Canal & River Trust

Peak Forest Canal

16 miles of navigable water, 10 locks, 2 named marinas and moorings. Passes Ashton-under-Lyne, Audenshaw, Dukinfield, Hyde, Marple, New Mills, Whaley Bridge.

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.

Ashton-under-LyneAudenshawDukinfieldHydeMarpleNew MillsWhaley Bridge

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
Peak Forest Canal (narrow)21.962.131.071.83

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 Peak Forest Canal in OpenStreetMap. Volunteers map these, so there are gaps.

Water points 2

  • Marple Water Point
  • New Mills Marina Water Point

Elsan disposal 2

  • Marple Elsan Point
  • Whaley Bridge Elsan Point

Pump-out 0

None mapped.

Boat fuel 2

  • New Mills Marina Diesel Pump
  • Portland Basin Marina Diesel Pump

Rubbish disposal 4

  • Bugsworth Basin Rubbish Disposal
  • Marple Rubbish Disposal
  • Whaley Bridge Rubbish Disposal

1 more without a name in OpenStreetMap.

Winding holes 1

1 more without a name in OpenStreetMap.

Questions

Can a widebeam go on the Peak Forest Canal?

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

Will a 57ft narrowboat fit on the Peak Forest Canal?

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

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

About 16 miles of navigable water on our map, with 10 locks mapped in OpenStreetMap.