The Kennet and Avon Canal in England - Reading via Hungerford to Devizes.

Wandering across some of England's most beautiful countryside the Kennet and Avon canal links England's Canals via the River Thames at Reading with the Bristol Channel.

As the canal's name suggest it's partially a river navigation since it uses the River Kennet between Reading and Newbury and the River Avon between Bath and Bristol - the pure "canal" part of the waterway is 57 miles in length out of a total distance of 100.25 miles. The River Kennet was turned into a river navigation for goods traffic in 1723 creating a route to the River Thames and had wharves at Newbury, Aldermaston and Reading, transporting various goods to London and into the Midlands including timber, malt, flour and cheese and the returning barges carried bulk goods such as coal and iron. The barges used on the navigation were considerably larger than standard canal narrow boats and a feature of the whole Kennet and Avon Canal are the large locks. Similarly the River Avon had been turned into a river navigation from Bristol as far as Bath and the two rivers were connected in 1810 when Engineer John Rennie created a 57 mile long artificial cut i.e. the 100.25 mile long Kennet and Avon Canal came into being.The canal never did carry as much commercial traffic as was envisaged and was subsequently hurt financially by loss of traffic because of the opening of the Great Western Railway which follows the route of the canal for some distance. GWR purchased the Kennet and Avon Canal but did not maintain it properly and navigation became quite difficult in some places - regular boat movements eventually ended during the 1930s. The canal remained open however and still provided a navigable through route until 1951 when it was finally closed. There has always been great interest in English Canals and fortunately in 1962 The Kennet & Avon Canal Trust was formed with a view to getting the canal fully restored and navigable and with the help of volunteers and of British Waterways the canal was once again safely navigable in 1990.
This topic about the canal is split over two pages - this page covers the navigation from The Thames at Reading through to Devizes and our Kennet and Avon - West covers the canal from outside of Devizes to it's end at Bristol.

Reading Bridge	Junction Bridge with The Thames	Pipe and railway bridge	Reading railway bridge	Reading railway bridge
Blakes Lock no:107	Blakes Lock no:107	Weir and canal buildings	Start of the Kennet and Avon Canal	London Street Bridge

The Kennet and Avon Canal between Reading, Aldermaston and Newbury. The towpath along this part of the canal is in very good condition both for cyclists and for walkers and the countryside walked through is really beautiful. Although this 23 mile stretch of the canal is not too much of a trip for cyclists it is a considerable trek to walk in one go. Fortunately the canal is accompanied by a railway line but sadly the once free parking at Aldermaston Station has been changed with one usually empty side to pay and display and the other empty side permit only by greedy Aviva. Therefore the trip can be broken in two with one railway ride from Aldermaston to Reading (and then walking back) and walking the other half of this part of the canal can be achieved by taking the railway to Newbury and walking back from there. Quite a few trains do run on Saturdays and somewhat less do the trip on Sundays but up to date times need to be checked on the First Great Western website or National Rail site.

County Lock no:106	Berkeley Avenue Bridge no:5	Fobney Lock area	Waterworks at Fobney Lock	Fobney Lock no:105	Fobney weirs
Railway Bridge no:11	Foot bridge by Milkmaids bridge	Milkmaids Bridge no:10	Southcot Lock no:104	Burghfield marina entrance	Burghfield Bridge no:14
Burghfield Bridge no:14	Swans Bridge no:15	Burghfield Lock no:103	Hissies Bridge no:17	Garston Lock 102	Garston Lock no:102

Locks on the Kennet and Avon Canal. The river navigation's first locks were turf sided locks - i.e. the lock chamber's were lined from above the low water level with turf sloping out at 45 degrees - below low water level the sides were planked vertically. These locks used a huge amount of water but The River Kennet could usually easily provide this - however the locks were eventually changed into brick and wooden planked vertical locks. Fortunately two of the Kennet and Avon Canal turf sided locks have been preserved and can be seen at Garston Lock and at Monkey Marsh Lock (photos a little way below). Garston turf-sided Lock is a particularly good example - it's totally surrounded by trees, wildflowers, reeds and so on - also at the lock are two World War 2 pillboxes (which are now under preservation) both of which fit in beautifully with the immediate area.

