Guides: Pearson’s P8, Nicholson’s N7, Lockmaster L20 or Geo G1
From Hilperton 1 week, 7 hours per day, 120 locks
Beyond Pewsey and through further lush Wiltshire countryside, the highest point of the Kennet & Avon is marked by the 502 yard Bruce Tunnel.
The canal then follows close alongside the Great Western main railway line through the Bedwyns - Great & Little - and down to Hungerford. Pass by Savernake Forest, an ancient woodland mentioned in the Doomsday book.
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Guides: Pearson’s P8, Nicholson’s N7, Lockmaster L20 or Geo G1
From Hilperton 10/11 nights, 5.5 hours per day, 140 locks
Beyond Hungerford the canal shares the valley with both the railway and the River Kennet, beginning to use the river course as the navigation.
The Kennet & Avon Canal is so central to Newbury that the main shopping street passes directly over it.
Guides: Pearson’s P8, Nicholson’s N7, Lockmaster L20 or Geo G1
From Hilperton 2 weeks, 6 hours per day, 186 locks
Considered some of the very best countryside in the UK canal system, this route takes you through a number and variety of towns and villages to Reading.
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Guides: Pearson’s P8, Nicholson’s N7, Lockmaster L20 or Geo G1
From Hilperton 7 nights, 4 hours per day, 28 locks
Museums and waterside features reflect the city's former importance as a sea port.
Visitor moorings are available right in the centre of the city in the floating harbour (mooring charges apply)
Frequent reminders of the route's industrial history such as the Brass Mill at Kelston are found within rolling valley countryside.
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Guides: The Geo Thames Ring Atlas (29) covers the entire route, or Nicholson’s Guides 1 & 7
From Gayton 14/21 nights, 6-9 hours per day, 175 locks
This is a comfortable one week cruise to Stourport and back, along what is almost certainly one of England’s prettiest waterways. Throughout its length, this historic canal follows the local land contours as it winds its way south towards its junction with the River Severn at the unique inland port of Stourport. Along the way you pass the entrance to the Shropshire Union Canal, which heads northwards through Shropshire towards the Cheshire Plains.
As you continue south you soon reach Bratch Locks, which is a distinctive and unusual flight of three locks, together with an octagonal toll office. From here the canal adopts an even more rural aspect: secluded woodlands with rocky cliffs of red sandstone, give way to an area of quiet water meadows as you approach the outskirts of the carpet-manufacturing town of Kidderminster.
This ultimate ring takes two weeks to complete, or includes plenty to see and do over a three week cruise.
An extra licence required when joining the Thames at either Oxford or London. (Please talk to your marina about this at the start of your holiday.)
The river cruising on the Thames is superb, with all locks manned during the daytime.
Visit places such as Hampton Court Palace www.hrp.org.uk, Windsor, Eton and Henley. Three weeks gives time to explore The Paddington Arm which goes right up to Venice and Camden Market as well as London Zoo. www.zsl.org/london-zoo
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Suggested routes and timings are approximate and will be affected by available cruising hours, weather conditions and amount of traffic on the waterway.
More detailed advice will be given when the boat is collected.
When planning any river cruising within your route, do bear in mind that in some weather conditions river navigation may be restricted, so it is worth having an alternative plan.