Accessible Boating Organisations
Many canal and river boats have been built, or adapted, for people in a wheelchair or with reduced mobility. There are a number of accessible boating organisations who can provide accessible day trips. Some can also provide residential breaks.
Although most operate on the main canals and rivers, a few operate on canals that are currently being restored. These can offer a unique insight into our canal history. Whichever you chose, you will enjoy the benefits of the “fastest way of slowing down”!
This list of organisations who have Accessible Boating facilities is provided as a service to users of this website. Whilst we make every effort to ensure that these details are correct and up to date, we cannot accept any responsibility for any errors.
Please contact the organisations directly for more information – and please let us know if you find anything that’s incorrect or you know of an accessible boating organisation who are not listed.
Any organisation listed as providing day trips and/or residential breaks have at least one boat that is fully accessible. Where they have only one fully accessible boat, the name is in brackets after the type of trips they operate.
Note, there may be restrictions on the size and numbers of wheelchairs that can be accommodated. Always check before booking.
Accessible Boating Association
Day trips and residential breaks
Cot Hill Wharf, Odiham
Basingstoke Canal
Baldwin Trust
Day trips and residential breaks
Pillings Lock Marina, Loughborough
River Soar
Bruce Boats (Kennet and Avon Canal Trust)
Day trips and residential breaks
Great Bedwyn Wharf, Great Bedwyn
Kennet and Avon Canal
CanalAbility
Day trips and residential breaks
Lock View, Harlow
River Stort
Chesterfield Canal Trust
Day trips (John Varley II)
Tapton Lock, Chesterfield
Chesterfield Canal
www.chesterfield-canal-trust.org.uk
Crusader Community Boating
Day trips
Northampton Lock, Becket’s Park
River Nene
Gayton Wharf, Blisworth
Grand Union Canal
www.crusadercommunityboating.org.uk
Dudley Canal and Caverns
Day trips (George)
Dudley Canal and Tunnel Trust, Dudley
Dudley No 1 Canal
East Manchester Community Boat Project
Day Trips
Portland Basin, Ashton-under-Lyne
Ashton Canal
Electric Barge
Fully accessible floating venue
Paddington Station
Paddington Arm, Grand Union Canal
Ethel Trust Community Barges
Day trips and residential breaks
Victoria Quays, Sheffield
Sheffield and Tinsley Canal
and
Stanilands Marina, Thorne, Doncaster
Stainforth and Keadby Canal
Hargreaves Narrowboat Trust
Day trips
Boot Wharf, Nuneaton
Coventry Canal
www.hargreavesnarrowboat.co.uk
Heulwen Trust
Day trips
Heulwen Wharf, Welshpool
Montgommery Canal
Hillingdon Narrowboats Association
Day trips (Spirit)
The Boathouse, Harefield
Grand Union Canal
www.hillingdon-narrowboats.org.uk
Huddersfield Canal Society
Day trips (Marsden e-Shuttle)
Marsden Station Lock, Marsden
Huddersfield Narrow Canal
Laburnum Boat Club
Day trips (Lady Mildmay)
Laburnum Boat Club, Hackney
Regents Canal
Lyneal Trust
Day trips and residential breaks
Lyneal Wharf, Welshampton, Ellesmere
Llangollen Canal
Mary Sunley Canal Boat Trust
Day trips
Lord Vernon’s Wharf, Higher Poynton
Macclesfield Canal
Milton Keynes Community Boat
Day trips (Electra MK)
Campbell Wharf, Milton Keynes
Grand Union Canal
Monmouthshire Brecon & Abergavenny Canals Trust
Day trips (Lord Raglan)
Goytre Wharf, Llanover
Monmouthshire & Brecon Canal
Nottingham Narrowboat Project
Day trips and residential breaks
Canal House Wharf, Nottingham
River Trent
www.nottinghamnarrowboatproject.org.uk
Pamela May
Day trips
Vines Park, Droitwich
Droitwich Junction Canal
Pirate Castle
Day trips and residential breaks (Pirate Prince)
The Pirate Castle, Camden
Regents Canal
Rose of Parbold
Day trips
Parbold
Leeds and Liverpool Canal
www.roseofparbold.co.uk
Seagull Trust
Day trips
Bantaskine Park, Falkirk
The Bridge Inn, Ratho
Union Canal
Tomnahurich Bridge, Inverness
Caledonian Canal
Southbank Marina, Kirkintilloch
Forth and Clyde Canal
South Staffordshire Narrowboat Co Ltd
Day trips
Castlecroft Lane, Wolverhampton
Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal
South West Herts Narrowboat Trust
Day trips and residential breaks (Pickle’s Folly)
Old Mill Road, Hunton Bridge
Grand Union Canal
Spirit of Endeavour
Day trips
Rear of Skipton General Hospital, Skipton
Leeds and Liverpool Canal
Stockport Canal Boat Trust
Day trips
Marple Bridge, Stockport
Macclesfield Canal
Swinton Lock Activity Centre
Day trips
Swinton Lock, Mexborough
Sheffield and South Yorkshire Navigation
Surrey Care Trust (Swingbridge Community Boats)
Short and Day trips, One day boating courses
Dapdune Wharf, Guildford
Wey Navigation
Trueman Enterprise Narrowboat Trust
Day trips
Hatherton Marina, Calf Heath
Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal
Vale of Llangollen Canal Boat Trust
Day trips
Trevor Basin
Llangollen Canal
Wey and Arun Canal Trust
Day trips (Wiggonholt)
The Onslow Arms, Loxwood
Wey and Arun Canal
Willow Wren Hire Cruisers
Accessible Boat Hire (Beatrice)
Rugby Wharf, Consul Road, Rugby
Oxford Canal (North)
Wirral Community Narrowboat Trust Limited
Day trips
The Cheshire Cat, Christleton and Boat Museum, Ellesmere Port
Shropshire Union Canal
Preston Brook
Bridgewater Canal
Trevor Basin, Trevor
Llangollen Canal
The above list of Accessible Boating Organisations is believed to be correct at the time of compilation (May 2023). Please let us know of any errors or omissions.