All Aboard Edinburgh

06/10/2026

All Aboard is back, we're refreshed and raring to go. We've got 6 passenger trips, and 2 crew training trips lined up over the next week to kick us back into gear 💪

We are still very much welcoming new bookings from interested groups wishing to enjoy something different and take in the views and access to nature that All Aboard provides.

The canal is an important wildlife corridor through the city, providing habitats to an amazing variety of mammals, insects, and birds. Along the canal you can see swans, mallards, moorhens, jackdaws, rooks, kingfishers, grey herons, carrion crows, magpies, blackbirds, and the keen eyed may see even more. We’ve recently added to our birding library, so whether you’re joining us for a cuppa and a chinwag or some wildlife spotting, there’s plenty to enjoy.

There's no better time to get in touch to book a trip for your community group with All Aboard.

15/09/2026

After a busy summer All Aboard is taking a short break to allow our staff and volunteers to rest and reset. We will be back from 6th October to host more groups, more trips, more training, more boating.

Since April we have:
•Hosted 8️⃣0️⃣ Trips
•Welcomed 7️⃣3️⃣0️⃣ Passengers
•Trained 1️⃣4️⃣ 1st Aiders
•Made countless memories♾️

All Aboard exists to support wellbeing and promote community cohesion by providing access to outdoor experiences along Edinburgh’s Union Canal to partner organisations that support groups across Edinburgh. We like to say a big thank you to all the groups who have joined us this season. We've loved hosting you, we've loved hearing your feedback and the impact these trips have on your groups. 🎊

We're looking forward to making more memories with returning and new groups alike when we return -we'll see you then!

14/09/2026

✨ Save the Date – Flotilla of Lights 2026✨

Just under 8 weeks to go until the canal lights up for the 10th year of the Flotilla of Lights — a brilliant, colourful celebration along the water 🎆🔥

More details to come, but for now… pop the date in your diary and get ready for a brilliant night. Thanks as always to the Lowland Canals Association for organising this special event 💛

08/09/2026

🔦 Spotlight on another of our recent groups Feniks. Counselling, Personal Development and Support Services Ltd

Feniks are a mental health charity supporting Polish and Ukrainian communities, and it was a real pleasure to welcome them back onboard 🚤

We’re always so humbled to hear the feedback groups share with us, and delighted when they choose to return — often with a few new faces in tow 💙

Do get in touch if you are thinking about bringing your group back onboard. We'd love to hear from you!

04/09/2026

Earlier this summer we enjoyed a lovely trip out to Westerhailes with The Health Agency 🚤

We always enjoy the challenge of doing something a little different, heading a bit further afield — weaving through bridges and navigating over aqueducts to make our trips more accessible for groups from different parts of Edinburgh 🌉

Perhaps our posing could do with some work… 😄❓

Really looking forward to welcoming another Health Agency group next week 💙

26/08/2026

No day on the canal is alike — which is why we make sure our volunteers are ready for anything ⚓

Earlier this year we signed off seven more crew members as RYA‑trained First Aiders, with thanks to The Sorted Project for organising the course and .scotland for delivering it.

And we’re not stopping there. Next month we’ll be running another training block to sign off eight more volunteers, strengthening onboard safety and giving our crew the confidence to handle whatever a day on the water brings 🛟

Training is a core part of volunteering with All Aboard, helping us keep passengers safe and giving volunteers skills they can take far beyond the canal.

21/08/2026

Last month we had a wonderful afternoon at Picnic in the Park 🌿💛
Hosted by Fountainbridge Canalside Community Trust as part of the Edinburgh Canal Festival Summer, we were joined once again by Auld Spice Ceilidh, our brilliant volunteers, and so many members of the public. It was a relaxed, joyful day on the towpath — and we even got to show off a fetching new piece of colour‑coordinated bunting, handmade by one of our own volunteers, Judith 🎀💙

But that’s not all…

Tomorrow we’ll be back on the water for the final event of the summer — the Edinburgh Raft Race 🚣‍♂️✨
While the racers battle it out for the top prize, we’ll be hosting canal trips alongside Waterwitch and Lochrin Belle, running from Leamington Lift Bridge to Harrison Park and back. It’s a rare chance for members of the public to experience life aboard All Aboard -to see the canal from a new perspective and enjoy some peaceful time on the water.

Bring family, bring friends, bring anyone who loves a bit of something different. We’d love to welcome you aboard 🚤💙

20/08/2026

All Aboard will be hosting a number of community trips this weekend 🚤💙 A wonderful opportunity for anyone who’s always wondered what a journey on All Aboard is like.

We’re here to increase engagement and participation on Edinburgh’s Union Canal and to share the wellbeing benefits that come from spending time on the water. Usually we work with community groups and charities to charter our vessel, so this is a rare chance for individual bookings to come aboard, see the city from a new perspective, and enjoy a peaceful trip along the canal 🌿✨

*Booking ahead is recommended.*
If you’re able, please consider adding a small donation alongside your ticket — it helps us cover project costs and keep this resource for the community going 🙏💛

We’re delighted to welcome you to the Canal Boat trips provided by Re-Union Canal Boats and All Aboard as a part of Edinburgh Canal Raft Race 2026 🌊

The boat trips run throughout the afternoon, with departures on Lochrin Belle and All Aboard, and advance booking is recommended via the link https://collections.humanitix.com/edinburgh-canal-festival-raft-race-canal-boat-trips

Walk ins will be available depending on availability.

Come along, bring your friends and family, and discover the Union Canal from a whole new perspective. We can’t wait to see you there!💙

More about raft race day on our website here https://edinburghcanalfestival.org.uk/

14/08/2026

Thanks to Duncan Place Leith bringing their Laughter group aboard yesterday. Such amazing energy onboard with the group bringing their characteristic smiles and laughter as always 💛

We even managed to build some time to disembark the group for a stroll along the Slateford Aqueduct to take in some amazing views across Edinburgh.🚶‍♀️🌉

07/08/2026

Thanks as always to the Art in Gardens group from Craigmillar Community Grows — lovely to see such amazing photos from your time aboard 🌿💙

Groups join us for all sorts of activities: sketching and art projects, photography, bird watching, nature spotting, or simply sharing biscuits and tea together. Whatever your community hopes to get from a trip on the canal, our bookings remain open and we’re here to help make it happen 🚤✨