangement.
- Groups running more than one: Lakeland Leisure Estates (2).
Canals
Berths available
Engineers Wharf Residential L1
Northolt, Greater London · Grand Union Canal (Paddington Arm)
£8,979 a year for a 57ft narrowboat
Rivers
Berths available
Upper Large Moorings
Tilehurst, Berkshire · River Thames
Prices not published
Rivers
Waiting list
Sileby Mill Mooring Basin
Sileby, Leicestershire · River Soar
Prices on request
Canals
Heyford Fields Marina
Nether Heyford, Northamptonshire · Grand Union Canal
£3,020 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
Newbury Marina
Newbury, Berkshire · Kennet Navigation
Prices on request
Broads, lakes & lochs
Roydon Marina Village
Roydon, Essex · Roydon Marina lake
Prices not published
Rivers
Sawley Waterside & Marina
Long Eaton, Leicestershire · River Trent
Prices on request
Canals
Tattenhall Marina
Tattenhall, Cheshire · Shropshire Union Canal
Prices on request
Rivers
Woodford Riverside Marina
Woodford, Northamptonshire · River Nene
Prices on request
Compared: prices for a 70ft narrowboat
| Site | Where | A year, 70ft narrowboat | Longest boat | Space |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cathedral Marina | Ely, River Great Ouse | On request | 21.3m (70ft) | Berths available |
| Engineers Wharf Residential L1 | Northolt, Grand Union Canal (Paddington Arm) | £8,979 | 21.4m (70ft) | Berths available |
| Upper Large Moorings | Tilehurst, River Thames | – | 21.3m (70ft) | Berths available |
| Sileby Mill Mooring Basin | Sileby, River Soar | On request | 21.9m (72ft) | Waiting list |
| Heyford Fields Marina | Nether Heyford, Grand Union Canal | £3,327 | 21.3m (70ft) | Not reported |
| Pyrford Marina | Pyrford, River Wey Navigation | £7,957 | 21.3m (70ft) | Not reported |
| Saltford Marina | Saltford, River Avon | £5,801 | 21.9m (72ft) | Not reported |
| Newbury Marina | Newbury, Kennet Navigation | On request | 21.3m (70ft) | Not reported |
| Roydon Marina Village | Roydon, Roydon Marina lake | £5,676 | 21.3m (70ft) | Not reported |
| Sawley Waterside & Marina | Long Eaton, River Trent | On request | 21.3m (70ft) | Not reported |
| Tattenhall Marina | Tattenhall, Shropshire Union Canal | On request | 21.3m (70ft) | Not reported |
| Woodford Riverside Marina | Woodford, River Nene | On request | 22.9m (75ft) | 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 5 widebeam moorings for 70ft narrowboats here that publish a price, a 70ft narrowboat costs from £3,327 a year at Heyford Fields Marina to £8,979 a year at Engineers Wharf Residential L1. The middle figure is £5,801 a year. Check what each includes: electricity, water and VAT vary.
What are the cheapest widebeam moorings for 70ft narrowboats in the UK?
For a 70ft narrowboat, Heyford Fields Marina is cheapest at £3,327 a year in Nether Heyford.
Which widebeam moorings for 70ft narrowboats in the UK have space now?
3 of the 12 told us in the last six weeks they have space: Cathedral Marina, Engineers Wharf Residential L1 and Upper Large Moorings. 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 12 say they take a boat that long. Stated maximums: Cathedral Marina (21.3m (70ft)), Engineers Wharf Residential L1 (21.4m (70ft)), Upper Large Moorings (21.3m (70ft)), Sileby Mill Mooring Basin (21.9m (72ft)), Heyford Fields Marina (21.3m (70ft)), Pyrford Marina (21.3m (70ft)), Saltford Marina (21.9m (72ft)), Newbury Marina (21.3m (70ft)) and 4 more. Check beam and draught too.
Can you live aboard at widebeam moorings for 70ft narrowboats in the UK?
6 of the 12 say you can: Engineers Wharf Residential L1 (residential moorings with planning consent), Upper Large Moorings (liveaboards allowed), Sileby Mill Mooring Basin (liveaboards allowed), Saltford Marina (liveaboards allowed), Sawley Waterside & Marina (liveaboards allowed) and Woodford Riverside 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, 3 need a Canal & River Trust boat licence, 6 need Environment Agency registration (Thames, Medway, Anglian waterways), 1 need an Avon Navigation Trust licence, 1 need lake registration where the lake authority requires it and 1 need the navigation's own licence. Coastal marinas usually need none.
Broader
Run one of these sites? Tell boaters what you have free in a minute, no account needed. Update your availability