Boating the Grand Union Canal

• All wide beam boat passage through Saddington Tunnel must be booked in advance so that the tunnel can be closed to other boat traffic. This is managed at either end of the tunnel by colleagues or volunteers to ensure safe passage. 
• Passage is available Monday to Friday. 
• Bookings can be made by phone on 0303 040 4040, selecting the option for the East Midlands region. Passage needs to be booked 48 hours in advance online or through the regional customer support team, which is available Monday to Friday (excluding bank holidays). Or send an email to [email protected] 
• Wide beam boats must be ready at the entrance of the tunnel for 7:45am prompt. On arrival please wait for instructions from the Trust representative before proceeding through the tunnel. 
• We kindly request a minimum of 24 hours' notice for any cancellations.

• All wide beam boat passage through Braunston Tunnel must be booked in advance so that the tunnel can be closed to other boat traffic. This is managed at either end of the tunnel by colleagues or volunteers to ensure safe passage. 
• Passage for wide beam boats can be accommodated on a Tuesday and Thursday only, with a maximum capacity for four boats, two in either direction. 
• Bookings can be made using our online booking system: Booking your passage online or by phone on 0303 040 4040, selecting the option for the East Midlands region. Passage needs to be booked 48 hours in advance online or through the regional customer support team, which is available Monday to Friday (excluding bank holidays). 
• Wide beam boats must be ready at the entrance of the tunnel for 7:45am prompt. On arrival please wait for instructions from the Trust representative before proceeding through the tunnel. 
• We kindly request a minimum of 24 hours' notice for any cancellations. 

Tunnel Transit: 

• It will take a widebeam boat approximately 45 minutes to transit the tunnel. The tunnel is usually quite wet inside and is usually wetter towards the northern end of the tunnel. (The water entering the tunnel is a design requirement). 
• The person seeing you through the tunnel will ask that you: 
• Pull all your fenders up – there’s a strong possibility of catching a fender on the side wall of the tunnel and tearing it off only for it to await the propellor of a passing boat. 
• Demonstrate that you have a working tunnel light. 
• Demonstrate that you can see clearly to steer the boat in the restricted visibility of the tunnel. 
• Please be ready at the appropriate portal at the appointed time – there are tunnel waiting moorings at the southern portal and usually plenty of space at the northern portal too. 

For further information please call Customer Service on 0303 040 4040 

• All wide beam boat passage through Blisworth Tunnel must be booked in advance so that the tunnel can be closed to other boat traffic. This is managed at either end of the tunnel by colleagues or volunteers to ensure safe passage. 
• Passage for wide beam boats can be accommodated on a Tuesday and Thursday only, with a maximum capacity for four boats, two in either direction. 
• Bookings can be made using our online booking system: Booking your passage online or by phone on 0303 040 4040, selecting the option for the East Midlands region. Passage needs to be booked 48 hours in advance online or through the regional customer support team, which is available Monday to Friday (excluding bank holidays). 
• Wide beam boats must be ready at the entrance of the tunnel for 7:45am prompt. On arrival please wait for instructions from the Trust representative before proceeding through the tunnel. 
• We kindly request a minimum of 24 hours' notice for any cancellations. 

Tunnel Transit

• It will take a widebeam boat approximately 45 minutes to transit the tunnel. The tunnel is usually quite wet inside and is usually wetter towards the northern end of the tunnel. (The water entering the tunnel is a design requirement). 

The person seeing you through the tunnel will ask that you: 

• Pull all your fenders up – there’s a strong possibility of catching a fender on the side wall of the tunnel and tearing it off only for it to await the propellor of a passing boat. 
• Demonstrate that you have a working tunnel light. 
• Demonstrate that you can see clearly to steer the boat in the restricted visibility of the tunnel. 
• Please be ready at the appropriate portal at the appointed time – there are tunnel waiting moorings at the southern portal and usually plenty of space at the northern portal too.

Mooring in Stoke Bruerne is in short supply for wide beam boats – if northbound please moor on the designated ‘tunnel waiting’ moorings between the winding hole and the southern portal of the tunnel; they are clearly signed. 

The Canal & River Trust representative at the southern portal will happily advise on the current mooring situation for southbound boats. We recommend the much more flexible mooring in the Long Pound between locks 15 and 16. 

We would request no mooring of wide beam boats between the narrows (and the bottom of the Woodland Walk) and where the canal widens out just before the disabled moorings. 

There is a water point outside the Boat Inn opposite the Museum. 

There are facilities in the car park for disposing of rubbish. 

There are no other facilities – the nearest ‘Elsan’ point is at the bottom of the Stoke Bruerne flight of locks or at Gayton Junction. 

The nearest pump-out facility is either at Blisworth Marina (for northbound bound boats or Kingfisher Marina for southbound boats. 

For further information please call Customer Service on 0303 040 4040 

Thank you 

Booking passage through tunnels and locks | Canal & River Trust

(7 days a week) 

1 January to 29 March 2025 

• Opening 09:30 
• Last boat in 3pm

30 March to 28 June 2025 

• Opening 8am
• Last boat in 5pm

29 June to 13 September 2025 

• Opening 8am
• Last boat in 6pm

14 September to 25 October 2025 

• Opening 8am
• Last boat in 5pm

26 October 2025 to 28 March 2026 

• Opening 09:30am 

• Last boat in 3pm

• Please ensure you have booked in with the lock keeper before you enter Lock 1or 7

• The lock keeper will either be on the flight, or in the Top Lock Keepers Hut. 

• If you enter the Locks without booking in, you may be required to back out, as other boats may be working the flight. 

• Please follow any advice given by Trust representatives on site.