The Kennet and Avon Canal

Bath

Canoe and bike rentals at The Lock Inn at Bradford on Avon. 48 Frome Road. T: 01225 868068.

The Kennet and Avon Canal is very nice to kayak on. Especially between Bath and Bradford on Avon is very beautiful. It is difficult to pass Widcombe Locks towards the River Avon. 

The Kennet and Avon Canal near Bath.

History

Because the sea-route from Bristol to Londen was very dangerous because of weather conditions on the Atlantic and conflicts with the French, it was decided an inland waterway had to be made. Between 1794 and 1810 the canal was built between the River Avon at Bath and the River Kennet at Newbury. The River Avon was made navigatable from Bristol to Bath and the River Kennet was made navigatable from the Thames at Reading to Newbury. Around 1950 the canal had to be closed because of lack of maintenance on the locks. After years of restoration, the canal was re-opened in 1990. Highlight of the canal is Caen Hill, where a series of 29 locks (16 of them form a staircase) had to be made. It takes a boat 5 to 6 hours to pass them raising the canal 72 meters over a length of 3 km. In 1990 a pumping station was built to recycle the water to the top of the locks. At Crofton, Marlborough, Wiltshire, there is a still working steam operated pumping station. It was built in 1807 to pump water to the summit of the canal, and is still operational to-day (besides a modern electrical pumping station). To-day the canal has a touristic function. There are many narrow-boats, fortunately most of them are moored. The towpath is suitable for bike-rides. Also many people like to walk along the canal. From the city center of Bath you can leave town without any trouble of traffic noise by following the canal. 

Starting Points: 

Distances: 

Starting point at Semington is where once the Wilts and Berks Canal connected to the Kennet and Avon Canal. The canal is now derelict, but there are plans to restore the canal towards Abington on Thames. From here you can paddle to Bradford. This stretch of canal is rural and rather quiet.

From Bradford-on Avon on there are more boats on the canal, and there is a lot more activity of walkers and bikers on the towpath. There are more trees along the canal. The  The Lock Inn is a nice place for breakfast, lunch or evening meal along the canal. It's also possible to rent an canoe or bike here. After a few kilometers you go across  Avoncliff Aqueduct, and after 6.7 you come at Dundas Aqueduct. Here you can turn left to enter the branch of the former Someretshire Coal Canal entering Dundas Wharf. This canal was in use between 1805 and 1898 for transportation of coal towards bath and Bristol. To-day only the last half kilometer remains. The lock is usually open.

From Bath to Dundas Wharf and back really is nice for a day-trip. The scenery is very beautiful. If you go to the side you can have nice views over the valley and the River Avon. Usually there are many people walking and bicycling on the towpath. Especially near Bath  many narrowboats are moored along the canal. 

It takes some efford to pass Widcombe Locks towards the River Avon. I places the wheels under the back end of my kayak and walked passed the locks. At Pulteny Rd. there is a narrow staircase to a tunnel under the busy road. It is not possible to take the kayak there, so you have to cross the road. Fortunately there always is a polite driver who stops to enable you to cross the road. At the river, there are stone stairs to  asmall platform. This platform still is rather high, and there's nothing to hold on. So the best thing to do is walk to the right along the river. After the bridge there is a slipway made for emergencies. A sign says "Keep clear for emegency access to river". Here you can sneak trough. You can paddle a short distance upstream towards the city center of Bath. Downstream you pass some old warehouses before you leave the city. The river is rather wide, and usually there is very little current. 

Some links:  

Caen Hill: staircase of 16 locks form a part of a series of 29 locks.

Bradford-on-Avon: The Lock Inn

Dundas Aqueduct

Dundas Wharf

Bath

Widcombe Locks, a series of 6 locks before the canal ends in the River Avon.

The second last lock before entering the river Avon: Deep Lock.

This is where the Kennet and Avon Canal ends at the River Avon.

The end of navigation upstream on the River Avon in the centre of Bath.

Railroad bridge across the River Avon.

River Avon.

In the UK you have to have permission by the owner of the waterway before you can take your kayak into the water. British Waterways owns about 2000 miles of canals and other waterways in the UK. For access to the waterways owned by BW you need a licence and a third party liability insurance. To obtain permission to access the canals you best become a member of the British Canoe Union. Membership costs £32,75 a year (2009) for adult recreational paddlers and includes permission to the waterways of British Waterways, the neccessary insurance and the bi-monthly magazine Canoefocus. For cycling on the towpaths you need a permit. You can obtain this for free at http://www.waterscape.com/things-to-do/cycling.

Recommended literature: Nicholson Guide to the Waterways (part 7): "River Thames & the Southern Waterways".