Enjoying the River

Along the Great West Way there are plentiful opportunities to mess about in boats – or in canoes, or on a paddle board perhaps. And, with the Kennet & Avon Canal linking the River Thames in the east with the River Avon in the west, the Great West Way can even be travelled without setting foot on dry land!

For a sedate sort of water sport, try one of the many types of boating trips. You could hire a rowing boat at Henley-on-Thames and gently row downstream, past rafts of fluffy ducklings. Or kayak carefully down the Thames, past the Houses of Parliament and other equally big sites, on an alternative tour of London. Or even go stand-up paddle boarding on Bristol's Floating Harbour.

Water sports aren’t just for lakes or oceans, the rivers and harbours along the way are ideal waterways to cool down in and try something new. Paddle past Brunel’s SS Great Britain whilst on a tour of Bristol Harbour - or tackle the Giant SUP from Original Wild which fits up to 9 people, as well as kayaking, canoeing and raft building. It’s a great bonding experience and totally hilarious, there’s nothing like a bit of laughter therapy! You can also swim in the river at designated places such as Warleigh Weir near Bath and north of Dundas Aqueduct.

The Great West Way’s scenic waterways support various water sports too. Canoeing, kayaking, canal boat riding, stand-up paddle boarding… Viewing the touring route from the water will give you a whole different perspective on the landscape and its natural inhabitants. Just watch out for the blue flash of a kingfisher as it dips down to catch a fish. (Speaking of which, there are many places in the Great West Way to go fishing too.)

There are some more heart-pumping options as well, such as Cotswolds Water Park, comprised of 150 lakes, ideal for people who like being by - or more specifically on or in - the water. You can kayak, canoe, windsurf, waterski, wakeboard, sail or brave the chilly waters and go for a refreshing open water swim. Or you can just hire a great big inflatable and have a laugh in the water with family and friends.

The Thames might be London’s river, but it is away from the city, further west on the Great West Way, that the waterway is at its most beautiful. The River Thames flows through Windsor, Henley-on-Thames, Reading and Oxford (where it is called the Isis). Did you know that at 215 miles, it is the longest river entirely in England and the second-longest in the UK, after the River Severn? Climb aboard one of the Thames River Boat’s vessels at Kew to Richmond and Hampton Court and spot wildlife while cruising down the river. On this relaxed journey you’ll pass Kew Gardens and Richmond Park before sailing on through the locks at Richmond, past the imposing Palladian villa of Marble Hill House and the splendid 17th-century Ham House, to reach the historic royal palace at Hampton Court.

Cruise upsteam through Boveney Lock passing The Willows, Bray Film Studios and Monkey Island enjoying the wonderful views of Windsor Castle.

Further upriver, there are boat trips with French Brothers departing from Windsor Promenade. You’ll cruise upsteam through Boveney Lock passing The Willows, Bray Film Studios and Monkey Island enjoying the wonderful views of Windsor Castle during the return journey. Or, you might enjoy hiring a boat in Henley or join Salters Steamers along the Thames from Reading to Henley, Wind in the Willows style. Or why not head along the Kennet & Avon Canal on a Canadian canoe from Towpath Canoe Hire, Bradford on Avon?

The Kennet & Avon Canal is 87 miles of beautiful waterway from Reading to Bristol. No matter where you are along the stretch, there are plenty of chances to get out on the water. Hop on Jubilee, The Rose of Hungerford, Kenavon Venture or Barbara Mclellan for a relaxing boat trip. If you want to have a go at being captain and explore the canal for longer, you can hire you own canal boat at Honeystreet Mill Boats and Café, Bruce Accessible Boats and Sally Narrowboats.

Cyclists might prefer flowing along the Kennet & Avon Canal on two wheels along the cycle paths from Bath to Reading. The 85- mile cycle route is packed with amazing attractions, incredible countryside and an abundance of wildlife. Highlights along the way include Bradford on Avon’s Tithe Barn, the Pewsey White Horse and the dramatic flight of locks at Caen Hill. For a day ride that’s not overly challenging, the Bath to Devizes section (22 miles) is almost completely traffic-free. Why not start your bike ride in Reading and finish in the spa city of Bath where you can treat yourself to a hot soak at Thermae Bath Spa!

