Canal & River Trust

River Soar

16 miles of navigable water, 15 locks, 6 named marinas and moorings. Passes Leicester.

Will your boat fit?

BoatSizeFits?
Narrowboat57ft × 6ft 10inFits
Long narrowboat70ft × 6ft 10inFits
Widebeam60ft × 10ftFits
Widebeam60ft × 12ftFits
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.

Leicester

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
From the junction with the River Trent to Leicester21.344.371.142.13

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 River Soar in OpenStreetMap. Volunteers map these, so there are gaps.

Water points 1

  • Barrow Mill Basin Water Point

Elsan disposal 1

  • Barrow Mill Basin Elsan Point

Pump-out 0

None mapped.

Boat fuel 0

None mapped.

Rubbish disposal 1

  • Barrow Mill Basin Rubbish Disposal

Winding holes 0

None mapped.

Questions

Can a widebeam go on the River Soar?

Yes. A 60ft × 10ft widebeam is within every published limit on the River Soar.

Will a 57ft narrowboat fit on the River Soar?

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

How long is the River Soar, and how many locks does it have?

About 16 miles of navigable water on our map, with 15 locks mapped in OpenStreetMap.