Читать книгу The Kennet and Avon Canal - Steve Davison - Страница 10

INTRODUCTION

At the height of ‘canal mania’ in the early 1800s, the Kennet and Avon Canal, which stretches across southern England from Reading to Bristol, formed a super-highway for the transportation of goods ranging from coal and timber to grain and stone, contributing to the late Georgian and early Victorian growth of the south. However, the widespread use of the canal lasted only a few decades before the arrival of Isambard Kingdom Brunel’s much faster Great Western Railway.

The loss of business caused by the railways brought about a gradual decline of the canal system and by the 1950s the Kennet and Avon was in a very poor state. However, plans to abandon the canal were brushed aside by public support and an army of volunteers set about the gradual restoration of the canal, culminating in its reopening by Queen Elizabeth II in 1990.

Now this wonderful canal, which celebrated its bicentenary in 2010, forms a multi-faceted jewel for boaters, walkers and wildlife, as it weaves its way through a patchwork of countryside from the rolling chalk contours of the North Wessex Downs to the southern edge of the Cotswolds, passing vibrant towns and cities as well as picture-postcard villages with thatched cottages, ancient churches and cosy pubs.

The thatched Royal Oak pub at Wootton Rivers (Stage 3, Walk 9)

Walking along the canal also takes you on a journey of discovery past impressive historical features including the world-famous Crofton Pumping Station and Beam Engines, the stunning Caen Hill flight of locks at Devizes, the ornate aqueducts at Avoncliff and Dundas, and the Georgian splendour of Bath.

But, most importantly in today’s busy world, the canal offers an abundance of peace and tranquillity, a slower pace of life, where you are surrounded by a wide range of wildlife. As you walk, you are accompanied by the sounds of birdsong, the wind rustling through the trees, or a narrowboat chugging by, gently rippling the tranquil waters.

Whether you opt for walking the full length of the canal from Reading to Bristol’s vibrant Floating Harbour (152.1km/94½ miles) in total) or go for the 20 circular walks that take in the best sections of the canal while visiting interesting places nearby, this guidebook takes you on a fascinating journey across southern England, following one of England’s best-loved canals.

To learn more about the volunteers who helped save this magical canal, visit the website of the Kennet & Avon Canal Trust (www.katrust.org.uk); to learn more about the work of the Canal & River Trust, who look after the waterways of England and Wales, visit their website (www.canalrivertrust.org.uk).

The canal passes the former Simonds’ Brewery site in Reading (Stage 1)

Brief history of the canal

The Kennet and Avon Canal, which celebrated its bicentenary in 2010, was formed in the 19th century when two waterways – the Kennet Navigation and the Avon Navigation – were joined by the construction of a 91.5km (57 mile) canal between Newbury and Bath.

The 31.3km (19½ mile) Kennet Navigation, which ran from the River Thames at Reading to Newbury, opened in 1723. Designed by the Newbury engineer John Hore (1690–1762), the Kennet Navigation comprised sections of natural river and 18.5km (11½ miles) of new cut canal with 20 turf-sided locks, two of which survive today: Garston Lock and Monkey Marsh Lock.

Widcombe Lock (7) at the former Thimble Mill, Bath (Stage 6, Walk 19)

The Avon Navigation, between Bath and Bristol, was opened in 1727 and incorporated six locks along the 18km (11 mile) section from Bath to Hanham (Hanham Lock is lock 1 of the Kennet and Avon Canal); downstream of Hanham the River Avon is tidal. Ralph Allen, previously postmaster of Bath, was one of the men instrumental in the opening of the Avon Navigation – he had bought stone mines at Combe Down and Bathampton and it was much easier to transport stone by barge than packhorse. As with the Kennet Navigation, the chief engineer was John Hore.

By 1770, people were starting to put forward the idea of building a canal that would link the River Kennet and the River Avon. Originally a route from Hungerford via Ramsbury and Marlborough was proposed. However, because of growing fears about the availability of a good supply of water, a more southerly route was proposed in 1793, passing through Great Bedwyn and the Vale of Pewsey, with an extension canal to Marlborough. The drawback with this route was the need for a 4km (2½ mile) summit tunnel between Crofton and Burbage.

Plans for the extension to Marlborough were shelved and in 1794 the proposal received Royal Assent, with John Rennie being appointed chief engineer. A further survey recommended altering the route yet again, this time raising the summit by 12m in order to reduce the length of the tunnel – known as the Bruce Tunnel – to 459 metres. This would substantially decrease the cost and time required to construct the canal, even though more locks and a steam-driven pump would be required to raise water to the new canal summit.

