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The jewel in Whaley Bridge’s crown is the canal basin, standing at the head of the Peak Forest Canal. It was once visited by Princess Diana, and a grassy area alongside the canal became known as ‘The Royal Green’. The basin is a favourite place for visiting canal boats to tie up, or for locals to bring their children to feed the ducks. For walking parties, it is a good meeting point, being near the car park.

At least two regular boat services start from the basin - the Judith Mary, a floating restaurant which plies the Peak Forest Canal and the day boat Phoenix, available for hire.

Every June, the canal basin comes to bustling life with three of Whaley Bridge’s most important community events: the Water Weekend, linking in to the Welldressing, which in turn links in to the Rose Queen Festival a week later. And at Christmas, Santa Claus arrives by canal boat for the lights switch-on and to face a queue of children wishing to visit his grotto in the Mechanics’ Institute.

The large building at the canal head, known as the transhipment warehouse and built in 1832, is the subject of active speculation about its future. In early 2008, studies were commissioned to create a future for community and commerce within the building.

From Industrial Revolution times, the warehouse was a link between quarry material carried on barges and the railway that ran from the basin. In recent years, the building has stood empty, but in the autumn of 2007 was opened to the public during the Heritage Access weekend. Surrounding the basin, are some of the older areas of Whaley Bridge, all being considered as part of the regeneration dream.