Canals
Berths available
Bosworth Marina
Market Bosworth, Leicestershire · Ashby Canal
£463 a year for a 57ft narrowboat
Cheapest walk-ashore berths in the Midlands
Every site here with a published price, cheapest first, worked out for the same boat so the figures compare. 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.
37 sites · 16 with space now · typical £3,090 a year for a 57ft narrowboat (£463–£7,023 across 37 published tariffs)
At a glance
- 37 sites: 29 on canals and 8 on rivers.
- 16 of the 37 told us in the last six weeks they have space: Bosworth Marina, Lichfield Cruising Club, Shardlow Marina, Buckby Top Lock L1 Leisure, Sutton Cheney Wharf, Tibberton Towpath L1 Leisure and 10 more.
- For a 57ft narrowboat, published prices run from £463 a year (Bosworth Marina) to £7,023 a year (Upton Marina); the middle of 37 is £3,090 a year.
- Longest boat taken: 22m (72ft) at Tibberton Towpath L1 Leisure.
- Of the 37, 29 have electric hook-up, 20 a pump-out, 17 diesel, 4 a boat hoist and 9 visitor berths.
- 7 of the 37 allow liveaboards, outright or by arrangement.
- Groups running more than one: ABC Leisure Group (5), Canal & River Trust (11) and Tingdene Marinas (3).
Canals
Berths available
Lichfield Cruising Club
Lichfield, Staffordshire · Wyrley & Essington Canal and Coventry Canal
£1,283 a year for a 57ft narrowboat
Canals
Barby Moorings
Barby, Northamptonshire · Oxford Canal
£1,440 a year for a 57ft narrowboat
Rivers
Berths available
Shardlow Marina
Shardlow, Derbyshire · River Trent
£1,242 a year for a 10m cruiser
Canals
Full
Talbot Wharf
Market Drayton, Shropshire · Shropshire Union Canal
£1,984 a year for a 57ft narrowboat
Rivers
Northampton Marina
Northampton, Northamptonshire · River Nene
£1,310 a year for a 10m cruiser
Canals
Kingfisher Marina
Yardley Gobion, Northamptonshire · Grand Union Canal
£2,394 a year for a 57ft narrowboat
Canals
Willows Marina
Weedon, Northamptonshire · Grand Union Canal
£2,400 a year for a 57ft narrowboat
Canals
Berths available
Buckby Top Lock L1 Leisure
Daventry, Northamptonshire · Grand Union Canal
£2,606 a year for a 57ft narrowboat
Canals
Berths available
Sutton Cheney Wharf
Hinckley, Leicestershire · Ashby Canal
£2,723 a year for a 57ft narrowboat
Canals
Berths available
Tibberton Towpath L1 Leisure
Worcester, Worcestershire · Worcester & Birmingham Canal
£2,791 a year for a 57ft narrowboat
Canals
Berths available
Dunhampstead L1 Leisure
Droitwich, Worcestershire · Worcester & Birmingham Canal
£2,850 a year for a 57ft narrowboat
Canals
Stenson Marina
Barrow-on-Trent, Derbyshire · Trent & Mersey Canal
£2,910 a year for a 57ft narrowboat
Canals
Berths available
Cuckoo Wharf Residential Moorings
Birmingham, West Midlands · Birmingham & Fazeley Canal
£2,914 a year for a 57ft narrowboat
Canals
Berths available
Stourport Wide-Beam Basin L1 Leisure
Stourport-on-Severn, Worcestershire · Staffordshire & Worcestershire Canal
£2,964 a year for a 57ft narrowboat
Canals
Berths available
Bugbrooke Marina
Bugbrooke, Northamptonshire · Grand Union Canal
£2,964 a year for a 57ft narrowboat
Canals
Heyford Fields Marina
Nether Heyford, Northamptonshire · Grand Union Canal
£3,020 a year for a 57ft narrowboat
Rivers
Berths available
Willow Moorings
Kegworth, Leicestershire · River Soar
£1,782 a year for a 10m cruiser (from)
Canals
Berths available
Hardingswood Junction Moorings
Kidsgrove, Staffordshire · Trent & Mersey Canal
£3,090 a year for a 57ft narrowboat
Canals
Berths available
Lowsonford L1 Leisure
Lowsonford, Warwickshire · South Stratford Canal
£3,183 a year for a 57ft narrowboat
Canals
Springwood Haven Marina
Nuneaton, Warwickshire · Coventry Canal
£3,243 a year for a 57ft narrowboat
Rivers
Berths available
Bishop Meadow L1
Loughborough, Leicestershire · River Soar
£3,272 a year for a 10m cruiser
Canals
Droitwich Spa Marina
Droitwich Spa, Worcestershire · Droitwich Junction Canal
