Some of you might recall my Monday Walk alongside this canal last year. It was glorious day’s hike from Bradford-on-Avon to Bath, and it helped make my mind up that Bradford was where I want to live long term. The plans to make that a reality are now slowly coming to fruition. I’ll tell you more about those plans another day.

As today I hoping to walk this walk the other way, and thought it might be lovely to share with you a watery reconstruction for Squares, for Jez’s “I am a fan of“!

The Kennet and Avon Canal is 87 miles in length, connecting the River Thames in Reading to the River Severn in Bristol. Only 57 miles of it are actual canal, the remaining 30 miles, consisting of the sections from Bath to Bristol and from Newbury to Reading, are navigable rivers.

Following a parliamentary act of law in the 1700’s work began on the canal section in early 1790s and it opened in 1810. For the first 30 years trade was burgeoning (sorry I know I should probably say flourishing but we are in the middle of squares!) but then in 1847 Great Western Railway opened their railway line.

Five years later this transport competitor had charge of the canal, and unsurprisingly didn’t make a huge effort to either maintain the canal or promote it as an alternative to their own railway. Within a decade profits had declined significantly, and within less than 20 years wharfs were closing and locks were becoming inoperable. There was an attempt in the mid 1920s to close the canal but the government rejected the application and the railway was charged with improving their maintenance of the canal. Transport though continued to decline and by the 1950s parts of the canal were no longer navigable. And actually today a section east of here is blocked again as a boat sunk over the weekend!

Dundas Aqueduct is a Scheduled Ancient Monument!

Fortunately however for all of us there is a Trust clearing today’s issue and there were also a lot of canal fans out throughout the 1950s and 60s who ran campaigns to restore the canal were fought in parliament. Eventually those campaigns were successful and restoration began in the mid 1970s, however it wasn’t until 1990 that the whole length of it was fully restored. The canal was formally re-opened that year by Queen Elizabeth II, and I travelled on it three years later with friends. We didn’t sink our boat, and I even managed to steer it round the sharp turn to get onto this aqueduct!

106 thoughts

  1. Pingback: May Squares #13 Beacon of Hope | The Eternal Traveller
  3. Pingback: May Squares: #13 Moving up | WordsVisual
  5. Pingback: Squares – Mushrooming | ladysighs

  6. It looks lovely along that stretch of canal. I quite like a stroll along a canal towpath. There’s only one in Cornwall though and that’s up by Bude. Did you go on it during your recent visit?

    Liked by 1 person

  7. I’m a fan of all canals, but yes, this one’s a keeper. I remember some years ago, walking a section with endless locks guided by my co-in-laws (d-i-l’s parents, arriving here today – hooray!). It’s so full of industrial history, as all canals are.

    Liked by 1 person

  9. Pingback: Jo’s Monday walk : First steps in Ronda | Still Restlessjo

  10. Such a lovely peaceful part of the world, Becky, though I imagine it can get a bit jostley on the water in high summer. Fun to watch though, and I adore walking along canals. Have a lovely day!

    I haven’t made a serious effort at squaring since I got back, but I have snuck you in one in today’s walk. More to follow. Happy squaring and happy walking!

    Liked by 1 person

  11. Pingback: A Cherry Tree: First the Blossom, Then the Fruit – From Pyrenees to Pennines
  12. Pingback: SquaresRenew 13: Beacon of Hope – The Glasgow Gallivanter

    1. There is something very satisfying about them isn’t there – I do like ones though where I can create a circular stroll so I don’t have to walk back the same way!

      Liked by 2 people

  15. I really want to do a canal boat trip one of these years when we get to England. I have been so fascinated with them so thanks for sharing the pictures and the history.

    Liked by 1 person

  16. Pingback: Moving Forward: Day 13 – Cornwall in Colours
  18. Pingback: Burgeoning Squares – Day 13 – CLARE'S COSMOS
  19. Pingback: Spring keeps moving forward | Kamerapromenader

Comments are closed.