Rivers
Berths available
Bishop Meadow L1
Loughborough, Leicestershire · River Soar
£3,272 a year for a 10m cruiser
River moorings and marinas for 70ft narrowboats
Non-tidal rivers and river navigations such as the Thames above Teddington, the Severn, Nene, Great Ouse and Trent: marinas, boatyards and riverbank moorings for cruisers and narrowboats. 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.
16 sites · 6 with space now · 2 with a waiting list · typical £3,553 a year for a 70ft narrowboat (£2,289–£7,957 across 6 published tariffs)
At a glance
- 16 sites, all on rivers.
- 6 of the 16 told us in the last six weeks they have space: Bishop Meadow L1, Cathedral Marina, National Trust Stonebridge Wharf Moorings, Shardlow Marina, Upper Large Moorings and Willow Moorings.
- Keeping a waiting list: Fox Narrowboats Marina and Sileby Mill Mooring Basin.
- For a 70ft narrowboat, published prices run from £2,289 a year (Fox Narrowboats Marina) to £7,957 a year (Pyrford Marina); the middle of 6 is £3,553 a year.
- Longest boat taken: 22.9m (75ft) at Woodford Riverside Marina.
- Of the 16, 10 have electric hook-up, 8 a pump-out, 6 diesel, 3 a boat hoist and 3 visitor berths.
- 6 of the 16 allow liveaboards, outright or by arrangement.
- Groups running more than one: National Trust (4).
Rivers
Berths available
Cathedral Marina
Ely, Cambridgeshire · River Great Ouse
Prices on request
Rivers
Berths available
National Trust Stonebridge Wharf Moorings
Shalford, Surrey · River Wey Navigation
Prices not published
Rivers
Berths available
Shardlow Marina
Shardlow, Derbyshire · River Trent
£1,242 a year for a 10m cruiser
Rivers
Berths available
Upper Large Moorings
Tilehurst, Berkshire · River Thames
Prices not published
Rivers
Berths available
Willow Moorings
Kegworth, Leicestershire · River Soar
£1,782 a year for a 10m cruiser (from)
Rivers
Waiting list
Fox Narrowboats Marina
March, Cambridgeshire · Middle Level Navigations
£1,079 a year for a 10m cruiser
Rivers
Waiting list
Sileby Mill Mooring Basin
Sileby, Leicestershire · River Soar
Prices on request
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
National Trust Addlestone Moorings
Addlestone, Surrey · River Wey Navigation
Prices not published
Rivers
National Trust Godalming Wharf Moorings
Godalming, Surrey · Godalming Navigation
Prices not published
Rivers
National Trust Papercourt Lock Moorings
Ripley, Surrey · River Wey Navigation
Prices not published
Rivers
Newbury Marina
Newbury, Berkshire · Kennet Navigation
Prices on request
Rivers
Sawley Waterside & Marina
Long Eaton, Leicestershire · River Trent
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bishop Meadow L1 | Loughborough, River Soar | £3,272 | 21.4m (70ft) | Berths available |
| Cathedral Marina | Ely, River Great Ouse | On request | 21.3m (70ft) | Berths available |
| National Trust Stonebridge Wharf Moorings | Shalford, River Wey Navigation | – | 21.9m (72ft) | Berths available |
| Shardlow Marina | Shardlow, River Trent | £2,331 | 21.3m (70ft) | Berths available |
| Upper Large Moorings | Tilehurst, River Thames | – | 21.3m (70ft) | Berths available |
| Willow Moorings | Kegworth, River Soar | from £3,834 | 21.3m (70ft) | Berths available |
| Fox Narrowboats Marina | March, Middle Level Navigations | £2,289 | 21.3m (70ft) | Waiting list |
| Sileby Mill Mooring Basin | Sileby, River Soar | On request | 21.9m (72ft) | Waiting list |
| 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 |
| National Trust Addlestone Moorings | Addlestone, River Wey Navigation | – | 21.9m (72ft) | Not reported |
| National Trust Godalming Wharf Moorings | Godalming, Godalming Navigation | – | 21.9m (72ft) | Not reported |
| National Trust Papercourt Lock Moorings | Ripley, River Wey Navigation | – | 21.9m (72ft) | Not reported |
| Newbury Marina | Newbury, Kennet Navigation | On request | 21.3m (70ft) | Not reported |
| Sawley Waterside & Marina | Long Eaton, River Trent | 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 6 river moorings and marinas for 70ft narrowboats here that publish a price, a 70ft narrowboat costs from £2,289 a year at Fox Narrowboats Marina to £7,957 a year at Pyrford Marina. The middle figure is £3,553 a year. Check what each includes: electricity, water and VAT vary.
What are the cheapest river moorings and marinas for 70ft narrowboats in the UK?
For a 70ft narrowboat, Fox Narrowboats Marina is cheapest at £2,289 a year in March.
Which river moorings and marinas for 70ft narrowboats in the UK have space now?
6 of the 16 told us in the last six weeks they have space: Bishop Meadow L1, Cathedral Marina, National Trust Stonebridge Wharf Moorings, Shardlow Marina, Upper Large Moorings and Willow 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 16 say they take a boat that long. Stated maximums: Bishop Meadow L1 (21.4m (70ft)), Cathedral Marina (21.3m (70ft)), National Trust Stonebridge Wharf Moorings (21.9m (72ft)), Shardlow Marina (21.3m (70ft)), Upper Large Moorings (21.3m (70ft)), Willow Moorings (21.3m (70ft)), Fox Narrowboats Marina (21.3m (70ft)), Sileby Mill Mooring Basin (21.9m (72ft)) and 8 more. Check beam and draught too.
Can you live aboard at river moorings and marinas for 70ft narrowboats in the UK?
6 of the 16 say you can: Bishop Meadow 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, 2 need a Canal & River Trust boat licence, 6 need Environment Agency registration (Thames, Medway, Anglian waterways), 1 need an Avon Navigation Trust licence and 7 need the navigation's own licence. Coastal marinas usually need none.
Broader
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