Standedge Tunnel is the longest, highest, and deepest canal tunnel in Britain. Nestled beneath the rolling Pennine hills, this essential route transports canal enthusiasts from Diggle in Greater Manchester to Marsden in West Yorkshire.
Whether you are a narrowboat dweller or simply looking for the best things to do in West Yorkshire on a day trip, venturing into Standedge Tunnel is something everyone should experience!
In this guide you will discover everything you need to know about visiting Standedge Tunnel, including how to get there, where to park and how you can book your tickets to explore Standedge Tunnel.
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What is Standedge Tunnel?
Standedge Tunnel is the longest, highest, and deepest canal tunnel in Britain.
I know, that takes a minute to process!
Let’s break it down:
- Standedge Tunnel is 3.25 miles or 5,189 metres long, making it the longest canal tunnel in Britain
- It is 636 feet or 194 metres below ground, beneath Standedge Moor in the Yorkshire Pennines, making Standedge Tunnel the deepest canal tunnel in Britain
- It is also 196 metres or 645 feet above sea level, making it the highest canal tunnel in Britain
Phew! How’s that for a record breaker?
Construction of the tunnel was authorised in 1794 and was dug by hand until its completion in 1811. And with a cost of £160,000, it is also the most expensive canal tunnel to have been built in Britain!
Visiting Standedge Tunnel
Today, Standedge Tunnel is still used for navigation. It is frequently used by boaters on the Huddersfield Narrow Canal to navigate beneath the Pennines from Marsden to Diggle in Oldham, Greater Manchester.
However, you don’t need your own narrow boat to visit Standedge Tunnel! Visitors can enjoy boat rides into the tunnel, or simply soak up the relaxing canal side views.
Here is everything you need to know about visiting Standedge Tunnel.
Boat Rides into Standedge Tunnel
If you are planning a visit to Standedge Tunnel, make sure you don’t miss a boat ride into the tunnel itself! Seeing the tunnel from a boat is the best way to appreciate the excellent engineering and fascinating history of the place.
You have two options when it comes to boat rides into Standedge Tunnel; a short boat ride or an extended long boat ride.
Short Rides
A short ride into Standedge Tunnel lasts approximately 30 minutes. You will venture around 500 metres into the tunnel to get a flavour of what the experience is like. You will be joined by a guide who will give you an overview of the tunnel history from concept to current day.
The boats are specially designed with full windows and skylights so you can see the tunnel in full view. You can also stand on the platform at the front of the boat for uninterrupted views.
Long Rides
If you want to experience the full journey through the tunnel, you can book a longer boat tour. These tours last around two hours to take you from one end of the tunnel to the other. It gives you an opportunity to truly experience just how tricky Standedge Tunnel is for navigators!
Standedge Tunnel Visitor Centre
While you are visiting the tunnel, you should also pop into the visitor centre. Standedge Tunnel is considered one of the must-see wonders of our waterways, and the visitor centre displays allow you to delve even further into the history of this incredible hidden Yorkshire gem.
Standedge Tunnel Walks
While visiting Standedge Tunnel, you should take the opportunity to explore some of the beautiful Pennine walks in the surrounding area. The tunnel is just a short walk from Marsden Moor, a stunning expanse of moorland owned by the National Trust.
If you want to explore Marsden Moor on your visit to the tunnel, here is a guide to my favourite circular walks, the Standedge circuit.
Things To Know Before You Go
Before you set off for Standedge Tunnel, here’s all the information to know before you visit.
Where is Standedge Tunnel?
Standedge Tunnel is located just over eight miles southwest of Huddersfield. It is close to the village of Marsden, nestled in the Yorkshire Pennines.
How to get to Standedge Tunnel
The easiest way to access Standedge Tunnel is from Marsden. You can either take the train to the village, or park in the free car park at the train station. Use the postcode HD7 6AX to navigate here.
From the train station, you can enjoy a gentle 15-minute stroll along the canal to Standedge Tunnel. Simply follow the path back to the entrance of the car park, but rather than exiting the car park, take the footpath alongside the station which will eventually join the canal.
