Anderton Boat Lift, Anderton, Weaver Navigation

Winter Operating Hours - Anderton Boat Lift

Our Winter Operating Hours at the Anderton Boat Lift will commence on Monday 2 November 2020 and run to, and inclusive of, Wednesday 31 March 2021.

Passage will be available on Monday and Fridays only between the hours of 10am and 2.30pm. The operating times are as follows:

Please note, 1 x wide beam is the equivalent to 2 x narrowboats.

All passages must be booked in advance and 48 hours’ notice is required.

Bookings can be made via your online account or by calling the North West Customer Support Team on 03030 404040 (Monday - Thursday 8:30am-5pm, Friday 8:30am - 4.30pm)

It is important that all boats travelling through the Lift have the correct license, Boat Safety Certificate and valid insurance. Please make sure your details are up to date prior to booking as these will be checked during the booking sequence. Failure to have these in place may result in a delay to your booking and losing your preferred time and day.

Please ensure that you arrive at the holding area 30 minutes before the scheduled passage.

This window gives our staff an opportunity to visually check the boat for any potential issues, and more importantly, allows time for the safety briefing to be delivered and to answer any questions that might arise.

For the safety of Trust employees and members of the public we will be operating within social distancing guidelines and we ask that you always follow the advice given from the Lift Operators during your passage.

Please note the following closures:

There is a stoppage for the planned annual winter maintenance on the Lift from Monday 30 November to, and inclusive of, Friday 14 December 2020. No passages will be available during this time.

We will be operating the Lift on Wednesday 23 December 2020 which will be our last passage day before the Christmas period. We will reopen on Monday 4 January 2021. No passages will be available during this time.

Further to the update on Friday 26 June, commencing Saturday 1 August we will be in a position to offer more passages for the Anderton Boat Lift, whilst remaining to uphold government guidelines regarding social distancing.

From Saturday 1 August, we are able to offer an additional weekend day meaning the Lift will operate on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday only, with longer operating times over the weekend period.  

Monday, Wednesday & Friday, passage times will be between the hours of 10:00 and 13:00 as below:

Saturday & Sunday, passage times will be between the hours of 10:00 and 16:00 as below:

Passage must be booked at least 48hours in advance.

Please note, 1 x wide beam is the equivalent to 2 x narrowboats.

We will review the operating procedures each week and hope to extend the operating times once the new procedures are established. Please refer to our website and booking page for more details.

Booking is now live for the additional days and times commencing Saturday 1 August. To book, please visit your online account or call 03030 404040.

It is important that all boats travelling through the Lift have the correct license, Boat Safety Certificate and valid insurance. Please make sure your details are up to date prior to booking as these will be checked during the booking sequence. Failure to have these in place may result in a delay to your booking and losing your preferred time and day.

Please ensure that you arrive at the holding area 30 minutes before the scheduled passage.

This window gives our staff an opportunity to visually check the boat for any potential issues, and more importantly, allows time for the safety briefing to be delivered and to answer any questions that might arise.

You will be charged the full amount should you fail to turn up for your booked passage. Failing to turn up has an adverse impact on the efficiency of the Lift and our limited operational staff.

For the safety of Trust employees and members of the public we will be operating within social distancing guidelines and we ask that you always follow the advice given from the Lift Operators during your passage.

We have created a handy Boater’s Information Guide which includes all this information and more, including the Weaver Navigation Lock times.

For more information about the re-opening of the Anderton Boat Lift, please see the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs).

We really want you to enjoy your experience through the Lift, but please continue to follow the government’s advice on social distancing at all times.

Please keep your distance from other people and moored boats, where people may be living aboard and could be self-isolating or shielding.

You can read more on our response to the coronavirus crisis here.

Thank you for your patience during these unprecedented times. Further to the update on Friday 19 June, we are pleased to announce more details in to how the Anderton Boat Lift will operate from Monday 6 July, in light of government guidelines regarding social distancing.

The Lift will only operate on Monday, Wednesday, Friday & Saturday only. Passage must be booked at least 48hours in advance.

Passage times will be between the hours of 10:00 and 13:00 as below:

Please note, 1 x wide beam is the equivalent to 2 x narrowboats.

We will review the operating procedures each week and hope to extend the operating times once the new procedures are established. Please refer to our website and booking page for more details.

Online booking is now available. To book, please visit your online account or call 03030 404040.

It is important that all boats travelling through the Lift have the correct license, Boat Safety Certificate and valid insurance. Please make sure your details are up to date prior to booking as these will be checked during the booking sequence.

Please ensure that you arrive at the holding area 30 minutes before the scheduled passage.

This window gives our staff an opportunity to visually check the boat for any potential issues, and more importantly, allows time for the safety briefing to be delivered and to answer any questions that might arise.

You will be charged the full amount should you fail to turn up for your booked passage. Failing to turn up has an adverse impact on the efficiency of the Lift and our limited operational staff.

For the safety of Trust employees and members of the public we will be operating within social distancing guidelines and we ask that you always follow the advice given from the Lift Operators during your passage.

We have created a handy Boater’s Information Guide which includes all this information and more, including the Weaver Navigation Lock times.

For more information about the re-opening of the Anderton Boat Lift, please see the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs).

We really want you to enjoy your experience through the Lift, but please continue to follow the government’s advice on social distancing at all times.

Please keep your distance from other people and moored boats, where people may be living aboard and could be self-isolating or shielding.

You can read more on our response to the coronavirus crisis here.

Further to the update on Wednesday 17 June, we are pleased to advise the Anderton Boat Lift will open to passage from week commencing Monday 6 July, with operating days and times as follows:

Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, only.  

Passages will commence at 10am and be complete by 1pm. This will allow a maximum of 16 boat movements a day, 8 in each direction.

This is our initial approach in re-opening the Lift as we adopt new operating procedures for our colleagues and our customers in light of government guidelines regarding social distancing.

We will review the operating procedures each week and hope to extend the operating times once the new procedures are established.

The Anderton Boat Lift booking system will be open to take online bookings from Friday 26 June for passages commencing Monday 6 July.

Please note, the Visitor Centre and manned Booking Office will not be open to customers.

Please continue to follow the government advice regarding coronavirus – stay alert, control the virus, save lives.

You can read more on our response to the coronavirus crisis here.

Following the closure of the Anderton Boat Lift during the coronavirus crisis, we are pleased to advise operations will commence Monday, 6 July.

More information, including operating details, will be provided Friday, 19 June.

Please continue to follow the government advice regarding coronavirus – stay alert, control the virus, save lives.

You can read more on our response to the coronavirus crisis here.

Please be advised in line with the ongoing Government restrictions as part of efforts to tackle the Coronavirus crisis and reduced workforce within the Trust, the last passage for the Anderton Boat Lift will be Friday 17 April. The Anderton Boat Lift will then remain closed until further notice.

Please remember our advice - only move your boat if it’s essential (not for leisure purposes) and minimise your use of the towpath.

If you are not currently occupying your boat the government guidance is that you must not visit it (this means no short trips or breaks on your boat at this time).

Please follow the government advice – stay at home, protect the NHS, save lives.

To read more on our response to the Coronavirus crisis, please see our Coronavirus & Boating FAQs.