Garston Lock + WW2 Pillbox	Garston Turf sided Lock	Sheffield Lock no:101	Theale Swing Bridge no:19	Sulhamstead Lock no:100	Sulhamstead Swing Bridge 21
Sulhamstead weir	Tile Mill Swing Bridge no:23	Tile Mill Lock no:99	Ufton bridge	Ufton Lock no:98	Towney Bridge no:26
Towney Lock no:97	Padworth Swing Bridge no:27	Padworth Lock no:96	Visitor Centre Aldermaston	Aldermaston Lift Bridge no:28	Aldermaston Wharf lift bridge no:28
Aldermaston Lock no:95	Bridge no:28a	Wickham Knight Footbridge no:30	Woolhampton Old WWII pillbox	Woolhampton Swing Bridge 31	Old Woolhampton Lock no:94
Oxlease Swing Bridge no:33	Old Heales Lock no:93	Cranwells Swing Bridge no:35	Midgham Lock no:92	Gardners Bridge no:39	Colthrop Lock no:91
River Kennet at Thatcham	Monkey Marsh Turf Lock	Monkey Marsh Lock no:90	Monkey Marsh Lock 90 gates	Westmead Lock no:89	Railway bridge 45 + Bulls Lock 88
Bulls Swing Bridge no:48	Ham Lock no:87	Whitehouse Roving Bridge53	Greenham Lock no:86	Newbury Bridge no:60	Newbury St Nicholas

Newbury to Hungerford on the Kennet and Avon Canal. This nine or so miles stretch of the Kennet and Avon Canal is if anything even more beautiful for it's lush undergrowth than the Reading stretch - often the canal is lined by 6 or 7 foot high reeds, many wildflowers and gorgeous trees. The one thing to be aware of along the route is that if the weather has been wet the towpath can be extremely muddy and their are one or two mini-collapses for cyclists in particular to be wary of. There are quite a few picturesque canal-locks along the way and the bridges have changed mostly from lift bridges and swing bridges to fully arched brick bridges. Quite often every time a lock appears then there is a bridge alongside - and for anyone wandering or cycling along the towpath there are one or two wooden benches at most of these Kennet and Avon Canal locks which is just right for a picnic or drinks break.

Newbury Lock

Westmill Swingbridge

Emborne Bridge 64

Guyers Lock

Higgs Lock

Pickletimber Bridge

Denham Bridge no:66	Denham Lock no:82	Denham Bridge no:66	Kennet weirs	Kennet weirs	Hamstead Bridge no:68
Hamstead Lock no:81	Copse Lock no:80	Dreweats Bridge no:71	Dreweats Lock sluice	Dreweats Lock no:79	Shepherds Bridge no:73
Horse drawn barge	Kintbury Lock78	Vicarage Bridge no:76	Kintbury vicarage	Orchard Meadows Bridge no:78	Brunsden Lock + Bridge no:79
Brunsden Lock no:77	Brunsden railway Bridge no:80	Wire Lock Bridge no:81	Wire Lock no:76	River Kennet Dunmill	Dunmill Lock Bridge no:82
Denford Mill	Dunmill Lock no:75	Station Road Bridge no:83	Hungerford Town Bridge no:84	Hungerford Lock gates 74	Hungerford Lock no:74

A railway line mostly follows the route of the Kennet and Avon Canal and so it is possible to use the railway for travelling one way by train and then walking back. The railway car park at Hungerford is currently free for rail users (but this should be checked up to date as things change) and there is also another large (council pay and display but free on Sundays at the moment) car park on the other side of the road by the station. Hungerford's St Lawrence Church lies amongst some beautiful trees just a few yards away from swing bridge no.85 and by the swingbridge itself there are a couple of conveniently placed bench seats - it's a really nice area to sit and watch very little happening for a while. Hungerford Town is a market town - it's just a few minutes stroll away and has lots of pubs and restaurants - if a short ride on a barge sounds like a good idea these trips can be found just by Hungerford's main bridge (84).