With the canal on your right-hand side, follow the towpath for around 15 minutes. The route will take you beneath the railway line and through a small park before crossing a bridge where Standedge Tunnel comes into view.
Facilities at Standedge Tunnel
Here is an overview of the facilities available at Standedge Tunnel.
Ticket Booth
The ticket booth for boat tickets into Standedge Tunnel is located on the canal edge at the opening of the tunnel, just beyond the cafe. You can purchase tickets here or speak to the staff for help or further information. Due to the pandemic, boats operate at reduced capacity, so it is advised that you book your tickets online in advance to avoid disappointment.
Cafe
Watersedge Café is a beautiful place to stop for refreshment on your visit. They serve a selection of delicious hot and cold meals and snacks, plus a wide variety of hot and cold drinks.
They have indoor seating available, or a selection of outdoor benches which have a lovely view overlooking the canal.
Toilets
There are toilets onsite near the cafe for visitors to use. These can be accessed during the opening hours listed below.
How much does it cost to visit Standedge Tunnel?
Tickets for a boat ride into Standedge Tunnel cost £7.50 per adult or £5.50 per child (5-15 years). There are other ticket options available including concessions and family tickets. Tickets to travel through the full tunnel are £30 per ticket one way.
Due to the pandemic, boats currently have a limited capacity of 10 people, so it is recommended you book your tickets online in advance.
Boats operate on Fridays and Saturdays throughout winter. Trips depart at 11am, 12 noon, 1:15pm and 2:15pm from outside the cafe.
The museum is free to enter, however, it does close throughout winter except for special events.
Standedge Tunnel Opening Times
The Standedge Tunnel office is open 9am to 3pm Monday to Friday. There isn’t always a member of the team in the office on weekends to take calls so if you’re planning to visit at the weekend, phone the office during the week in advance.
Boats operate on Fridays and Saturdays throughout winter. Trips depart at 11am, 12 noon, 1:15pm and 2:15pm from outside the cafe.
The museum is closed during the winter expect for special events, however, the cafe is open 9am-3pm Wednesday-Sunday.
How long does it take to go through Standedge Tunnel?
A full passage of the tunnel from Standedge to Diggle can be completed in around two hours. You can get a ticket on a full passage boat ride to explore the tunnel in its entirety. However, if you want to book a passage for your own boat you will need to book at least three days in advance.
As the tunnel is so narrow, boats can only pass through in one direction at a time, which is why passages must be booked for specific time slots. A passage through the tunnel also requires a qualified chaperone to assist in navigating through the tunnel.
Standedge Tunnel has a notorious ‘S’ bend in the middle (the construction didn’t quite meet up!) so an experienced tunnel navigator will join you on your boat to assist with your passage.
Can you walk through the Standedge Tunnel?
It is not possible to walk through Standedge Tunnel. The tunnel is so narrow that there is no space for a towpath and only boats can fit through.
Interestingly, this is where the term “legging it” originates from.
As the tunnel is too narrow for a towpath, the horses that used to pull the boats could not fit through and had to be walked over the Pennines. Instead, the boat navigators had to lie on their back on the top of the boat and ‘walk’ along the roof of the tunnel or ‘leg it’ to move the boat through.
Today the water level in the tunnel is much lower since ‘legging it’ is no longer required. But given the length of the tunnel and how long it takes to navigate, those who did leg it through the tunnel achieved a pretty mean feat!
Accessibility at Standedge Tunnel
Standedge Tunnel has several accessibility features so that everyone can thoroughly enjoy their visit.
These include but are not limited to:
- Four dedicated disabled parking spaces, two at the visitor centre and two at the cafe
- Double fronted, wide ramp access to the cafe and visitor centre
- Lift access in the visitor centre
- Assistance dogs are welcome in buildings and on the boats
- Subtitles on videos and boat guide scripts
- Large print menus and team member assistance
- Disabled toilets
- Wheelchair accessible boats, however, check with the boat pilot before boarding as the boat itself is too narrow for most electric wheelchairs
You can find full details of accessibility at Standedge Tunnel here.
Before You Go
So, this is everything you need to know about visiting Standedge Tunnel in West Yorkshire. Will you be taking a ride through the longest, highest, and deepest canal tunnel in Britain?
