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The charity making life better by water

Standedge Tunnel Boat trips

A great way to understand why we love our canals and tunnels so much is to take to the water on one of our boat trips.

Standedge Tunnel view of the boat trip from the cafe

Join us onboard

We run our Discovery Boat Ride (30-minute introduction to the tunnel) most Fridays, Saturdays and some Sundays. You can book these trips below.

We have set up dates for the Through Trip Boat Ride (a one way two-hour tour along the full length of the tunnel) in 2025. Please check the website for updates.

Please note that these trips are run by volunteers, so operating days depend on availability. We will strive to operate as advertised, but occasionally at short notice we may have to cancel trips for the day due to illness or holidays.

Check out our bookings pages as during the school holidays we provide extra trips.

On time departure; Our suggested car park is located a 15-minute walk away over near Marsden Railway Station, Postcode; HD7 6DH. We have to depart on time, so please ensure you arrive with time to board your trip. For the through trips you need to register your arrival and be ready to board 15 minutes before departure times, as with the other activities taking place we must depart on time.

Discovery Boat Ride - 30 minute introduction to the tunnel

Prices

Child ages 0 - 2Free
Child ages 2 - 15£8
Adults£10
Concessionary£8
Family (2+2 or 1+3)£30

Through tunnel trips

Take a ride all the way through the tunnel on a one-way trip beneath the Pennines.

Upcoming available dates:

  • March 22
  • April 26
  • May 17

Pricing: £50 per adult; £45 for concessions.
Times: Trips from Marsden to Diggle leave at 10am. Trips from Diggle to Marsden leave at 1pm.

Requirements and exclusions

  • Dogs and other animals are not permitted on board this is due to the confines of the cabin and for the health and well-being of your furry friend and our other passengers. (Discover trips only, assistance animals will be allowed on board subject to the judgement of the boatmaster and must remain in the rear section of the boat only). We reserve the right to refuse access onto the boat. If the animal appears to be causing a nuisance to the other passengers or crew, or is frightened of the tunnel the boat will quickly return to the mooring and the passenger with the animal will be asked to disembark. Note: a maximum of one assistance animal will be considered on each trip.
  • Food and drink are not permitted
  • Smoking, or vaping is not allowed on board our boats
  • Helmets (provided by us) must be worn if you are outside the main cabin.
  • Still photography is permitted, not video and you must ensure that others on the boat are removed before posting on social media or anywhere else. This is to comply with GDPR requirements.

Access information

Our trip boats are confined spaces but have some extraordinary features for a boat of its kind!

  • A wheelchair lift and ramp is provided, ensuring everyone can join us for our short expeditions. Unfortunately, due to evacuation limitations further down the tunnel, we are unable to allow wheelchair users on our through tunnel trips.

Last Edited: 05 March 2025

photo of a location on the canals
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