Rivers
Berths available
Bishop Meadow L1
Loughborough, Leicestershire · River Soar
£3,272 a year for a 10m cruiser
Walk-ashore berths on the Grand Union Canal
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.
10 sites · 4 with space now · 1 with a waiting list · typical £3,272 a year for a 57ft narrowboat (£3,272–£3,272 across 1 published tariffs)
Licence: Canal & River Trust. About licences
At a glance
- 10 sites: 9 on canals and 1 on a river.
- 4 of the 10 told us in the last six weeks they have space: Bishop Meadow L1, Campbell Wharf Marina, Foxton Bottom Basin L1 Leisure and Pillings Lock Marina.
- Keeping a waiting list: Bridge 93 Milton Keynes L1 Leisure.
- Only Bishop Meadow L1 publishes a price for a 57ft narrowboat: £3,272 a year.
- Longest boat taken: 21.4m (70ft) at Bishop Meadow L1.
- Of the 10, 6 have electric hook-up, 4 a pump-out, 4 diesel and 2 visitor berths.
- 1 of the 10 allow liveaboards, outright or by arrangement.
- Groups running more than one: Canal & River Trust (5).
Canals
A few berths left
Campbell Wharf Marina
Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire · Grand Union Canal
Prices not published
Canals
Berths available
Foxton Bottom Basin L1 Leisure
Foxton, Leicestershire · Grand Union Canal
Prices not published
Canals
Berths available
Pillings Lock Marina
Quorn, Leicestershire · Grand Union Canal
Prices on request
Canals
Waiting list
Bridge 93 Milton Keynes L1 Leisure
Fenny Stratford, Buckinghamshire · Grand Union Canal
Prices not published
Canals
Full
Foxton Village L1 Leisure
Foxton, Leicestershire · Grand Union Canal
Prices not published
Canals
Calcutt Marina
Southam, Warwickshire · Grand Union Canal
Prices on request
Canals
Leighton Lock L1 Leisure
Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire · Grand Union Canal
Prices on request
Canals
Lionhearts Cruising Club
Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire · Grand Union Canal
Prices not published
Canals
Milton Keynes Marina
Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire · Grand Union Canal
Prices on request
Course, length and connections from OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).
Compared: prices for a 57ft narrowboat
| Site | Where | A year, 57ft narrowboat | Berths | Space |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bishop Meadow L1 | Loughborough, River Soar | £3,272 | linear moorings | Berths available |
| Campbell Wharf Marina | Milton Keynes, Grand Union Canal | – | pontoon berths | A few berths left |
| Foxton Bottom Basin L1 Leisure | Foxton, Grand Union Canal | – | quay and harbour wall berths | Berths available |
| Pillings Lock Marina | Quorn, Grand Union Canal | On request | pontoon berths | Berths available |
| Bridge 93 Milton Keynes L1 Leisure | Fenny Stratford, Grand Union Canal | – | linear moorings | Waiting list |
| Foxton Village L1 Leisure | Foxton, Grand Union Canal | – | linear moorings | Full |
| Calcutt Marina | Southam, Grand Union Canal | On request | pontoon berths | Not reported |
| Leighton Lock L1 Leisure | Leighton Buzzard, Grand Union Canal | On request | linear moorings | Not reported |
| Lionhearts Cruising Club | Milton Keynes, Grand Union Canal | – | linear moorings | Not reported |
| Milton Keynes Marina | Milton Keynes, Grand Union Canal | On request | pontoon berths | Not reported |
From each site's published tariff. "–" means the site doesn't say. Prices change; confirm with the site.
Questions
Which walk-ashore berths on the Grand Union Canal have space now?
4 of the 10 told us in the last six weeks they have space: Bishop Meadow L1, Campbell Wharf Marina, Foxton Bottom Basin L1 Leisure and Pillings Lock Marina. Each page shows the date they told us and what they have.
Can you live aboard at walk-ashore berths on the Grand Union Canal?
1 of the 10 say you can: Bishop Meadow L1 (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, 10 need a Canal & River Trust boat licence. Coastal marinas usually need none.
Broader
Walk-ashore berths on other waterways
- Aire and Calder Navigation 10
- Bridgewater Canal 5
- Calder & Hebble Navigation 5
- Coventry Canal 9
- Forth and Clyde Canal 8
- Grand Union Canal 66
- Kennet and Avon Canal 20
- Lancaster Canal 16
- Leeds and Liverpool Canal 30
- Llangollen Canal 4
- Macclesfield Canal 4
- Regent's Canal 8
- River Bure 6
- River Great Ouse 9
- River Lee Navigation 3
- River Medway 8
- River Severn 4
- River Soar 3
- River Thames 58
- River Trent 10
- Shropshire Union Canal 27
- Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal 4
- Trent & Mersey Canal 17
- Union Canal 8
- Grand Union Canal (Paddington Arm) 4
Run one of these sites? Tell boaters what you have free in a minute, no account needed. Update your availability