and the Cotswold Way
Appendix A Route summary tables
Appendix B Itinerary planner
Appendix C Accommodation near the route
Appendix D Useful contacts
Appendix E Further reading
Heading through fields following the River Avon towards Keynsham (Stage 7)
Caen Hill flight of locks (Stage 5, Walk 14)
INTRODUCTION
At the height of ‘canal mania’ in the early 1800s, the Kennet and Avon Canal, which stretches across southern England from Reading to Bristol, formed a super-highway for the transportation of goods ranging from coal and timber to grain and stone, contributing to the late Georgian and early Victorian growth of the south. However, the widespread use of the canal lasted only a few decades before the arrival of Isambard Kingdom Brunel’s much faster Great Western Railway.
The loss of business caused by the railways brought about a gradual decline of the canal system and by the 1950s the Kennet and Avon was in a very poor state. However, plans to abandon the canal were brushed aside by public support and an army of volunteers set about the gradual restoration of the canal, culminating in its reopening by Queen Elizabeth II in 1990.
Now this wonderful canal, which celebrated its bicentenary in 2010, forms a multi-faceted jewel for boaters, walkers and wildlife, as it weaves its way through a patchwork of countryside from the rolling chalk contours of the North Wessex Downs to the southern edge of the Cotswolds, passing vibrant towns and cities as well as picture-postcard villages with thatched cottages, ancient churches and cosy pubs.
The thatched Royal Oak pub at Wootton Rivers (Stage 3, Walk 9)
Walking along the canal also takes you on a journey of discovery past impressive historical features including the world-famous Crofton Pumping Station and Beam Engines, the stunning Caen Hill flight of locks at Devizes, the ornate aqueducts at Avoncliff and Dundas, and the Georgian splendour of Bath.
But, most importantly in today’s busy world, the canal offers an abundance of peace and tranquillity, a slower pace of life, where you are surrounded by a wide range of wildlife. As you walk, you are accompanied by the sounds of birdsong, the wind rustling through the trees, or a narrowboat chugging by, gently rippling the tranquil waters.
Whether you opt for walking the full length of the canal from Reading to Bristol’s vibrant Floating Harbour (152.1km/94½ miles) in total) or go for the 20 circular walks that take in the best sections of the canal while visiting interesting places nearby, this guidebook takes you on a fascinating journey across southern England, following one of England’s best-loved canals.
To learn more about the volunteers who helped save this magical canal, visit the website of the Kennet & Avon Canal Trust (www.katrust.org.uk); to learn more about the work of the Canal & River Trust, who look after the waterways of England and Wales, visit their website (www.canalrivertrust.org.uk).
The canal passes the former Simonds’ Brewery site in Reading (Stage 1)
Brief history of the canal
The Kennet and Avon Canal, which celebrated its bicentenary in 2010, was formed in the 19th century when two waterways – the Kennet Navigation and the Avon Navigation – were joined by the construction of a 91.5km (57 mile) canal between Newbury and Bath.
The 31.3km (19½ mile) Kennet Navigation, which ran from the River Thames at Reading to Newbury, opened in 1723. Designed by the Newbury engineer John Hore (1690–1762), the Kennet Navigation comprised sections of natural river and 18.5km (11½ miles) of new cut canal with 20 turf-sided locks, two of which survive today: Garston Lock and Monkey Marsh Lock.
Widcombe Lock (7) at the former Thimble Mill, Bath (Stage 6, Walk 19)
The Avon Navigation, between Bath and Bristol, was opened in 1727 and incorporated six locks along the 18km (11 mile) section from Bath to Hanham (Hanham Lock is lock 1 of the Kennet and Avon Canal); downstream of Hanham the River Avon is tidal. Ralph Allen, previously postmaster of Bath, was one of the men instrumental in the opening of the Avon Navigation – he had bought stone mines at Combe Down and Bathampton and it was much easier to transport stone by barge than packhorse. As with the Kennet Navigation, the chief engineer was John Hore.
By 1770, people were starting to put forward the idea of building a canal that would link the River Kennet and the River Avon. Originally a route from Hungerford via Ramsbury and Marlborough was proposed. However, because of growing fears about the availability of a good supply of water, a more southerly route was proposed in 1793, passing through Great Bedwyn and the Vale of Pewsey, with an extension canal to Marlborough. The drawback with this route was the need for a 4km (2½ mile) summit tunnel between Crofton and Burbage.
Plans for the extension to Marlborough were shelved and in 1794 the proposal received Royal Assent, with John Rennie being appointed chief engineer. A further survey recommended altering the route yet again, this time raising the summit by 12m in order to reduce the length of the tunnel – known as the Bruce Tunnel – to 459 metres. This would substantially decrease the cost and time required to construct the canal, even though more locks and a steam-driven pump would be required to raise water to the new canal summit.
Finally, in October 1794, work started on the canal. The section from Newbury to Kintbury opened in 1797, followed by Hungerford in 1798 and Great Bedwyn in 1799. The section west of Great Bedwyn, including the Caen Hill Locks, took a further 10 years to build. In 1810, the Kennet and Avon Canal was finally opened, giving a direct trade route between London and Bristol.
A narrowboat negotiates Brimslade Lock (53), between Wootton Rivers and Burbage (Stage 3, Walk 9)
For 40 years the canal prospered, transporting a range of goods to and from wharves built along the canal, but the passing of the Great Western Railway Act in 1835 led to the building of Isambard Kingdom Brunel’s railway, which offered a faster and more efficient transport route between London and Bristol. In 1852, the Great Western Railway Company succeeded in buying the Kennet and Avon Canal, although on the proviso that it was kept open as a canal. However, they made little attempt to maintain the route over the next 100 years, leading to its gradual decline; they even offered traders preferential tolls to use the railway instead.
During World War II, with the threat of a German invasion, a series of General Headquarters Anti-Tank Lines (or GHQ Stop Lines) were devised. These utilised existing natural obstacles such as rivers and also man-made ones, including canals and railway embankments, supplemented by a vast number of pillboxes, anti-tank ditches and other obstacles. The primary purpose of these defences was to delay any invasion forces, although fortunately they were never used in combat. One of these lines, GHQ