Canal & River Trust

Lancaster Canal

47 miles of navigable water, 10 locks, 6 named marinas and moorings. Passes Lancaster, Carnforth, Garstang.

Will your boat fit?

Boat	Size	Fits?
Narrowboat	57ft × 6ft 10in	Fits
Long narrowboat	70ft × 6ft 10in	Fits
Widebeam	60ft × 10ft	Fits
Widebeam	60ft × 12ft	Fits
Dutch barge	70ft × 14ft 6in	Fits

Length and beam against Canal & River Trust. “Some sections” means your boat is too big for at least one section or lock. Draught and headroom aren't checked here: see the table below.

Published size limits

Maximum boat sizes in metres, from the Canal & River Trust's waterway dimensions (page last edited 26 Mar 2026). “–” means the Trust doesn't give a figure.

Section	Length	Beam	Draught	Headroom
Main Line	21.95	4.65	–	2.49

Marinas and moorings

Each opens its Check a Mooring page: what's nearby on the water and ashore.

Bridge House Marina and Caravan Park marina
Galgate Waterside and Marina marina
Glasson Basin Marina marina
Glasson Dock Basin marina
Moons Bridge Marina marina
Tewitfield Marina marina

Services on the water

Mapped within 150 m of the Lancaster Canal in OpenStreetMap. Volunteers map these, so there are gaps.

Water points 1

1 more without a name in OpenStreetMap.

Elsan disposal 1

1 more without a name in OpenStreetMap.

Pump-out 0

None mapped.

Boat fuel 0

None mapped.

Rubbish disposal 5

5 more without a name in OpenStreetMap.

Winding holes 2

2 more without a name in OpenStreetMap.

Questions

Can a widebeam go on the Lancaster Canal?

Yes. A 60ft × 10ft widebeam is within every published limit on the Lancaster Canal.

Will a 57ft narrowboat fit on the Lancaster Canal?

Yes. A 57ft × 6ft 10in narrowboat is within every published limit on the Lancaster Canal.

How long is the Lancaster Canal, and how many locks does it have?

About 47 miles of navigable water on our map, with 10 locks mapped in OpenStreetMap.