If you want to discover more hidden gems in the county, you can find the complete Hidden Yorkshire series here.
And if you love Yorkshire as much as I do, sign up for my weekly newsletter for even more Yorkshire adventures and tips!
Until our next adventure,
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Hello, I’m Hannah! I’m a writer and photographer who loves experiencing the wonders of Yorkshire. My guides will help you escape from your daily routine by showing you that you don’t have to go far to find an adventure.
Would love to take the long boat tour through Standedge Tunnel in Marsden. It looks so cool!
Standedge Tunnel is a wonderful place to visit, I hope you get an opportunity to take a tour!
This is so cool!! I would love to do a boat ride through Standedge Tunnel. Keeping this in mind for when I eventually visit Yorkshire. Thanks for the great guide and inspo!
I hope you get an opportunity to visit Standedge Tunnel soon! It is such a fascinating place to visit! Thanks for reading!
Wow, I had no idea about the Standedge Tunnel! I need to visit on my next trip back to England. This is right up my alley of things I like to do. Thanks for sharing.
Standedge Tunnel is a wonderful hidden gem! I hope you get an opportunity to visit when you are next in England! Thanks for reading!
The Standedge Tunnel looks really cool to visit. Love caves and historical places so an underground tunnel would be really neat to see. I think I’d prefer the longer tour to see the entire tunnel.
Standedge Tunnel is such a fascinating place! I’d love to go back to do the full tour as I bet it is incredible!
This was such a fascinating post. Who in their right mind wouldn’t do the entire tour?! I couldn’t help but think how difficult this tunnel would have been to build way back in the 1700’s. It is also fascinating that a guide has to go with you even when taking your own boat. I guess better safe than sorry.
I’m so glad you like the guide to Standedge Tunnel! We only did the short tour as that was all that was available on the day of our visit but I’d love to do the full tour! I bet it is an incredile experience passing the whole way through! It’s crazy thinking about how it was built! The two ends didn’t quite meet in the middle so there is an S bend that isn’t really suited to narrow boats! SO a qualified guide is on hand to navigate it for you if you get stuck. I think I’d be glad to have a helping hand!
Can you imagine having to dig that tunnel? By hand? Thanks for another brilliant post.
It is mad to think the whole route was dug by hand! There’s no wonder it didn’t quite meet in the middle! It is such an impressive feat though! Thanks for reading!
Not going to lie, this looks pretty epic. When you read about the length of it it’s hard to imagine until you think it takes 2 hours to go through. What an experience though
Standedge Tunnel is a very special spot. I’m surprised that more people don’t know about it! It is a great hidden gem! Two hours would be one epic boat ride but I would love to experience the whole trip through, it is such a unique place!
Woooah this is so cool Hannah! I had no idea there was a tunnel beneath the Pennines! That is such a feat on engineering (I mean as in addition to all those records.)
I didn’t even know that is why we say legging it! Now I am trying to think if I have heard any Canadians say legging it…you know, I don’t think I have (they seem to say “to book it”) I wonder if that is a Britishism!?
I was surprised how much of a hidden gem Standedge Tunnel is given it is such an impressive engineering feat! I only recently discovered it and certainly wouldn’t have expected to find a tunnel beneath the Pennines either!
“Legging it” could be a British term, it is so ingrained into my vocabulary that I’m not even sure I have an alternative way of phrasing it! It is such a fun fact to learn where the phrase came from!
You gave us a very detailed and thorough guide of the Standedge Tunnel. You always provide new and interesting things to do in Yorkshire.
Thanks Michelle! I’m so glad you like the guide to Standedge Tunnel. I love finding unique places in Yorkshire to visit! There is so muc more to see than you’d ever typically find in guide books!
The Standedge Tunnel looks so cool and I love the history of it. I’m so glad you explained how it is the deepest and highest canal as I had to pause a minute to process those impressive facts. I’d want to take the long tour for the complete experience of it!
Haha the facts about Standedge Tunnel are mind-blowing, aren’t they? It definitely took me quite some time to be able to process them fully! I’ve only taken the short tour and it is a great taster of the experience, but I’d love to travel through the whole tunnel – it would be an impressive journey!
