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Leeds & Liverpool Canal Map

Leeds & Liverpool Canal Map

Canal Boat Cruises Pennine Cruisers Shire Cruisers Silsden Canal Boat Hire

ON THIS CANAL…

Bingley Five Rise Locks
Bingley Five Rise Locks

Narrowboat Hire – Leeds & Liverpool Canal

There’s a great choice of hire boat firms on the 127 miles of the scenic Leeds & Liverpool canal, on the Lancashire side, the summit level and on the Yorkshire side of the Pennines. Some hire narrow boats, some wide boats. A one way trip from Leeds to Liverpool takes at least a week with plenty of exercise from the 93 wide locks, two weeks would be much better!


  • From Liverpool to Parbold the Leeds & Liverpool Canal crosses the fairly flat Lancashire plain until the climb into the Pennine hills begins up the famous Wigan 21 locks and on through the once proud cotton towns of Blackburn and Burnley where waterside Victorian mills still stand. The summit level crosses fine moorland scenery over the ‘backbone of England’ through the mile long Foulridge tunnel.
  • The canal descends through remote and beautiful countryside and the market town of Skipton, fascinating Saltaire, Bingley Five Rise Locks into the Yorkshire Dales and on towards the bustling city of Leeds. After Leeds a network of routes lead towards Doncaster, Sheffield, the Trent, York and Hull.
  • The Liverpool Canal Link gives access to the famous Liverpool waterfront past Liverpool Pier Head to join up with the main Dock system & River Mersey.
  • The Ribble Link (2002) leads from the small port of Tarleton at the end of the Rufford branch along the River Douglas and the River Ribble to the Lancaster canal. Crossing the tidal River Ribble requires careful planning, many boats prefer to travel in convoy with of a professional pilot.
  • The wide locks on the Wigan to Leeds section are only 60ft long, a single slightly longer narrowboat may fit diagonally. The Liverpool to Wigan section and Leigh Branch have 72ft long locks.
Lancashire Mills near Leigh

Boat Hire from family firms on or around the Leeds & Liverpool Canal

canal signpost

Leeds and Liverpool Canal

Canal Boat Cruises

On a  Canal Boat Cruises holiday on the Leeds & Liverpool canal there's no rush! Luxury 6 & 8 berth boats based at Riley Green in the idyllic Lancashire country side.

canal signpost

Leeds and Liverpool Canal

Shire Cruisers

Shire Cruisers Explore the edge of the Dales, starting on the summit of the Leeds & Liverpool Canal. Carefully looked-after boats and very thorough lock instruction.

canal signpost

Leeds and Liverpool Canal

Silsden Canal Boat Hire

Anglo Welsh offers unforgettable canal boat holidays along the Leeds & Liverpool Canal, with a great choice of narrow and widebeam boats available at Silsden. Cruise west through the Yorkshire countryside, or head east towards Saltaire and Leeds, stopping off at villages, historic market towns and canalside pubs along the way.

canal signpost

Leeds and Liverpool Canal

Pennine Cruisers

Pennine Cruisers at on the Leeds & Liverpool at Skipton in the beautiful Yorkshire Pennines have day hire boats which can take up to 10 passengers.

Canal Rings

There are three cross Pennine canals giving a choice of circular routes.

The Pennine Ring links to the Bridgewater Canal in Leigh. After Manchester there is the option of climbing the Pennines on the Ashton Canal and Huddersfield Narrow Canal or along the Rochdale Canal. Then the Calder & Hebble and the Aire & Calder Navigations complete the loop.

More Information

Holiday Cruising Guide to the Leeds & Liverpool Canal.

More Northern hire firms or narrowboat hire firms in other canal areas.

Day hire boats to cruise with a few friends for a few hours.

Help to choose the right canal boat for your holiday.
Plus lots more advice and tips in our Canal Holiday Advice.

Our Listings

We provide contact telephone and email details free of charge for canal based companies, click for details.
Please note: We provide all contact details as an information service. We rely on traders to keep us informed about these listings so we can't guarantee that details are accurate or up to date. Please see our Terms of Use.

Add a company


Leeds and Liverpool Canal
bearBOATING
PO Box 324 Shipley, BD18 9DP
07969 901383
admin@bearboating.co.uk
Canal Boat Cruises
Riley Green Marina, Bolton Rd, Hoghton PR5 0SP
01254 202967
info@canalboatcruises.co.uk
canalboatcruises.co.uk
Ellerbeck Narrowboats
Chorley, Lancs. Leeds & Liverpool Canal
01257 480825
info@ellerbecknb.co.uk
Shire Cruisers
The Wharf, Sowerby Bridge HX6 2AG.
01422 832712
info@shirecruisers.co.uk
www.shirecruisers.co.uk
Silsden Canal Boat Hire
Canal Wharfe, Elliott St, Silsden, Keighley BD20 0DE.
01535 653675
www.anglowelsh.co.uk
Snaygill Boats
Skipton Road Bradley, Skipton BD20 9HA.
01756 795150
hire@snaygillboats.co.uk


Day Hire
Ellerbeck Narrowboats
Rawlinson Ln, Heath Charnock, Chorley PR7 4DE.
01257 480825
info@boatstohire.co.uk
www.ellerbecknarrowboats.co.uk
Pennine Cruisers
19 Coach Street, Skipton, North Yorkshire, BD23 1LH
01756 795478
Info@penninecruisers.com
www.penninecruisers.com
Skipton Boat Trips
The Wharf Office, 3 Coach St, Skipton BD23 1LH
01756 790829
info@canaltrips.co.uk
www.canaltrips.co.uk

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