Anderton Boat Lift & Visitor Centre

The Anderton Boat Lift Visitor Centre is fully open for the summer season and entry is completely free!

Enjoy our beautiful grounds, immersive exhibition, children’s playground, counterweights maze, and some special events taking place throughout the summer.

Whilst the boat lift itself is currently undergoing essential repairs, you can still explore its incredible story. 

Autumn boat trips on the Edwin Clark

Our boat trips do not run every day during autumn. To avoid disappointment, please check availability on our website before you visit.

Things to see and do

A walk on the wild side

Next to Anderton Boat Lift and visitor centre, you'll find a wildlife haven and beautiful wildflowers. Look out for bats, bug hotels, ducks, swans, moorhens, rare orchids and, if you're lucky, a white-tailed eagle. If cycling is more your thing, don't miss the Heritage Cycle Trail, which will take you from Anderton Boat Lift to Northwich and the Weaver Hall Museum.

It takes time and funding to keep Anderton and the canal alive for everyone. Your support makes it possible.

Planning your visit

Anderton's history

The Anderton Boat Lift is one of only two working boat lifts in the UK and is affectionately known as the Cathedral of the Canals.

Designed by Edwin Clark in 1875 to transfer boats and barges between the River Weaver and the Trent and Mersey Canal across a height of 50 feet. It was in operation for over 100 years until it closed in 1983 due to corrosion. However, it opened to the public again in 2002 after a huge renovation project began in 2001.

Impressive engineering

You will understand the impressive engineering that has gone into this well-designed infrastructure during your visit to us. The science behind it, however, is actually relatively straightforward. Two huge water tanks, each possessing watertight sealable doors, work as counterbalances to transport the boats up and down.

Where does the water come from?

Anderton Boat Lift connects the Trent & Mersey Canal and the River Weaver Navigation. The boat lift brings water from the River Weaver up to the Trent & Mersey Canal and vice versa. The water from the Trent & Mersey Canal at Anderton come from the east. Reservoirs on the edge of the Peak District supply the canal via the Maccesfield, Peak Forest and Caldon Canals. The nearest is Bosely, 18 miles away or 34 miles by canal which holds 1,347 litres of water.

Pause for a chat with our friendly volunteers, they’ll tell you more about the canal, the area and the work they do to make Anderton Boat Lift special.