You can steer your own boat through Standedge Tunnel, under your own power, as long as one of our tunnel chaperones is aboard. Find out everything you need to know before you visit.
You can book a slot to travel through the tunnel on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, from March to November.
Passage times:
Marsden – Diggle (going west) – from 8.30am to 10.30am
Diggle – Marsden (going east) – from 1pm to 2.30pm
(Well, it is a popular spot for boaters!)
You can book your passage online or call 03030 404040 and ask for Standedge Tunnel passage bookings.
These guidelines may change depending on water levels and availability of space. The restrictions make sure this amazing structure is always ready for you to enjoy, by ensuring there's enough water for boats to navigate through and for the tunnel to stay open all season.
If you've booked to travel through the tunnel, here’s how to be prepared.
We may refuse to allow anyone to travel through the tunnel, if we consider them unable to meet the above requirements. However, you can:
Please moor just past lock 42E on the day before your passage and not to go past the second railway bridge until after 5pm. This is to avoid colliding with our Standedge visitor centre boat trip, which runs past this point until 5pm.
After 5.00pm you can moor at the tunnel entrance ready for your passage the following day. Passage preparations start at 8am the next day.
The locks from 32E to 42E are no longer manned, so please take care when travelling up the flight to minimise water loss and make sure all paddles are closed after you. When descending, please fill the lower lock on each pound before you release the water from the upper lock of that pound, otherwise the locks may flood.
Please don’t try to run water down from above without help from our team. Running water from the summit pound may mean boats will get stuck in the tunnel or tunnel being closed.
If you need any help on the flight, please call 03030 404040.
Please be at the Diggle portal for 11.30am on the day of your passage.
Switch off your gas and put out all stoves before entering the tunnel. Once through the tunnel, you can moor above lock 42E for up to 24 hours. Further mooring space is available below lock 32E, between Marsden and Slaithwaite villages (please note, there are no facilities at these locations).
Sadly, if your boat exceeds the following dimensions when our tunnel controller measures you at the tunnel entrance, we'll have to refuse you passage.
Maximum length = 70’ (21.34m)
(A) Maximum width = 6’ 10” (2.08m)
(B) Max. Height above water = 6’ 2” (1.88m)
(C) Max. Draught below water = 3’ 3” (0.99m)
Last date edited: 29 October 2020