Hungerford Lock No: 74	Hungerford Swing Bridge 85	Hungerford St Lawrence	Hungerford Marsh SwingBridge + Lock no:73	Cobblers Lock no:72	Dun Aqueduct 2
Picketfield railway Bridge 89	Picketfield Lock no:71	Circular Weir	Froxfield Bridge no:90	Froxfield Bottom Lock no:70	Froxfield Middle Lock no:69
Oakhill Down Bridge no:91	Oakhill Down Lock no:68	Fore Bridge no:92	Little Bedwyn Lock no:67	Little Bedwyn Bridge no:94	Potters Lock no:66
Burnt Mill Lockgates	Burnt Mill Lock no:65	Bedwyn Wharf Bridge no:95	Bedwyn Church Lock no:64	Mill Bridge no:97	Beech Grove Bridge no:98
Beech Grove Lock no:63	NewBridge no:99	NewBridge no:99	Lockgates at Lock no:62	Crofton Crossing Bridge no:100	Crofton Bottom Lock no:61

Crofton Pumping Station was constructed between 1807 and 1809 and houses several Cornish beam engines which are still in full working condition and are steamed during the summer on several weekends each year. The pump station's chimney is visible from some miles away and has been restored to it's original height of 82 feet it's used to provide draught for the boiler. From the towpath access to the pump station means crossing over the lockgates at lock 60 (the nearest bridges are at either lock 58 or lock 61 and a bit of a walk away) and then going under the railway lines via a low concrete tunnel before walking up steps to the buildings. There are facilities at the pumping staton available such as toilets and you can also buy tea, coffee or food there too. The website which may be of interest to check steaming times and as well as actual opening hours and so on is at Crofton Beam Engines

Crofton

Crofton Pumping station

Lock no:60

Lockgates Lock
no:59

Free Warren
Bridge no:101

Sam Farmer
Lock no:58

Adopters Lock no:57	Lock no:56	Wolfhall Feilds Bridge no:102	Crofton TopLock no:55	Wolfhall Bridge no:103	Bruce Tunnel East portal

Just near to Crofton Top Lock are the remains of what must have been an excellent example of a Great Western Railway bricked bridge which once crossed the canal and carried a branch line to Marlborough - most of the side supports remain. It's not difficult to sit by the lock and imagine the views in the old days when Great Western Railway's steam engines hauling carriages or freight wagons rattled and hissed their way across the bridge. A little further along from the lock is the Kennet and Avon's only tunnel - the 502 yard long Bruce Tunnel which opened in 1809. Named after the 1st Earl of Ailesbury (modern name is Aylesbury) Thomas Brudenell-Bruce it was constructed as the Earl refused to permit a deep cut to be made for the canal through his land. The Kennet and Avon Canal's other connection with Aylesbury (Buckinghamshire) is the existance of the Aylesbury Canal Arm which leaves the Grand Union Canal at Marsworth Junction - the Aylesbury Arm was once planned to continue as far as Abingdon and ultimately provide a through route from Bristol to London. A feature of the tunnel was it's width (barges were far wider than today's narrowboats) and that as there is no towpath inside the tunnel a chain ran the length of the tunnel which boatmen used to haul themselves through. The Kennet and Avon towpath goes under the present railway lines and then up steps to soon reach a narrow road - cross straight over and pass several houses before descending back to the towpath by the tunnel's west portal.

