GUIDE TO CANAL BOATING HOLIDAYS

Enjoy life cruising in the slow lane on a canal boat break along the historic Kennet & Avon Canal from Devizes via Hungerford to Kintbury in West Berkshire with the option of stopping off in the glorious Vale of Pewsey in the heart of the North Wessex Downs.

The Kennet & Avon Canal runs all the way from the River Thames to the River Avon, connecting the town of Reading with the World Heritage Site of Bath and Bristol. It is 87-miles (140km) long and is made up of two lengths of navigable river linked by a 57-mile (92km) canal section. It passes through some of the loveliest scenery you could hope to see.

When you travel down the Kennet & Avon Canal you are hitting the rewind button on life. Wonderful views, tranquil waters, charming villages, quaint canal side pubs, impressive locks – all of them looking much the same as they always did. Not forgetting Bath's Georgian architecture of golden stone and the rich maritime history of Bristol.

Started in 1794, the canal was completed in 1810 to the designs of engineer John Rennie. It became an important trade route bustling with boats carrying a variety of goods. As it snaked its way across country the canal brought prosperity and employment to rural towns and villages. Wharves and all the infrastructure necessary for handling goods were built, and today you can still see this fascinating industrial heritage scattered along the canal banks. The canal needed many locks and engineering solutions to climb up and down the Wiltshire and Somerset hills. Engineers were innovators and designed remarkable canal architecture such as the Crofton Pumping Station, Claverton Water Mill and the Dundas and Avoncliffe Aqueducts.

The Canal Tavern

The canal's locks are wide enough to take two narrowboats side by side or a large beamed boat. Most spectacular of all is the famous Caen Hill Lock Flight in Devizes, considered one of the wonders of the waterways. In order that boats could climb or descend the steep hill, 29 locks were built between Town Bridge and the bottom lock at Lower Foxhangers. In the middle of this is the 'staircase' of 16 locks with enormous side pounds that hold water to fill the locks. If you're taking a boat through them, it's best to give yourself ample time.

autumn berries on the Bradford on Avon Canal

The canal was a busy thoroughfare until the Great Western Railway Act of 1835 led to the building of the railway from London to Bristol. Faster and more efficient, the railway began to steal trade away from the canal which gradually declined.

By the mid-1950s the canal was derelict and on the point of abandonment when a group of waterways enthusiasts decided to act. In 1962, they formed the Kennet and Avon Canal Trust, determined to rescue the canal and make it navigable once more. Working with the then British Waterways (now the Canal & River Trust) and local authorities they plugged the leaks, fitted new lock gates, restored the towpaths and bridges and after a grant of £25 million from the Lottery Fund it finally reopened in 1990.

Today this ribbon of water provides pleasure for thousands of tourist boaters, walkers and cyclists, as well as a home for 'liveaboards' – those who choose to live permanently on their boats. Every Easter the Devizes to Westminster Canoe Race challenges paddlers to race the 125 miles to London via the canal and the Thames. A broad array of businesses make their money from the canal, ranging from hire boats, marinas and chandleries to floating cafes and hairdressers.

Bradford on Avon Canal

It is also hugely important for all sorts of animals and plants. You will see swans, ducks and heron, and if you're lucky catch the flash of kingfishers. Water voles and otters are more secretive, but they are here too. Curious cows come down to the banks to drink and watch you chug on by. The water teems with fish such as roach, pike, perch, bream, tench and small minnows. The aggressive pike is the largest of all canal fish and often lurks among weed beds bursting out to catch smaller fish.

There are lots of plants to spot as you visit – the wide, leathery leaves of water lilies float on the surface, and you can see their attractive flowers from mid-May until the first frosts. In summer, brightly-coloured purple loosestrife provides food for long-tongued insects such as brimstone butterflies and elephant hawk moths and the towpath vegetation attracts many more species of insects. The rustle of common reed will provide a soundscape to your walk and a summer home for reed and sedge warblers. The fact that by boat you cannot travel faster than 4mph, forces you to embrace that wonderful antidote to modern life-slow time. If you are on the towpath, take time to observe the changing seasons and give a friendly greeting to all who pass by. So please, when you visit, slow down and linger a while, there is so much to enjoy about the spectacular Kennet & Avon Canal.

The Canal & River Trust cares for 2,000 miles of canals and rivers across England and Wales. Every year, around 15 million people visit these waterways, a 200-year old national network.

Bradford on Avon Canal

CAEN HILL

Caen Hill is one of the greatest examples of canal engineering in England and is a great place to start your journey along this historic canal. Hire a boat at Devizes from the Kennet & Avon Canal Trust or from one of the many operators that are listed with the Canal and River Trust. Alternatively, you could start a little further east along the canal and hire a boat with Honeystreet Boats and on your return from Kintbury you could do an extra leg to Devizes and then back to Honeystreet. This round trip is about 55 miles and includes 56 locks and you could easily do it all in a week.

Have lunch at Honeystreet Café or at the Waterfront Bar and Bistro by Pewsey Wharf then follow the towpath to Crofton Beam Engine – the oldest working beam engine in the world. Further along the trail you come to Wilton Windmill, built in 1821, it is the only working windmill in Wessex. Just a few miles further along the canal is the Three Tuns Freehouse pub in Great Bedwyn.

Did you know?

Caen Hill (produced ‘cane’) is one of the longest continuous flight of locks in England with a total of 29 locks rising 237 feet over 2 miles, with a 1 in 44 gradient.

HUNGERFORD

Spend the day exploring the lush green water meadows of the market town of Hungerford with its quirky canal bridges and famous antique shops. A great place for lunch is the Tutti Pole, a quaint restaurant on the high street selling everything from lights snacks to a full English Breakfast served all day, three-course meals and afternoon teas. The name Tutti Pole derives from the ancient traditions of Hocktide, an English ceremonial rite dating back to 1365 and is still celebrated in Hungerford each year, when, on the second Tuesday after Easter, two tithing men visit the homes of commoners carrying Tutti poles dressed with spring flowers.

There are replica Tutti poles outside the restaurant, while inside there are many photographs of the Hocktide celebrations through the years. Alternatively, you could take a day off your own boat and go on a popular half-day round trip on the Rose of Hungerford boat, travelling east from Hungerford Wharf through Dun Mill Lock Wire Locks.

HIGHWORTH

Highworth is an ancient hill top market town situated on the edge of the Cotswolds close to Lechlade-on-Thames which is the last navigable section of the River Thames and the Thames Path. The town centre is a remarkable conservation area containing 84 listed buildings and a Grade l listed church. There's also the Highworth Museum in the unusual setting of a Bank’s strong room, featuring a permanent display on the history of the town as well as temporary exhibitions. The Visitor’ Centre is also an Arts and Craft centre showcasing handmade pieces by local artists and makers, and the town is perfectly placed to explore Wiltshire, Oxfordshire and Gloucestershire.

Insider Tip

Looking to plan a trip by canal but unsure of the route and timings? Check out Canalplan – a handy route planner for canal journeys that you follow virtually before the trip. It helps you plan your journey or holiday, calculates the length (distance, number of locks, time taken and so on) of your trip and shows gazetteer information on places along the way (pubs, shops etc). ▶ canalplan.org.uk

locks on the Bradford on Avon Canal