Finally, in October 1794, work started on the canal. The section from Newbury to Kintbury opened in 1797, followed by Hungerford in 1798 and Great Bedwyn in 1799. The section west of Great Bedwyn, including the Caen Hill Locks, took a further 10 years to build. In 1810, the Kennet and Avon Canal was finally opened, giving a direct trade route between London and Bristol.

A narrowboat negotiates Brimslade Lock (53), between Wootton Rivers and Burbage (Stage 3, Walk 9)

For 40 years the canal prospered, transporting a range of goods to and from wharves built along the canal, but the passing of the Great Western Railway Act in 1835 led to the building of Isambard Kingdom Brunel’s railway, which offered a faster and more efficient transport route between London and Bristol. In 1852, the Great Western Railway Company succeeded in buying the Kennet and Avon Canal, although on the proviso that it was kept open as a canal. However, they made little attempt to maintain the route over the next 100 years, leading to its gradual decline; they even offered traders preferential tolls to use the railway instead.

During World War II, with the threat of a German invasion, a series of General Headquarters Anti-Tank Lines (or GHQ Stop Lines) were devised. These utilised existing natural obstacles such as rivers and also man-made ones, including canals and railway embankments, supplemented by a vast number of pillboxes, anti-tank ditches and other obstacles. The primary purpose of these defences was to delay any invasion forces, although fortunately they were never used in combat. One of these lines, GHQ Stop Line Blue, utilised the near-derelict Kennet and Avon Canal and along the length of the canal there are many former pillboxes.

By 1955, the canal was in very poor condition, but plans to abandon it completely were thwarted by public opposition. The Kennet & Avon Canal Trust purchased Crofton Pumping Station and Beam Engines from British Waterways in 1968, with the objective of restoring them to full working order, and two years later the steam engines were working again. Although electric pumps have been installed to pump water into the canal, these magnificent steam-driven beam engines are still used on several occasions throughout the year. The 1812 Boulton and Watt is the oldest working beam engine in the world.

The full length of the canal, restored and cared for by the Kennet & Avon Canal Trust, was formally reopened by Queen Elizabeth II in 1990. Nowadays the canal forms a popular heritage tourism destination for boating, walking and cycling as well as being an important feature for wildlife conservation. A selection of books that provide interesting further reading on the Kennet and Avon Canal are given in Appendix E.

Looking east, shortly after Crofton Pumping Station (Stage 3)

Geology

The landscape through which the Kennet and Avon Canal travels tells the story of the seas that once covered southern England and the sediments that were laid down at that time. Due to movements within the earth’s crust some 50 million years ago that gave rise to the Alps, these layers of sedimentary rocks, which lie with the older deposits at the bottom and the more recent ones at the top, now gently slope down to the south-east. This, combined with subsequent erosion, has allowed the older layers to be revealed in the west.

Throughout the eastern section of the canal, from Reading through the North Wessex Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) to Devizes, the predominant feature is a thick layer of Upper Cretaceous chalk (99–65 million years ago), composed of incredible numbers of tiny fossil skeletons of algae, called coccoliths. Associated with the upper (white) layer of chalk are horizontal bands of irregular silica concretions, known as flints; these also occur in profusion in the jumbled deposits of weathered chalk, known as ‘clay-with-flints’. When struck, flint breaks with a shell-shaped fracture, leaving very sharp edges, and our Stone Age ancestors used flints to make arrowheads and hand axes. Being a very hard-wearing rock, flint has also been widely used as a building material.

Within the sandy beds that overlay the chalk, a natural process of patchy and irregular hardening produced blocks of tough sandstone, known as sarsens, that are more resistant to erosion. Sarsens can be seen on some of the walks to the west of Hungerford and above the Vale of Pewsey (especially Walk 12).

Underlying the porous chalk is a layer of greensand and impervious Gault clay, laid down during the latter part of the Lower Cretaceous period (140–99 million years ago). This layer of clay gives rise to a spring-line where water that has seeped through the chalk is forced to the surface to form springs, which become chalk rivers such as the River Kennet.

