Kennet & Avon canal

[Cathryn]

I wondered if anyone had ever cycled along the K&A from roughly Pewsey to Bath? I quite fancy but have no idea what the tow-path is like heading west beyond Devizes.

 

[itboffin]

I wondered if anyone had ever cycled along the K&A from roughly Pewsey to Bath? I quite fancy but have no idea what the tow-path is like heading west beyond Devizes.

Yep and the other way towards Reading which is more difficult IMO due to the mud grass and very narrow wide in places, the East / West from Pewsey has nice sections of actual gravel pathway in places. MTB and lots of spare inner tubes would be my recommendation.

https://www.sustrans.org.uk/find-a-route-on-the-national-cycle-network/kennet-and-avon-cycle-route/

 

[itboffin]

Also the canal path is visible on streetview

vs the best of the path heading East the worst being rutted deep narrow mud

 

[Windhover]

I wondered if anyone had ever cycled along the K&A from roughly Pewsey to Bath? I quite fancy but have no idea what the tow-path is like heading west beyond Devizes.

I cycled this in

Yep and the other way towards Reading which is more difficult IMO due to the mud grass and very narrow wide in places, the East / West from Pewsey has nice sections of actual gravel pathway in places. MTB and lots of spare inner tubes would be my recommendation.

I cycled Reading to Bath along the canal in 2013. I cycled Pewsey to Bradford on Avon in one day. spent the night in Bradford on Avon and the next day cycled Bradford on Avon to Bath and then on to Bristol via the cycle path.
The towpath between Devizes and Bath was fine but between Pewsey and Devises I cycled the minor road 1/2 mile to the north of the canal through Wilcot, Alton Barnes, Allington and Horton. I think I was following an internet blog which recommended which sections of the towpath were rideable.
I was riding a Trek mountain bike. It was easy going and a delightful ride. It was the first week in July. Weather was good and the bankside vegetation was not a problem. There was no mud.
I have also cycled the Gloucester to Bristol canal, the Leeds Liverpool canal, London to Birmingham on the Grand Union Canal, Elesmere Port to Birmingham on the Shropshire Union Canal on both road bikes and mountain bikes. In each case the towpaths were navigable. Near towns they were gravelled or tarmac. Further away they were earth and grass. The Canal Trust cut the grass well and mud is not a problem. Yes there are muddy patches, usually in cuttings. Bankside vegetation grows in from the canal on one side and the fence/hedge on the other. Brambles and nettles can scratch and low hanging branches have to be watched out for. Shorts are not recommended but a helmet is. Sometimes you are reduced to a track width of only a matter on inches. You have to watch for bank slippages into the canal so keep your balance. But don't be put off. It is easy, level cycling. 7mph is the recommended speed. Canalside facilities are available for which a key can be purchased from the Canal Trust.
Enjoy,
Steven

 

[itboffin]

Yeah sustrans route 4 takes a detour along that section which passes through my village and for good reason because i think that section of canal path is dangerous difficult with a very high chance of ending up in the canal and or pulling handfuls of black thorns out of your tyres in the process, I rode my road bikes along one section a few years back as i needed to get to Wootton Rivers in a hurry half way along the front wheel picked up a sprig of black thorns which embedded multiple in the front wheel which even more amazingly held until i got where i needed to be.

 

[Cathryn]

Thank you both so much! Really useful info! @itboffin you and I must live very close!

 

[itboffin]

Thank you both so much! Really useful info! @itboffin you and I must live very close!

NP i do I live in Burbage and ride over around and pass the canal everyday for the last almost 14 years, i'm pretty sure I could ride these roads blindfold now, today I looped out to Pewsey up milk hill (highest point in the SW England) though Marlborough high street (super busy) and across to Ramsbury, Hungerford and then back home via Bedwyn following the canal, its such a shame that everything is shut right now I would have loved a coffee break at Crofton beam engines on the canal https://www.croftonbeamengines.org/

I'm also a member of Pewsey Velo cycling club https://www.pewseyvelo.cc/

 

[Mark Grant]

We Cycled Bristol to Reading about the end of August this year.
Day one was bristol to Devises, first along the old railway then picked up the canal at Bath.
The stretch to Devises was good, but Devises to Reading was a lot narrower and muddy (it had been raining) some of the cycle way was only a few inches wide. We were cycling in a rut a couple of inches deep. My wife came off a couple of times.

 

[Drago]

Has anyone noticed of late how proprietorial canal dwellers are about the towpath and dont like us cycling on it, even though the Canal and River trust freely permit it? One chap recently on the Grand Union was very adamant that I would not pass until I offered him an improptu swimming lesson if he didn't get out of my way. I don't know if it's the virus creeping them out or not, but it never used to be this bad.

 

[Salar]

Has anyone noticed of late how proprietorial canal dwellers are about the towpath and dont like us cycling on it, even though the Canal and River trust freely permit it? One chap recently on the Grand Union was very adamant that I would not pass until I offered him an improptu swimming lesson if he didn't get out of my way. I don't know if it's the virus creeping them out or not, but it never used to be this bad.

I spent a week just outside of Pewsey four years ago. I'd proposed to fish the stretch around Milkhouse Water Bridge, not far from Pewsey.

The towpath was in a terrible state with rubbish, fires and stuff littered everywhere. Some of the canal dwellers were high as a kite on wacky baccy.

The local angling club had complained for a long time. I wrote a strong email to the Canal & Rivers Trust, but got no reply.
I hope it's in a better condition now.

 

[LJR69]

Has anyone noticed of late how proprietorial canal dwellers are about the towpath and dont like us cycling on it, even though the Canal and River trust freely permit it? One chap recently on the Grand Union was very adamant that I would not pass until I offered him an improptu swimming lesson if he didn't get out of my way. I don't know if it's the virus creeping them out or not, but it never used to be this bad.

Over the last 6 months I have cycled a stretch of the Kennet and Avon canal frequently and, touch wood, to date haven't had anything but pleasant experiences with the canal dwellers, walkers and runners. Might have just been very lucky, or perhaps the part I tend to cycle (between Theale and Hungerford) is full of friendly people

 

[Salar]

I think most stretches are ok. But the stretch I was near was rough.

 

[Cathryn]

We Cycled Bristol to Reading about the end of August this year.
Day one was bristol to Devises, first along the old railway then picked up the canal at Bath.
The stretch to Devises was good, but Devises to Reading was a lot narrower and muddy (it had been raining) some of the cycle way was only a few inches wide. We were cycling in a rut a couple of inches deep. My wife came off a couple of times.

Thanks...so we should be okay after Devizes!