
We’re surrounded by canals in Manchester, so we’re pretty used to seeing narrowboats gliding around the city. If you’re anything like us, you’ll probably have wondered what it would be like to live on a canal boat, and now you can! There’s a particular canal boat moored in Pennington Marina, Leigh that’s come to our attention, boasting everything you could possibly need for a simple life on the waterways, and it could be yours for a fraction of the price of a conventional Manchester dwelling.
The 70ft canal boat boasts a whole two bedrooms, full size kitchen, bathroom and lounge complete with sofa and dual log burner, built in 2023 by Collingwood Boat Builders fitted out from new. On the technical side, there is a five year boat safety certificate in place, and the tenure would be freehold, meaning you own the canal boat outright – with just mooring fees to pay.
The canal boat is currently on the market for £155,000 which, by our calculations, is cheaper than your average flat in Manchester, or, generally speaking, a two-bed house in Leigh itself. Alongside cosy and clean interiors, the canal boat features a lovely deck to enjoy sunny days with a beverage in hand, admiring the views of Pennington Marina, with the option to pull over the cover when the weather inevitably turns – a Godsend in Greater Manchester.
Living on the canal boat is also a logistical dream, with four train stations being under four miles away from the mooring at Pennington Marina: Hag Fold, Atherton, Daisy Hill and Hindley – with Golborne train station pending too. The local town, Leigh, is on your doorstep, Manchester is just 20 miles away, and you can reach the motorway network in under 10 minutes – plus, you could always glide along the waterways if you fancy!
Pennington is a newly built marina with moorings for narrowboats, widebeams and cruisers – part of a wider residential development on the outskirts of Leigh, there are plans for a café, community centre, and a family-friendly pub and shop. With new, non-slip pontoons, a smart facilities block and the friendly team, who are onsite regularly at the marina office, it’s a modern and popular marina.
Mooring here, you are on the Leigh Branch of the Leeds & Liverpool Canal, linking directly to the Bridgewater Canal, a much-loved stretch for cruisers, and convenient for the wider waterways, linking you nicely to Manchester, and the beautiful towns of Astley, Worsley and Eccles along the way.
If you’re ever in the mood for a walk, just hop off your boat and let your feet lead the way along the canal to the quirky ‘Unlock’ monument just eight minutes away, on which each leaf symbolises the unlocking of the previous mining heritage, the history of the canal itself, and the now regenerated flash with its wide range of ecology and biodiversity.
So, if you’re looking for a new perspective on life – or just somewhere quirky to live – why not consider a canal boat in Pennington Marina? You’ll be sailing through life!
See the full listing including floorplan and other documents here.