If you don’t want to travel the Great West Way entirely by canal and river, there are numerous places along the route for getting out on the water for the day or even just for an hour or two. South Oxfordshire is an area full of natural beauty, picturesque villages, shops to browse and places to stay and to eat. Book a stay in Henley-on-Thames, home to the world’s most famous rowing event, the annual Henley Royal Regatta. The regatta first took place in 1839 and now every July the stretch of the river that runs through this attractive town on the Berkshire-Oxfordshire border hosts races that attract the very best international crews. A channel of the river stays open to spectators throughout the event – this is a great time to take to the water and see world-class rowing up close.

The rest of the year there are cruises with Hobbs of Henley on the same stretch of water, including short sightseeing cruises, wildlife spotting trips, gin and jazz nights and even Christmas cruises to meet Santa.

The other side of the North Wessex Downs you will come to the Caen Hill Lock Flight, known in narrowboating circles as one of the biggest and best challenges in English canal cruising. This flight of locks on the Kennet & Avon Canal runs for just over two miles up the eponymous hill into the market town of Devizes. On this stretch the canal rises 237 feet (72 metres), using 29 locks to manoeuvre boats up and down the hill. Tackling the lock flight – in either direction – takes at least half a day. Each lock must be manually opened and closed using heavy wooden gates, each time allowing the water to either fill the lock or drain away from it to change the water level and keep you climbing up or down.

Standing atop your boat and feeling the water rise or fall around you is one of any narrowboating holiday’s most memorable moments – that and mooring up at the pub afterwards, of course. You can visit or stay at the nearby Devizes Marina Village, where you hire a canal boat to tackle the locks yourself. If you don’t fancy doing the grunt work yourself, you can leave your narrowboat at Foxhangers at the bottom of the hill and walk up to the town along the towpath, watching others hard at work as you go.

The Kennet & Avon Canal continues to travel along the Great West Way from Newbury in the east to Bath in the west. One of the prettiest sections of this historic waterway is the section between the delightful Wiltshire town of Bradford on Avon and the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Bath. Bath Narrowboats have electric boat and canoe hire from Brassknocker Basin, five miles outside Bath, and one day is ample time for exploring this quiet stretch of water with its canalside pubs and tea gardens. Allow some time in Bradford on Avon itself too, this pretty town has Medieval and Georgian buildings tumbling down the hillside to the water’s edge, many of them now excellent delis, cafés and boutiques.

In the south of The Cotswolds and just north of Swindon is an extensive area of watery playground. Over some 40 square miles, more than 150 lakes pool across the landscape, offering myriad ways to get out on the water. This is the best place on the Great West Way to try your hand at waterskiing, wakeboarding or windsurfing or to have a go at the latest watersports craze, stand up paddleboarding. You can learn to sail here too, and there are canoes, kayaks and rowing boats for hire, as well as thrilling rides atop massive inflatables that are sure to put a smile on your face.

Rather just have a swim? Head to Cotswold Country Park and Beach where the South Lake has an extensive beach and a paddling area for children, plus pedalos and rowing boats for hire.

In Bath, Original Wild has stand up paddle boarding tours leaving from Pulteney Bridge, which will introduce the city from a very different angle, standing on a board afloat in the Avon. Along the river at Forester Road, Bath Boating Station hire out canoes, kayaks, skiffs and punts so that you

can explore at your own pace. Or, you could cruise along the River Avon to Bathampton, a pretty village just two miles east of Bath, or into the city as far as Pulteney Bridge. If you’d rather stick to easier waters, the more placid Kennet & Avon Canal meets the Avon in Bath and there are narrowboats for hire by the day from Bath Narrowboats.

At the end of the route Bristol’s Floating Harbour offers not only one of the best ways to get around the city by ferry, with boats running from Temple Meads train station into and around the city centre and Floating Harbour, but there are also cream tea cruises on the River Avon with Bristol Packet. Bristol Ferries run cruises out to Beese’s Tea Garden for lunch, dinner or afternoon tea, and you can also paddle board around with SUP Bristol. Bristol Packet and Bristol Ferries also offer cruises from the Floating Harbour to Avon Gorge and Wapping Wharf, where you’ll sail along the River Avon beside Isambard Kingdom Brunel’s SS Great Britain, and beneath the Clifton Suspension Bridge, another of the great engineer’s imposing and unmissable designs.

Have you a copy of our new Kennet & Avon Canal map? Slow down and enjoy 87 miles of the Kennet & Avon Canal with our Great West Way map to include places to visit, recommended accommodation, waterside restaurants and more.

→ GreatWestWay.co.uk/explore/maps

Words: Samantha Rutherford