£3,390 a year for a 57ft narrowboat
Canals
New Mills Marina
New Mills, Derbyshire · Peak Forest Canal
£3,434 a year for a 57ft narrowboat
Canals
Berths available
Tardebigge L1 Leisure
Bromsgrove, Worcestershire · Worcester & Birmingham Canal
£3,601 a year for a 57ft narrowboat
Canals
Kings Orchard Marina
Huddlesford, Staffordshire · Coventry Canal
£3,671 a year for a 57ft narrowboat
Canals
Brayford Pool Marina
Lincoln, Lincolnshire · Brayford Pool, where the River Witham meets the Fossdyke Canal
£3,682 a year for a 57ft narrowboat
Canals
Aston Marina
Stone, Staffordshire · Trent & Mersey Canal
£3,725 a year for a 57ft narrowboat
Canals
Mercia Marina
Willington, Derbyshire · Trent & Mersey Canal
£3,803 a year for a 57ft narrowboat
Rivers
Stourport Marina
Stourport-on-Severn, Worcestershire · River Severn
£2,635 a year for a 10m cruiser
Canals
Alvechurch Marina
Alvechurch, Worcestershire · Worcester & Birmingham Canal
£4,460 a year for a 57ft narrowboat
Canals
Berths available
Memory Lane
Leicester, Leicestershire · Grand Union Canal
£4,560 a year for a 57ft narrowboat
Canals
Worcester Marina
Worcester, Worcestershire · Worcester & Birmingham Canal
£4,574 a year for a 57ft narrowboat
Rivers
Shakespeare Marina
Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire · River Avon
£2,709 a year for a 10m cruiser
Canals
Burton Waters Marina
Lincoln, Lincolnshire · Fossdyke Navigation
£4,690 a year for a 57ft narrowboat
Rivers
Farndon Marina
Farndon, Nottinghamshire · River Trent
£3,105 a year for a 10m cruiser
Rivers
Upton Marina
Upton-upon-Severn, Worcestershire · River Severn
£4,043 a year for a 10m cruiser
Compared: prices for a 57ft narrowboat
| Site | Where | A year, 57ft narrowboat | Per metre a year | Berths | Space |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bosworth Marina | Market Bosworth, Ashby Canal | £463 | £26.66 | pontoon berths, linear moorings | Berths available |
| Lichfield Cruising Club | Lichfield, Wyrley & Essington Canal and Coventry Canal | £1,283 | £73.83 | pontoon berths, linear moorings | Berths available |
| Barby Moorings | Barby, Oxford Canal | £1,440 | £82.90 | pontoon berths, linear moorings | Not reported |
| Shardlow Marina | Shardlow, River Trent | £1,930 | £111.09 | pontoon berths, linear moorings | Berths available |
| Talbot Wharf | Market Drayton, Shropshire Union Canal | £1,984 | £114.20 | linear moorings, quay and harbour wall berths | Full |
| Northampton Marina | Northampton, River Nene | £2,275 | £131 | pontoon berths | Not reported |
| Kingfisher Marina | Yardley Gobion, Grand Union Canal | £2,394 | £137.82 | pontoon berths, linear moorings | Not reported |
| Willows Marina | Weedon, Grand Union Canal | £2,400 | £138.17 | pontoon berths | Not reported |
| Buckby Top Lock L1 Leisure | Daventry, Grand Union Canal | £2,606 | £150.05 | linear moorings | Berths available |
| Sutton Cheney Wharf | Hinckley, Ashby Canal | £2,723 | £156.77 | linear moorings | Berths available |
| Tibberton Towpath L1 Leisure | Worcester, Worcester & Birmingham Canal | £2,791 | £160.67 | linear moorings | Berths available |
| Dunhampstead L1 Leisure | Droitwich, Worcester & Birmingham Canal | £2,850 | £164.10 | linear moorings | Berths available |
| Stenson Marina | Barrow-on-Trent, Trent & Mersey Canal | £2,910 | £167.53 | pontoon berths | Not reported |
| Cuckoo Wharf Residential Moorings | Birmingham, Birmingham & Fazeley Canal | £2,914 | £167.75 | linear moorings | Berths available |
| Stourport Wide-Beam Basin L1 Leisure | Stourport-on-Severn, Staffordshire & Worcestershire Canal | £2,964 | £170.62 | linear moorings | Berths available |
| Bugbrooke Marina | Bugbrooke, Grand Union Canal | £2,964 | £170.64 | linear moorings | Berths available |
| Heyford Fields Marina | Nether Heyford, Grand Union Canal | £3,020 | £173.84 | pontoon berths | Not reported |
| Willow Moorings | Kegworth, River Soar | from £3,078 | £177.20 | linear moorings | Berths available |