The River Kennet near Hamstead Lock (81) (Walk 5)

Further west in the southern reaches of the Cotswold Hills AONB, older layers of rock lie below the Gault clay. These layers include oolitic limestone (a buff-coloured rock that has been widely used as a building material throughout the Cotswolds), laid down during the Jurassic period (200–140 million years ago). Oolitic limestone is made up of ooids (small spherical grains composed of concentric layers) that form in shallow, warm sub-tropical seas where calcium carbonate is deposited from sea water due to evaporation. The tiny grains gradually grow in size as they are rolled around by wave action.

The area around Bath is home to a fine-grained oolitic limestone known locally as Bath stone. This was used extensively in the construction of many buildings in Bath as well as the Dundas and Avoncliff Aqueducts along the canal. Bath stone was first worked by the Romans and is still mined at Stoke Hill Mine, Limpley Stoke (Walk 17). Other areas where Bath stone was quarried include Monkton Farleigh and around Brown’s Folly (itself made of Bath stone), where there are a number of interesting rock outcrops (Walk 18).

Travelling further west to Bristol sees the appearance of the oldest rocks along the route, namely red sandstone from the Triassic period (250–200 million years ago). This fine-grained rock was mined in the Redcliffe area of Bristol between the 15th and 18th centuries for use in the glass industry. Pennant sandstone from the Upper Carboniferous (310–300 million years ago) has also been mined around Hanham and Troopers Hill.

Throughout the last 2.6 million years (the Quaternary period), Britain has been subject to periods of glaciation separated by warmer interglacial periods (the last glacial period ended about 12,000 years ago). There is no evidence to suggest that southern England was ever covered in ice, but the area did suffer periglacial conditions. In the chalk downs, this allowed the formation of dry valleys, which were eroded by water flowing over the surface during cold periods when the underlying ground was frozen, making the normally porous rock impermeable. During this geological period, rivers formed large gravel deposits, especially along the Kennet Valley, and these gave rise to the development of gravel extraction works. Many former gravel pits have been flooded to form wetland habitats and the canal passes a number of these between Reading and Newbury.

Looking west across the Avon Valley towards Monkton Combe (Stage 6, Walk 17)

Plants and wildlife

Following the canal takes you on a journey through a patchwork landscape with areas of open grassland, broadleaved woodland and farmland.

Throughout the walks you should have plenty of opportunities for catching glimpses of local wildlife, from foxes to roe and fallow deer, or perhaps a badger as dusk approaches. Some of the walks cross areas of open chalk grasslands which support a wide range of butterflies, plants (including gentians and orchids) and birds such as the skylark and yellowhammer. You might see a buzzard or red kite soaring high above, silhouetted against the sky; the buzzard has a rounded tail whereas the red kite has a forked tail.

Alongside the canal and rivers, during the summer months, there are dragonflies, damselflies and butterflies as well as the ever-present ducks, coots, moorhens and mute swans. You may see great crested grebes, a grey heron patiently watching the water, waiting to catch a passing fish, or summer-visiting reed and sedge warblers, or spot the vivid turquoise-blue-and-orange flash of a kingfisher as it darts along the river. Maybe you will see the endangered water vole or, for the lucky few, an otter.

Waterside plants include the bright flowers of the yellow flag iris and stands of 1.5m-high common reed, which sometimes hide the canal from view. In the area around Bath, look out for the tall yellowish spikes of the nationally scarce Bath asparagus, also known as the spiked star of Bethlehem.

Clockwise from top left: damselfly; yellow flag iris; grey heron; common centaury; and mute swan (centre)

Where to stay

There is a wide range of accommodation, ranging from youth hostels and campsites to guesthouses, pubs with rooms, and hotels. The itinerary planner in Appendix B provides an overview of the different kinds of accommodation available at places near to the canal. Appendix C lists accommodation near to the route, including phone numbers and websites. To find out more about accommodation, visit the tourist information websites listed in Appendix D.

Getting to and around the canal

A number of main roads cross the canal at various points, joining with either the A4 or the M4 (both of which take an east–west route between London, Reading and Bristol). If travelling by car to any of the walks or canal stages, always remember to park considerately and never block access routes.

Railway stations that can be used to give access to the canal include: Reading, Theale, Aldermaston Wharf (Aldermaston station), Woolhampton (Midgham station), Thatcham, Newbury, Kintbury, Hungerford, Great Bedwyn, Pewsey, Melksham (off route), Trowbridge (off route), Bradford-on-Avon, Avoncliff, Freshford (off route), Bath, Keynsham and Bristol (Temple Meads). Where a specific walk or stage may be accessed by train, the nearest railway stations are given in the corresponding information box. Some walks and stages may also be accessed using buses – brief details are provided in each information box. For the latest information relating to public transport, use the contact details in Appendix D.

