Canals
Ardrishaig Basin
Ardrishaig, Argyll and Bute · Crinan Canal
£3,761 a year for a 57ft narrowboat
Canal moorings and marinas for cruisers in Scotland
Marinas, basins and linear towpath moorings on the canal network: mostly narrowboats and widebeams, priced per foot or metre a year, with a navigation licence on top. Places that take cruisers. River and estuary motor cruisers.
19 sites · typical £2,165 a year for a 10m cruiser (£273–£4,970 across 17 published tariffs)
At a glance
- 19 sites, all on canals.
- None has told us in the last six weeks that it has space.
- For a 10m cruiser, published prices run from £273 a year (Kelpies Marina) to £4,970 a year (Lochrin Basin); the middle of 17 is £2,165 a year.
- Longest boat taken: 45m (148ft) at Fort Augustus.
- Of the 19, 16 have electric hook-up, 12 a pump-out, 8 diesel and 1 visitor berths.
- 6 of the 19 allow liveaboards, outright or by arrangement.
- Groups running more than one: Scottish Canals (19).
Canals
Ardrishaig Basin Dummy Lock
Ardrishaig, Argyll and Bute · Crinan Canal
£4,513 a year for a 57ft narrowboat
Canals
Auchinstarry Marina
Kilsyth, North Lanarkshire · Forth & Clyde Canal
£3,054 a year for a 57ft narrowboat
Canals
Cadder Wharf
Bishopbriggs, East Dunbartonshire · Forth & Clyde Canal
£2,389 a year for a 57ft narrowboat
Canals
Cairnbaan Lock 5
Cairnbaan, Argyll and Bute · Crinan Canal
£3,518 a year for a 57ft narrowboat
Canals
Fort Augustus
Fort Augustus, Highland · Caledonian Canal
£4,704 a year for a 57ft narrowboat
Canals
Kelpies Marina
Falkirk, Falkirk · Forth & Clyde Canal
£273 a year for a 57ft narrowboat
Canals
Kirkintilloch Linear
Kirkintilloch, East Dunbartonshire · Forth & Clyde Canal
£3,042 a year for a 57ft narrowboat
Canals
Lochrin Basin
Edinburgh, City of Edinburgh · Union Canal
£8,633 a year for a 57ft narrowboat
Canals
Lock 16 Moorings
Falkirk, Falkirk · Forth & Clyde Canal
£1,936 a year for a 57ft narrowboat
Canals
Ratho Marina
Ratho, City of Edinburgh · Union Canal
£4,905 a year for a 57ft narrowboat
Canals
Reddingmuirhead
Reddingmuirhead, Falkirk · Union Canal
£1,565 a year for a 57ft narrowboat
Canals
Southbank Marina
Kirkintilloch, East Dunbartonshire · Forth & Clyde Canal
£3,595 a year for a 57ft narrowboat
Canals
Speirs Wharf
Glasgow, Glasgow City · Forth & Clyde Canal
£3,104 a year for a 57ft narrowboat
Canals
The Falkirk Wheel Linear
Falkirk, Falkirk · Forth & Clyde Canal
£1,798 a year for a 57ft narrowboat
Canals
Bellanoch Marina
Bellanoch, Argyll and Bute · Crinan Canal
Prices not published
Canals
Bowling Lower Basin
Bowling, West Dunbartonshire · Forth & Clyde Canal
Prices not published
Canals
Harrison Park
Edinburgh, City of Edinburgh · Union Canal
Prices not published
Canals
Seaport Marina
Inverness, Highland · Caledonian Canal
Prices not published
Compared: prices for a 10m cruiser
| Site | Where | A year, 10m cruiser | Space |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ardrishaig Basin | Ardrishaig, Crinan Canal | £2,165 | Not reported |
| Ardrishaig Basin Dummy Lock | Ardrishaig, Crinan Canal | £2,598 | Not reported |
| Auchinstarry Marina | Kilsyth, Forth & Clyde Canal | £1,758 | Not reported |
| Cadder Wharf | Bishopbriggs, Forth & Clyde Canal | – | Not reported |
| Cairnbaan Lock 5 | Cairnbaan, Crinan Canal | £2,025 | Not reported |
| Fort Augustus | Fort Augustus, Caledonian Canal | £2,708 | Not reported |
| Kelpies Marina | Falkirk, Forth & Clyde Canal | £273 | Not reported |
| Kirkintilloch Linear | Kirkintilloch, Forth & Clyde Canal | £1,751 | Not reported |
| Lochrin Basin | Edinburgh, Union Canal | £4,970 | Not reported |
| Lock 16 Moorings | Falkirk, Forth & Clyde Canal | £1,115 | Not reported |
| Ratho Marina | Ratho, Union Canal | £2,630 | Not reported |
| Reddingmuirhead | Reddingmuirhead, Union Canal | £901 | Not reported |
| Southbank Marina | Kirkintilloch, Forth & Clyde Canal | £2,070 | Not reported |
| Speirs Wharf | Glasgow, Forth & Clyde Canal | £3,104 | Not reported |
| The Falkirk Wheel Linear | Falkirk, Forth & Clyde Canal | £1,035 | Not reported |
| Bellanoch Marina | Bellanoch, Crinan Canal | £2,201 | Not reported |
| Bowling Lower Basin | Bowling, Forth & Clyde Canal | £3,108 | Not reported |
| Harrison Park | Edinburgh, Union Canal | – | Not reported |
| Seaport Marina | Inverness, Caledonian Canal | £2,702 | 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 10m cruiser cost in Scotland?
Across the 17 canal moorings and marinas for cruisers here that publish a price, a 10m cruiser costs from £273 a year at Kelpies Marina to £4,970 a year at Lochrin Basin. The middle figure is £2,165 a year. Check what each includes: electricity, water and VAT vary.
What are the cheapest canal moorings and marinas for cruisers in Scotland?
For a 10m cruiser, Kelpies Marina is cheapest at £273 a year in Falkirk.
Which canal moorings and marinas for cruisers in Scotland have space now?
None of the 19 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 canal moorings and marinas for cruisers in Scotland?
6 of the 19 say you can: Auchinstarry Marina (residential moorings with planning consent), Kelpies Marina (liveaboards allowed), Lochrin Basin (residential moorings with planning consent), Southbank Marina (residential moorings with planning consent), Speirs Wharf (residential moorings with planning consent) and Seaport Marina (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, 19 need a Scottish Canals licence. Coastal marinas usually need none.
Broader
Canal moorings and marinas for cruisers in Scotland, by county
Canal moorings and marinas for cruisers in other areas
- England 77
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