Towpath Tunnel Bruce tunnel	Bruce Tunnel West portal	Burbage Wharf Bridge no:104	Wootton Top Cadley Lock 54	Brimslade Lock no:53	Brimslade Bridge 106
Heathey Close Lock no:52	Heathey Close Bridge no:107	Wootton Rivers Bottom Lock 51	Wootton Rivers Bridge no:108	Wootton Rivers Farm Bridge 109	Curret Crown Bridge no:110
New Mill Bridge no:111	Milkhouse Water Bridge no:112	Pains Bridge no:113	Pewsey Bridge no:114	Bristow Bridge no:115	Bristow Bridge no.115

The towpath on our photos of this stretch of the Kennet and Avon Canal may look nice and easy to walk or cycle along but there are quite a few places where there are quite heavy ruts - the pictures were taken in July 2010 and this part of England had been extremely dry for weeks. These ruts and also several areas where there are near collapses into the canal itself means if there has been even moderate recent rainfall the towpath is certainly difficult to travel along due to heavy mud in places.
Stowell Park Bridge (picture below) is quite unusual - it was constructed around 1845 and is a small suspension bridge made of iron and the only one surviving of it's kind. Built in 1808 Lady's Bridge (also shown above) is very ornate compared with the other canal bridges in the area - it was built by John Rennie and designed in this fashion at the insistence of the then landowners as a condition to agreeing to the acquisition of their land. The stretch of towpath particularly between England's Bridge and All Cannings Bridge suffers badly from dog crap and in hot weather there are lots of flies about. There is a smallish parking area beside All Cannings Bridge and obviously dog owners park and unfortunately then let their hounds do there thing along the towpath beside the canal.

Stowell Park Bridge 116	Stowell Park Bridge	Wilcot Bridge no.117	Bowden's Bridge no.119	Bowdens Bridge no.119	Lady's Bridge or Ladies Bridge 120
Woodborough Fields Bridge 122	Alton Valley Bridge 123	Alton Valley Bridge 123	Another White Horse	Honey Street Bridge no.124	Stanton Bridge no.125

England's Bridge no.126	All Cannings Bridge no.127	All Cannings Bridge 127	Woodway Bridge 128	Woodway Bridge 128	Allington swing bridge 129
Allington Bridge 130	Horton Fields swingbridge 131	Horton Chain Bridge 132	Bishops Canning swing bridge 133	Horton Bridge 134	Ladywood Bridge 135
Marina and White Horse	Coate Bridge 136	Brickham Bridge 137	London Road Bridge 138	Park Bridge 139	Cemetery Road Bridge 140
Cemetery Road Bridge	Kennet Lock 50	Devizes Town Bridge	Maton Lock 49	Trust Lock 48	Manifold Lock 47

The last time a lock was encountered was back before Pewsey at Wooton Rivers Bottom Lock 51 - from there to Devizes the Kennet and Avon Canal happily wanders around the countryside as it follows the contours - but at Devizes things change with a vengeance as the canal heads off towards Bradford on Avon. Almost straight away from leaving the centre of Devizes boat and barge owners can get themselves warmed up as there are several locks before the main event at the highly impressive Caen Hill Flight of locks. Please take a look at the second part of our our Kennet and Avon Canal topic which shows the navigation as it leaves Devizes and continues on westwards through truly beautiful countryside to it's end (or beginning) at Bristol.

River navigations were around much earlier than canals are quite interesting to wander along - two others which we have topics on are the Stort Navigation and the Lee Navigation both of which are located in Southern England.
Our website contains many topics about England - there are an extensive set of English Walks, photos of our local churches from various counties plus Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire, 100s of British Wild Flower photos and lots about our canals - including the Grand Union Canal and the Oxford Canal. Please visit our Home Page to see a full list of our topics.

We have picked out a few Books about England - Churches, Canals and Rivers as well as walks in England and English Nature. The Nicholsons Waterways Guides are a "must take" for anyone going on a Canal Barge or Narrowboat holiday (as well as anyone visiting the canals) as they are packed with really useful information. If the development and history of our Canals is of particular interest consider the Anatomy of Canals series - really good reading!. (The relevant Nicholoson Guide covering The Kennet and Avon Canal is BOOK 7.)