Moorings on the Selby Canal

The Selby Canal is a 9.7-kilometre waterway running from Knottingley on the Aire & Calder Navigation east to Selby, where Selby Lock drops boats into the tidal River Ouse. Opened in 1778, it was the original outlet for Aire and Calder traffic heading for the Humber before the Goole route superseded it, and it remains the standard route for boats heading north to York and the Yorkshire Ouse.

The canal is broad, straight and almost lock-free along its length, running through flat arable Yorkshire farmland with only two locks — Bank Dole at the western end and Selby Lock at the east. Traffic is modest, and moorings along the rural sections are peaceful.

Its practical value to boat owners is as a junction point. From Selby a boat can lock out onto the tidal Ouse for passages to Naburn and York, or turn south for Goole, the Humber and the Trent. Long-stay moorings are found at Selby Boat Centre and at yards along the canal and the neighbouring Aire & Calder, with prices well below the national average. Selby has a mainline station with direct services to Leeds, York and London, and the A19 and M62 are close, making it a practical base for boaters who want big-river cruising without London costs.