I’ve never heard of the Tunnel in Marsden. I’m going to put this on my list
Standedge Tunnel is a fascinating place! I hope you get an opportunity to visit!
That looks like such a cool place to visit! A little creepy, but cool!
Standedge Tunnel is a bit creepy! Especially when the boat lights are off and it is pitch black! It was a fascinating place to visit though and I loved learning about the history of it!
Visiting Standedge Tunnel sounds like a lovely day out with fascinating history, pretty villages and walks in the area as well.
A trip to Standedge Tunnel is a great day out! I loved learning about the history of the tunnel and exploring Marsden Moor. I hope you get an opportunity to visit!
A fascinating read! a 5 km tunnel is impressive…. but what happens if you meet a boat coming the other way? It doesn’t look wide enough for two to pass!!
And thanks for teaching me the meaning to “legging it”. I did not know that!
That’s a good question! Every passage through the tunnel must be scheduled and chaperoned to ensure the boats are only ever passing through in one direction. There’s definitely no space to squeeze through two! The history behind “legging it” is so interesting, isn’t it? I didn’t know it either until we visited!
This is so cool. I can’t imagine going through in my own boat but with a professional steering I would love to do it. Love the charming look of the cafe!
I certainly wouldn’t manage to navigate a boat through there either! But the tour is a great way to see the inside of the tunnel while someone else does the hard work! The cafe is really charming. It was lovely sitting on the canal side and eating and relaxing!
Quite an impressive tunnel! I would love to do a tunnel ride in a narrow boat. Also, the beautiful Pennine walks in the surrounding area adds to the attraction. I love Yorkshire and when I am here next, I will check out the Standedge tunnel. Thanks for an informative post! 🙂
I’m glad you enjoyed the guide! Standedge Tunnel is an incredible hidden gem, I hope you get an opportunity to visit! It is certainly best combined with a walk around Marsden Moor to admire the beautiful scenery. It is a fun day out in West Yorkshire!
Wow, that’s so crazy that the tunnel is so narrow you can’t even walk through it! I think it would be such a cool experience to boat through Standedge Tunnel. I’ve never heard of this spot before. Thanks for putting it on my radar! 🙂
Standedge Tunnel is such a fascinating spot! I’m surprised it is such a hidden gem and so few people know about it. I only discovered it last year by chance! The tunnel is so tiny when you are inside! It feels a bit claustrophobic initially until you get used to it. It is an amazing place to visit!
I had not heard of this before your post. I am especially impressed by the fact that it was dug by hand. Wow!
It is mind-blowing that Standedge Tunnel was dug by hand! I’m not surprised they didn’t manage to meet in the middle! I hear the ‘S’ bend is very tricky to navigate!
The Standedge Tunnel sounds like an interesting spot to visit in Yorkshire. We love to visit spots like this that are one of a kind. We would definitely plan to do a boat ride along the canal. I think it would be interesting to do the whole canal!
I think a full tour of Standedge Tunnel would be a real treat! We only did the short tour on our visit but I’d love to go back and do the whole route!
Being claustrophobic I don’t know if this would be something I would enjoy. But the area around it definitely looks like something is worth a visit!
It does feel a little overwhelming when you first enter the tunnel! I felt a touch claustrophobic when we first entered the tunnel but once the journey was underway and the tour guide started talking about the history of the tunnel I actually forgot about feeling claustrophobic! But if you don’t fancy venturing into the tunnel I’d definitely recommend a trip to the visitor centre on your way to a stroll around Marsden Moor. It is a beautiful area and you can still enjoy the exhibition in the centre without taking a tour!
Hi Hannah! This tunnel sounds so cool! It makes me feel slightly claustrophobic at the thought of going through the longest tunnel, but that would also be an awesome bucketlist item to add to my list as well! Thank you for sharing!
Hi Pafoua! The tunnel does feel a little claustrophobic at first but once the journey got underway I quickly forgot about it, especially once the tour guide started talking about the history of the tunnel. I was really sad when we left the tunnel in the end! It is a great bucket list item! Thanks for reading!
