Bath and the breathtaking Caen Locks
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Cruise this route from : Hilperton
Route Type : City
Days : 4.00
Cruising Hours : 18.00
Number of Locks : 16
Cruising Notes
Day 1If you have all your provisions you can begin your journey. If not if you walk back along the towpath
to Hilperton Road bridge 166, there is a convenient stores here.
Just an hour from Hilperton you reach the medieval town of Bradford on Avon . Here you will come across your first lock. With good moorings below the lock (and a choice of canalside hostelries) you can walk up to the lock and watch a few boats go through to gain confidence before you go through yourself. Being a wide beam canal, the locks take two narrowboats, so you can share the experience, and effort, with another boat.
It is 1 hours cruising from Hilperton to here so an ideal place for your 1st night.
Bradford on Avon to the North of the canal, is a lovely town, one of the beauty spots of Wiltshire, and one of the highlights of the Canal. It is a miniature Bath, rich with architectural treasures from the Saxon period to the 19th Century. Bradford upper Wharf is very attractive, with a small dock with some of its original buildings still standing, and an old canal pub by the lock. The town centre is very compact, you can walk down the hill from the Canal wharf. There is also a swimming pool near the canal. The Great Tithe barn stands below the canal embankment and is one of the finest in the UK, dating from the 14th century with a massive cathedral like structure. The splendid 9 arch Town Bridge is very unusual as it has a chapel in the middle, dating from medieval times, but used during the 17th & 18th centuries as the town prison.
Westwood manor lies 1 mile south west of Bradford on Avon, a 15th C stone manor house open through the National Trust.
Day 2
The River Avon rushes along beside the canal, Avoncliff is a nice place to stop with its tearoom and pub overlooking the river. Further along, if you moor at Limpley Stoke Bridge, walk down the the Railway bridge & turn left you will find a lovely 400 year old Pub called the Hop Pole, which was originally a monks wine lodge.
After crossing Dundas Aqueduct you will see a restored ¼ mile section of the old Somerset Coal Canal, the canal collected coal from 30 collieries throughout the 19th C.
The Dundas Aqueduct was built in 1804 and is one of the most well known features of the canal.
It is best viewed from the valley below to appreciate its full beauty and architecture.
West of Claverton Road bridge is the American Museum in Britain, housed in a manor built in 1820. The museum houses American decorative arts from the late 17C to the mid 19C.
Claverton Pumping station to the east of the canal has a waterwheel pump which is the only one of its kind on British canals. The pumping station is run by volunteers and is open every weekend during the season.
Bathampton & Bathwick are on the outskirts of Bath, turnaround just after the Cleveland House Tunnel, or if you boat is under 50 foot long, you can turn a bit further along after Sydney Wharf Bridge 188.
Mooring here puts you in line with the rooftops of the city and an enjoyable walk away from the city centre.
Cruising into Bath is like gliding into Regency Britain.
(Cruising time 3.5 hours)
Day 3
Cruise back past Hilperton Marina .
The canal sweeps through undulating woodland and arable farmland past the rural village of Semington through a series of swing bridges which are something of a hallmark of this section of canal.
There are 2 locks at Semington and a swing bridge, it is a very pretty village & best access is just before the lock.
As well as the many swing bridges around Seend there are 5 locks to navigate, luckily there are plentiful moorings at the ever-popular Seend Cleeve and close by pubs and quiet countryside to please the eye and fill the stomach. There is the Brewery Inn 200 yds south of Lock 19 and the Barge Inn by Lock 19. The Three magpies pub in Seend Cleeve has good quality food, nice beer garden and good ales- it is 200 yds south of Sells green bridge.
The hills to the south climb steeply up to the village of Seend and to the north flat pasture land stretches away.
Moor by Sells Green bridge 149 for the night as the Three Magpies pub is quite handy, just walk up the lane to your left by the bridge.
It is 8.5 hours cruising to here
Day 4
Cruise the mile or so to Lower Foxhangers Bridge and then you reach the beginning of the Foxhangers Locks, so rather than go through them all to get to the bottom of the Caen Locks, just walk the 1/2 mile up the towpath.
You can then get photos of the boats making their way up this fantastic flight of locks, which is a marvellous feat of engineering.
Its about 5.5 hours back to the marina, so take yor time. You could even walk up the Caen Locks because at the top is a lovely cafe, so you can treat yourelf to a cream tea!!
This route is provided courtesy of UK Canal Boating
The information above is provided in good faith to assist you with planning your canal boat holiday. Information accuracy cannot be guaranteed.