Bradford-on-Avon is one of the railway stations that can be used to access the canal (Stages 5 and 6, Walk 16)

Food and drink

Some of the canal stages and walks start at places where food and drink may be bought, whether it’s a shop, café or pub; some offer opportunities for stopping off en route at a pub or shop, although these are not always conveniently placed along the route. Brief details of refreshment opportunities are given in the information box at the start of each route, but bear in mind that there is no guarantee they’ll be open when required. Therefore it’s always a good idea to carry some food and drink with you, along with a small ‘emergency ration’ in case of an unexpected delay.

The Cunning Man pub at Burghfield Bridge sits beside the canal (Stage 1)

Walking the canal

This guide is in two parts: the first part covers the route along the entire length of the canal, while the second part describes 20 circular walks spaced along the length of the canal.

Walking the canal from Reading to Bristol

This section of the guide describes the route along the length of the canal. It has been split into seven stages ranging from 15.7 to 28.6km (9¾ to 17¾ miles), following the canal west from Reading to Bristol (see Appendix A for a stage summary table). Each stage may be further split into two convenient parts where there is parking and, in most cases, transport available. Suggestions for splitting the stages are given in the information box at the beginning of each stage.

For your own enjoyment and convenience, plan your walk carefully in advance. The stages are not intended to be individual day sections, but the start and end points coincide with places that offer parking and transport links locally and, within a reasonable distance, accommodation facilities (see Appendix B for an itinerary planner). The stages are provided to help walkers decide how far they would like to go each day, whether that means undertaking just part of a stage or combining multiple stages. It is entirely up to you how far you want to walk each day.

When following the stage descriptions, bear in mind that the locks decrease in number when travelling westwards from Blake’s Lock (107) at Reading to Hanham Lock (1), whereas the bridges increase in number.

Circular walks

The 20 individual circular walks in this guide range from 6.8 to 15km (4¼ to 9¼ miles) and cover fairly low-level terrain (less than 286m above sea level). Although some walks have several climbs and descents, some of which are steep, they should be suitable for most walkers. The routes generally follow well-defined tracks and paths, although some paths may be narrow and at times indistinct. The walk summary table in Appendix A provides the key statistics for all 20 walks.

Planning for the weather

When planning your walk, bear in mind the weather. Summers tend to be fairly dry and mild. Spring and autumn offer some of the best walking conditions: spring and early summer herald new life along the canal, with colourful displays of flowers, abundant birdsong and many butterflies, while cool autumn nights clothe the countryside in shades of russet, gold and brown. During the winter months, spells of rain can make some paths quite muddy and some routes may be impassable when rivers are flooded. However, walking on a clear, frosty winter’s day can be a magical experience.

Always choose clothing suitable for the season, along with a waterproof jacket, comfortable and waterproof footwear and a comfortable rucksack. On wet days, gaiters or waterproof trousers can also be very useful. It’s also worth carrying a basic first aid kit to deal with minor incidents.

Cycling the canal

Large sections of the canal towpath between Reading and Bath form part of Route 4 of the National Cycle Network and have been improved accordingly. National Cycle Route 4 (NCR4) generally follows the River Kennet and canal from Reading (SU 730 738) to Thatcham railway station (SU 527 663). After 4.6km on urban roads through Thatcham, it rejoins the towpath at Ham Bridge (SU 490 671) and then continues mainly on the towpath to Marsh Benham (SU 423 670). The next section to Devizes (SU 018 623) mostly follows country lanes, before rejoining the canal towpath to Bath (ST 758 654). From Bath to Bristol, NCR4 follows the Bristol & Bath Railway Path. For a map of NCR4, visit the Sustrans website at www.sustrans.org.uk.

The map extracts in this guide show the National Cycle Route 4; this is denoted with a solid green circle for on-road and a green circle with white centre for off-road (traffic-free) parts of the route.

The latest advice from the Canal & River Trust is that considerate cycling is allowed alongside the canal from Reading to Bath (visit www.canalrivertrust.org.uk for more information). Between Bath and Bristol, cyclists should follow the Bristol & Bath Railway Path.

