10-day and two week breaks from Bath
Our longer boating holiday destinations on the Kennet & Avon Canal include cruising through the Vale of Pewsey and the Savernake Forest
One of our best-loved canals, the 87-mile long Kennet & Avon Canal links the Bristol Avon with the Thames at Reading, passing through spectacular landscapes and the World Heritage City of Bath.
From the beautiful Bath Valley and the foothills of the Cotswolds in Somerset and Wiltshire to the North West Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and the wooded Kennet Valley, this canal offers the chance to enjoy some of England’s most beautiful countryside.
10-day/2-week breaks from Bath
Great Bedwyn and back (83 miles, 102 locks, 50 hours)
The journey begins by cruising east through two short tunnels and Sydney Gardens. You’ll cruise through the villages of Bathampton, with its popular canalside George Inn and Claverton, home of the historic Claverton Pumping Station and American Museum in Britain at Claverton Manor. Next you’ll cross over the impressive Dundas and Avoncliff Bath stone aqueducts. Then you’ll pass through the historic town of Bradford-on-Avon and its canalside Barge Inn and Beehive pub.
The journey continues east through Semington and Seend, with its canalside Barge Inn. Soon after you’ll reach the base of the Caen Hill flight of 29 locks at Devizes, one of the ‘Seven Wonders of the Waterways’. It takes around five hours to travel up the flight. You’ll then experience Next you’ll pass through a series of pretty canalside villages dotted through the North West Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, including All Cannings with its King’s Arms pub and Honeystreet, with its canalside Barge Inn.
You’ll travel on through the beautiful Vale of Pewsey, passing Pewsey Wharf with its French Horn pub, and close by to the village of Pewsey, with its Royal Oak pub. Next, it’s Wootton Rivers with its Royal Oak pub on the edge of the Savernake Forest. Then you’ll pass through The Bruce Tunnel, also known as Savernake Tunnel, marketing the highest point of the canal. Soon after you’ll reach Crofton with its historic Pumping Station and Beam engines. And flight of locks taking you back down the hill. Next it’s Great Bedwyn, with its Three Tuns pub and Great Bedwyn Wharf where you can turn your boat.
Hungerford and back (94 miles, 134 locks, 60 hours)
As above but cruise on through Little Bedwyn and soon after, Froxfield with its Pelican Inn close to the canal. And then you’ll reach Hungerford with many antique shops, pubs and restaurants to choose from. You can turn your boat at Hungerford Town Bridge.
Newbury and back (111 miles, 142 locks, 69 hours)
As above but cruising on to Newbury, where there’s a great choice of pubs, including the canalside Lock Stock & Barrel. You can visit the Newbury Museum and Newbury Racecourse. The impressive Highclere Castle, featured in the ITV drama Downton Abbey is a short taxi ride away.
Reading and back (150 miles, 185 locks, 94 hours total)
Continue on from Newbury through the beautiful West Berkshire countryside passing through the pretty village of Kintbury with its canalside Dundas Arms. On reaching Reading, you can turn at the winding hole near King’s Bridge Road and moor up to walk back along the canal to the canalside Oracle shopping centre. There’s a great choice of canalside places to eat, including Wagamamas. The Vue cinema is canalside too. Reading Museum is a short walk away, home to half a million objects, crossing archaeology, art, natural history, social history and world cultures, including Britain’s Bayeux Tapestry.
