Canal & River Trust

Macclesfield Canal

28 miles of navigable water, 16 locks, 6 named marinas and moorings. Passes Bollington, Congleton, Kidsgrove, Macclesfield, Marple.

Will your boat fit?

BoatSizeFits?
Narrowboat57ft × 6ft 10inFits
Long narrowboat70ft × 6ft 10inFits
Widebeam60ft × 10ftToo big
Widebeam60ft × 12ftToo big
Dutch barge70ft × 14ft 6inToo big

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.

BollingtonCongletonKidsgroveMacclesfieldMarple

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.

SectionLengthBeamDraughtHeadroom
Macclesfield Canal (narrow)21.952.131.072.08

Marinas and moorings

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

Services on the water

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

Water points 8

  • Bosley Top Lock Water Point
  • Brownhills Bridge Water Point
  • Hall Green Water Point
  • Locketts Bridge Water Point
  • Marple Water Point
  • Swettenham Street Maintenance Yard Water Point

1 more without a name in OpenStreetMap.

Elsan disposal 2

  • Marple Elsan Point

1 more without a name in OpenStreetMap.

Pump-out 0

None mapped.

Boat fuel 1

1 more without a name in OpenStreetMap.

Rubbish disposal 4

  • Brownhills Bridge Rubbish Disposal
  • Marple Rubbish Disposal

2 more without a name in OpenStreetMap.

Winding holes 3

3 more without a name in OpenStreetMap.

Questions

Can a widebeam go on the Macclesfield Canal?

No. A 10ft-wide boat is wider or longer than the Macclesfield Canal allows.

Will a 57ft narrowboat fit on the Macclesfield Canal?

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

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

About 28 miles of navigable water on our map, with 16 locks mapped in OpenStreetMap.