The whole length of the canal can be cycled over a two- or three-day period. A typical three-day itinerary might be:

 Day 1 – Reading to Hungerford: 45.6km (28¼ miles) via the towpath; add 3.1km (2 miles) via NCR4

 Day 2 – Hungerford to Bradford-on-Avon: 62.2km (38¾ miles) via the towpath; add 6.5km (4 miles) via NCR4

 Day 3 – Bradford-on-Avon to Bristol: 44.3km (27½ miles) via the towpath to Bath (which is also NCR4) and then following the Bristol & Bath Railway Path, which forms part of NCR4

When cycling along the towpath, please be courteous to walkers and other users, cycle more slowly, use a bell when approaching others and at bridges (proceed with caution) and dismount when passing through tunnels. Note that there is no towpath through the Bruce Tunnel, here the route diverts over the top of the tunnel.

Cycling along the canal between the aqueducts at Avoncliff and Dundas (Stage 6, Walk 17)

Maps

The Ordnance Survey (OS) offer two series of maps: the 1:50,000 (2cm to 1km) Landranger series and the more detailed 1:25,000 (4cm to 1km) Explorer series. The OS maps covering the canal and surrounding walks are:

 Landranger: 172, 173, 174 and 175

 Explorer: 155, 156, 157, 158 and 159

Other maps include Heron Maps: Kennet & Avon Canal and River Avon at 1:50,000 with detailed town plans at 1:12,500 (also shows National Cycle Route 4). This is only of use for walking the length of the canal, not for the 20 circular walks.

This guide features extracts from the OS 1:50,000 Landranger series of maps, with overlays showing the route along with any detours or shortcuts. It is advisable to always carry the relevant Explorer map with you when walking as these show much greater detail as to the routing of rights of way.

Waymarking, access and rights of way

The rights of way are typically well signposted using a mix of fingerposts, marker posts and waymarks on fences and gateposts; the towpath is very well signposted. The descriptions in this guide, in combination with the map extracts and the signage on the ground, should make route-finding straightforward; however, it is still advisable to carry a compass and the relevant OS Explorer map.

The routes in this guide follow official rights of way: footpaths, bridleways, restricted byways, and byways. Some routes also pass areas of open access land (marked on OS Explorer maps) where you can freely roam. Rights of way are marked as follows:

 Footpaths Yellow arrow – walkers only

 Bridleways Blue arrow – walkers, cyclists and horse riders

 Restricted byways Purple arrow – walkers, cyclists, horse riders and carriage drivers

 Byways Red arrow – same as for a restricted byway plus motorcycles and motorised vehicles

Rights of way are usually well signposted

Protecting the countryside

When out walking, please respect the countryside and follow the Countryside Code:

 Be safe – plan ahead and follow any signs.

 Leave gates and property as you find them.

 Protect plants and animals, and take your litter home.

 Keep dogs under close control.

 Consider other people.

Many of the walks pass through fields where cattle may be present. Follow the latest advice: do not walk between cows and young calves; if you feel threatened, move away calmly; do not panic or make sudden noises; and if possible find an alternative route.

Finally, always take extra care when either crossing or walking along roads, or when crossing railway lines.

Using this guide

The descriptions in this guidebook all follow the same format. For the long route, an information box at the start of each stage description gives the start and finish locations accompanied by grid references; stage distance (km/miles) and cumulative distance; ascent in metres (m); minimum time required to complete the stage (hours); relevant maps; places that offer refreshments (pubs, cafés and shops) and accommodation; brief public transport information; and a suggestion of where the stage may be split. Some of the places suggested for refreshments, accommodation and public transport may be a short distance off the main route; for details, see the itinerary planner in Appendix B.

The information boxes for the 20 short walks provide similar details to those of the stages, including brief details of where to park.

Each information box is followed by a short introduction to the stage or the walk, identifying any major points of interest, including villages. The route is then described in detail, with background information given for places of interest encountered along the way.

The map extracts are from the 1:50,000 OS Landranger series. Features shown on the map that are mentioned in the route are highlighted in bold text to help you follow the route.

The distances quoted for each walk (metric first, with approximate imperial conversions rounded to the nearest ¼, ½, ¾ or whole number) have been measured from OS Explorer maps: note that the heights quoted on the maps are in metres and the grid lines are spaced at intervals of 1km. The walking time for each walk has been worked out using a walking speed of 4km/hour (2½ miles/hour), plus 10 minutes for every 100m of ascent. This should be treated as the absolute minimum amount of walking time required to undertake the walk and does not include any time for rests, photography, consulting the map or guidebook, or simply admiring the view – all of which can add substantially to the day’s activity.

Following the canal back to Avoncliff (Stage 17)