Canals
Full
Ratcliffe Wharf L1 Leisure
Lancaster, Lancashire · Lancaster Canal
Prices not published
Visitor moorings in the North West
Places that take boats for a night or a few: visitor berths with a published nightly rate, or that say they keep space for visitors. Prices are worked out for one night.
17 sites · typical £27.10 a night for a 57ft narrowboat (£16.50–£59.93 across 9 published tariffs)
At a glance
- 17 sites: 11 on canals, 4 on estuaries and tidal rivers and 2 on the open coast.
- None has told us in the last six weeks that it has space.
- For a 57ft narrowboat, published prices run from £16.50 a night (Swanley Bridge Marina) to £59.93 a night (Whitehaven Marina); the middle of 9 is £27.10 a night.
- Longest boat taken: 65m (213ft) at Whitehaven Marina.
- Of the 17, 13 have electric hook-up, 13 a pump-out, 13 diesel and 4 a boat hoist.
- 3 of the 17 allow liveaboards, outright or by arrangement.
- Groups running more than one: ABC Leisure Group (2) and Aquavista (3).
Canals
Anderton Marina
Anderton, Cheshire · Trent & Mersey Canal
£4,247 a year for a 57ft narrowboat
Estuaries & tidal rivers
Douglas Boatyard
Hesketh Bank, Lancashire · River Douglas
£1,800 a year for a 10m yacht
Canals
Heritage Marina
Scholar Green, Cheshire · Macclesfield Canal
£3,221 a year for a 57ft narrowboat
Estuaries & tidal rivers
Liverpool Marina
Liverpool, Merseyside · River Mersey
£3,661 a year for a 10m yacht
Coast & harbours
Maryport Marina
Maryport, Cumbria · Solway Firth
£2,775 a year for a 10m yacht
Canals
Nantwich Canal Centre
Nantwich, Cheshire · Shropshire Union Canal
£3,243 a year for a 57ft narrowboat
Canals
Overwater Marina
Audlem, Cheshire · Shropshire Union Canal
£3,998 a year for a 57ft narrowboat
Estuaries & tidal rivers
Preston Marina
Preston, Lancashire · River Ribble
£2,400 a year for a 10m yacht
Canals
Swanley Bridge Marina
Nantwich, Cheshire · Llangollen Canal
£3,365 a year for a 57ft narrowboat
Coast & harbours
Whitehaven Marina
Whitehaven, Cumbria · Solway Firth approaches (Irish Sea), Whitehaven Harbour
£3,010 a year for a 10m yacht
Canals
Droylsden Marina
Droylsden, Greater Manchester · Hollinwood Branch Canal
Prices on request
Canals
Fettlers Wharf Marina
Ormskirk, Lancashire · Leeds & Liverpool Canal (Rufford Branch)
Prices on request
Canals
Galgate Waterside & Marina
Galgate, Lancashire · Lancaster Canal
Prices on request
Estuaries & tidal rivers
Glasson Waterside & Marina
Glasson Dock, Lancashire · River Lune Estuary / Lancaster Canal
Prices on request
Canals
Pennington Waterside & Marina
Leigh, Greater Manchester · Leigh Branch of the Leeds & Liverpool Canal
Prices not published
Canals
Reedley Marina
Burnley, Lancashire · Leeds & Liverpool Canal
Prices on request
Compared: prices for a 57ft narrowboat
| Site | Where | A night, 57ft narrowboat | Space |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ratcliffe Wharf L1 Leisure | Lancaster, Lancaster Canal | – | Full |
| Anderton Marina | Anderton, Trent & Mersey Canal | £25.65 | Not reported |
| Douglas Boatyard | Hesketh Bank, River Douglas | £27.10 | Not reported |
| Heritage Marina | Scholar Green, Macclesfield Canal | £30 | Not reported |
| Liverpool Marina | Liverpool, River Mersey | £54.72 | Not reported |
| Maryport Marina | Maryport, Solway Firth | £57.32 | Not reported |
| Nantwich Canal Centre | Nantwich, Shropshire Union Canal | £25.65 | Not reported |
| Overwater Marina | Audlem, Shropshire Union Canal | £17 | Not reported |
| Preston Marina | Preston, River Ribble | – | Not reported |
| Swanley Bridge Marina | Nantwich, Llangollen Canal | £16.50 | Not reported |
| Whitehaven Marina | Whitehaven, Solway Firth approaches (Irish Sea), Whitehaven Harbour | £59.93 | Not reported |
| Droylsden Marina | Droylsden, Hollinwood Branch Canal | On request | Not reported |
| Fettlers Wharf Marina | Ormskirk, Leeds & Liverpool Canal (Rufford Branch) | On request | Not reported |
| Galgate Waterside & Marina | Galgate, Lancaster Canal | On request | Not reported |
| Glasson Waterside & Marina | Glasson Dock, River Lune Estuary / Lancaster Canal | On request | Not reported |
| Pennington Waterside & Marina | Leigh, Leigh Branch of the Leeds & Liverpool Canal | – | Not reported |
| Reedley Marina | Burnley, Leeds & Liverpool Canal | On request | Not reported |
From each site's published tariff, for one night. "–" means the site doesn't say. Prices change; confirm with the site.
Questions
How much is a night on a visitor berth for a 57ft narrowboat in the North West?
Across the 9 visitor moorings here that publish a price, a 57ft narrowboat costs from £16.50 a night at Swanley Bridge Marina to £59.93 a night at Whitehaven Marina. The middle figure is £27.10 a night. Check what each includes: electricity, water and VAT vary.
What are the cheapest visitor moorings in the North West?
For a 57ft narrowboat, Swanley Bridge Marina is cheapest at £16.50 a night in Nantwich.
Which visitor moorings in the North West have space now?
None of the 17 has told us in the last six weeks that it has space. We ask every site regularly; the list above updates as they reply.
Can you live aboard at visitor moorings in the North West?
3 of the 17 say you can: Anderton Marina (liveaboard by arrangement), Nantwich Canal Centre (liveaboard by arrangement) and Galgate Waterside & 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 and 1 need the navigation's own licence. Coastal marinas usually need none.
Broader
Visitor moorings in the North West, by county
Visitor moorings in other areas
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