| Hardingswood Junction Moorings | Kidsgrove, Trent & Mersey Canal | £3,090 | £177.89 | linear moorings | Berths available |
| Lowsonford L1 Leisure | Lowsonford, South Stratford Canal | £3,183 | £183.23 | linear moorings | Berths available |
| Springwood Haven Marina | Nuneaton, Coventry Canal | £3,243 | £186.72 | pontoon berths | Not reported |
| Bishop Meadow L1 | Loughborough, River Soar | £3,272 | £188.38 | linear moorings | Berths available |
| Droitwich Spa Marina | Droitwich Spa, Droitwich Junction Canal | £3,390 | £195.16 | pontoon berths | Not reported |
| New Mills Marina | New Mills, Peak Forest Canal | £3,434 | £197.71 | pontoon berths | Not reported |
| Tardebigge L1 Leisure | Bromsgrove, Worcester & Birmingham Canal | £3,601 | £207.34 | linear moorings | Berths available |
| Kings Orchard Marina | Huddlesford, Coventry Canal | £3,671 | £211.33 | pontoon berths | Not reported |
| Brayford Pool Marina | Lincoln, Brayford Pool, where the River Witham meets the Fossdyke Canal | £3,682 | £212 | pontoon berths | Not reported |
| Aston Marina | Stone, Trent & Mersey Canal | £3,725 | £214.45 | pontoon berths | Not reported |
| Mercia Marina | Willington, Trent & Mersey Canal | £3,803 | £218.92 | pontoon berths | Not reported |
| Stourport Marina | Stourport-on-Severn, River Severn | £3,814 | £219.60 | pontoon berths | Not reported |
| Alvechurch Marina | Alvechurch, Worcester & Birmingham Canal | £4,460 | £256.78 | pontoon berths | Not reported |
| Memory Lane | Leicester, Grand Union Canal | £4,560 | £262.52 | pontoon berths | Berths available |
| Worcester Marina | Worcester, Worcester & Birmingham Canal | £4,574 | £263.34 | pontoon berths | Not reported |
| Shakespeare Marina | Stratford-upon-Avon, River Avon | £4,679 | £269.35 | pontoon berths | Not reported |
| Burton Waters Marina | Lincoln, Fossdyke Navigation | £4,690 | £270 | pontoon berths | Not reported |
| Farndon Marina | Farndon, River Trent | £5,394 | £310.54 | pontoon berths | Not reported |
| Upton Marina | Upton-upon-Severn, River Severn | £7,023 | £404.31 | pontoon berths | 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 37 cheapest walk-ashore berths here that publish a price, a 57ft narrowboat costs from £463 a year at Bosworth Marina to £7,023 a year at Upton Marina. The middle figure is £3,090 a year. Check what each includes: electricity, water and VAT vary.
What are the cheapest cheapest walk-ashore berths in the Midlands?
For a 57ft narrowboat, Bosworth Marina is cheapest at £463 a year in Market Bosworth.
Which cheapest walk-ashore berths in the Midlands have space now?
16 of the 37 told us in the last six weeks they have space: Bosworth Marina, Lichfield Cruising Club, Shardlow Marina, Buckby Top Lock L1 Leisure, Sutton Cheney Wharf, Tibberton Towpath L1 Leisure, Dunhampstead L1 Leisure, Cuckoo Wharf Residential Moorings and 8 more. Each page shows the date they told us and what they have.
Can you live aboard at cheapest walk-ashore berths in the Midlands?
7 of the 37 say you can: Northampton Marina (residential moorings with planning consent), Springwood Haven Marina (liveaboard by arrangement), Bishop Meadow L1 (residential moorings with planning consent), Kings Orchard Marina (liveaboard by arrangement), Mercia Marina (liveaboards allowed), Alvechurch Marina (liveaboard by arrangement) and Memory Lane (residential moorings with planning consent). 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, 32 need a Canal & River Trust boat licence, 1 need Environment Agency registration (Thames, Medway, Anglian waterways), 1 need an Avon Navigation Trust licence and 2 need the navigation's own licence. Coastal marinas usually need none.
Broader
Cheapest walk-ashore berths in the Midlands, by county
Cheapest walk-ashore berths in other areas
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