Looks like a cool place! Thanks for sharing this, I have something to add to my bucket list again. 🙂
It is definitely worth visiting Standedge Tunnel if you are ever in the area, it is the perfect bucket list adventure! Thanks for reading!
Wow looks so cool! I’ve always wanted to go to the UK so adding this experience to the list for when i do
I hope you get an opportunity to visit Standedge Tunnel when you are in the UK, it is a fascinating place to explore!
Now that looked like a cool little excursion! My kids would LOVE to see that! But I think I would be leaning more towards the whole route, which looks quite scenic!
A trip into the tunnel is a great day out in Yorkshire for families! There were some kids on the tour that we took and they loved it! It is a fascinating place to visit, I hope you get an opportunity to go!
Interesting read! I’d never heard of Standedge Tunnel before. Thanks for the helpful information!
Standedge Tunnel is such a fascinating place to visit. Thanks for reading!
You find the best things to do in Yorkshire! I’d check out the Standedge Tunnel in Marsden, but I’d probable have to do it solo, my husband hates tunnels!
I’m so glad you think so! I love tracking down the best hidden gems in Yorkshire! Oh no! What a shame your husband wouldn’t fancy the tunnel! It’s a really worthwhile trip if you get to go, learning about the history of the tunnel is fascinating!
I’d never stopped to think about where “legging it” originated from but that makes sense! I’d never heard of the Standedge Tunnel previously but it’d be cool to get to visit sometime!
It’s a fun fact, isn’t it? I had no idea where it came from either before we visited Standedge Tunnel! It is such a great place to visit, I hope you get an opportunity to go!
Very impressive! Thanks for an interesting article. Pity we didn’t know about this when we did our canal boat trip in the UK a few years ago.
What a shame you missed Standedge Tunned on your visit! It is a bit of a hidden gem but taking a tour inside is a wonderful experience! Thanks for reading!
I lived in England for 4 years and never heard of this before. This looks fascinating. I cannot wait to get back to England and I am definitely going to visit.
Standedge Tunnel is a great hidden gem in Yorkshire! It is such a fascinating place! I hope you get an opportunity to visit when you are next in England!
I think I would be claustrophobic inside the tunnel esp if I took longer boat ride but it does seem an incredible experience. Thanks for sharing.
I did feel a little claustrophobic when we first entered the tunnel! But as the journey got underway it felt much less claustrophobic and I was distracted by the interesting facts the tour guide was sharing! It is a really fascinating place to visit! Thanks for reading!
I haven’t heard of this place before. Thank you for putting it on my radar.
Standedge Tunnel is such a fascinating spot, I hope you get an opportunity to visit! Thanks for reading!
I hadn’t heard of Standedge Tunnel, but it looks like a fun place to visit, followed by a stop at the café just outside.
I love visiting Standedge Tunnel because it is such a unique place! The ride into the tunnel is amazing and the cafe is fabulous. I highly recommend a visit if you get the chance!
Looks positively charming! Need to travel to Yorkshire soon!
Ah yes! It is such a beautiful area! I hope you have an opportunity to visit soon!
I would never have guessed that the longest, highest and deepest canal tunnel in Britain would be found on a visit to Standedge Tunnel in Yorkshire. It would definitely be fun to do a boat ride along the tunnel. We would probably book the longer tour to really go from one end to the other.
Standedge Tunnel is one of my favourite hidden gems in Yorkshire! I’m hoping to return some time soon to do the full ride through the tunnel, but even the short trip for a taster is a fantastic experience. I hope you have an opportunity to visit and try it out!
What an unique experience.. I think I’d want to just stay on the boat- but the tunnel does look very cool.
Taking a tour through the tunnel is so exciting and a really unique experience. It blows my mind just how long the tunnel is and how long it takes to travel through it 🤯
Standedge tunnel sounds like a hidden gem. I would love to do the longer tour through the tunnel, boat rides are fantastic usually and caves are fantastic, this is probably a combination of those two.
I agree! I hope to return and take the longer trip soon! But even the short trip into the tunnel is fascinating. I loved learning about the history of the tunnel from our guide. It is a really interesting piece of local history!