About Us

The home mooring for Navvies' Barge is at Applecross Basin, just 20 minutes walk from Glasgow City Centre. This is where our boat is moored and where trips will set out from, unless otherwise arranged. The canal meanders out of Glasgow and blends seamlessly into the countryside, where the peacefulness and tranquillity of the canal are far removed from the harsh conditions that the "Navvies" who dug the canals were subjected to. We chose to name our business, in part, after these individuals who grafted for 20 years to see the canal completed.

Navvies' Barge also found its name as a "hats off" to the way we have chosen to run our business; a workers cooperative. This means that decisions about how the business is run are taken equally by the workers and the business is owned by its workers. We are a social enterprise, meaning profits generated from the business will be reinvested or used to support charitable causes and community engagement with Navvies' Barge and the canal. We work to bring a new wave of vibrancy to the canal and share our passion for a life on the water with others.

Community use

The boat is available for community groups as a space for meetings and/or activities. The boat provides a unique place for discussion, activities or craft groups.

We have built close relationships with local community groups, such as the Claypits and mental health charities. We believe that using the boat on trips is a meaningful way to unwind and talk thus becoming a fantastic resource for charities and services working in the area. Please get in touch if you have any ideas about how you could work with us and we can discuss how we can help and support each other. We can offer discounted trips and can work with people as part of funding applications.

Having fallen in love with the beauty and peacefulness of the Forth and Clyde Canal ourselves, we want to share this with others. We hope to see you in the future and welcome you onto Navvies' Barge.