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Kennet and Avon Canal Walking Holiday
In Southern England
Reading to Bristol
(East to West) in 11 Days
10 nights and 9 days walking
A 93 mile walking holiday on the Kennet and Avon Canal from Bristol and Bath to the River Thames at Reading.
This is one of our Canal Walking Holidays, one of our Southern England Walking Holidays, and also one of our Wiltshire Walking Holidays.
Kennet and Avon Canal Walking Holiday
in Southern England
from Reading to Bristol to (East to West)
via Newbury, Hungerford, Pewsey, Devizes, Pewsey, and Bath
This is a 93 mile walking holiday on the Kennet and Avon Canal Towpath and the River Avon Trail.
The Kennet and Avon Canal walking holiday follows the whole meandering course of the Kennet and Avon Canal from the River Thames at Reading to Bath and then follows the River Avon from Bath to Bristol.
The hiking route is a great first walking holiday experience as it is easy walking and offers a wealth of interesting places to visit en-route.
The Kennet and Avon canal connects the Bristol Channel at Bristol with the River Thames at Reading providing an inland waterway between Bristol and London. On its journey, it passes through the magnificent Avon Valley and the Vale of Pewsey.
Highclere Castle, the filming location of
Downton Abbey, is located just 5 miles south of Newbury, and so this
town is ideal to take an extra day to visit Highclere Castle. It is not
possible to walk from Newbury to Highclere unfortunately as there are
no suitable footpaths, however the castle can be reached easily by taxi.
John Rennie undertook the surveying for the canal, with building commencing in 1794 and completed in 1810. The Dundas Aqueduct and the Avoncliff Aqueduct carry the Kennet and Avon Canal over the River Avon. However, the canal enjoyed only thirty years of exclusive business, with the main trade being coal, before it suffered the competition of the Great Western Railway which opened in 1841. The canal was then deliberately run down and neglected until the post-war years when forty years of hard work and renewed interest resulted in the canal being reopened in 1990.
The route passes through the cities of Bath and Bristol which are great places to visit, with good shopping, restaurants, and pubs.
This Kennet and Avon Canal walking holiday is great hiking for visitors to the UK as it offers a taste of England’s history mixed with the modern UK of today. This is a gentle walk, full of contrasts, with bustling cities and quiet river and canal banks.
This Kennet and Avon Canal walking holiday connects with the following routes:
Cotswold Way at Bath
White Horse Trail at Devizes and Pewsey
Sarsen Way at Alton Barnes
Thames Path at Reading
Severn Way at Bristol
Somerset Coast Path at Bristol.
Our self-guided walking holidays are designed with your comfort and enjoyment in mind and can be tailor-made to your own personal requirements.
The routes are clearly way-marked to provide reassurance on your hiking vacation.
We use a selection of guest houses, inns or small hotels with en-suite or private bathroom to ensure you are well rested each night after a busy day hiking and sightseeing. Rest assured that all our accommodation walking holiday providers are hand-picked and offer you that famous British hospitality.
Special diets can be catered for, including vegetarian, vegan, and gluten free.
We organize the luggage transfer so your bags are at your next accommodation when you arrive. We try to get your bags delivered by 4pm, but this may be delayed due to road conditions.
Let’s Go Walking has developed one of the largest selection of walking holidays.
Our offices are staffed 9am to 9pm during our walking season (March to September) to ensure your walking holiday runs without a hitch.
All our walking holidays are self-guided and you must be a confident map reader and able to navigate from a compass bearing. The weather in the UK and Ireland can change quickly effecting visibility and underfoot conditions. It is important to carry a selection of clothing with you on your hike each day to cope with changing weather conditions. If you are not confident of completing any days walk, do not set out.
This walking holiday in the UK operates March to September and in either direction.
The daily distances are only a suggestion. If you would like to walk longer or shorter distances, we can arrange that too.
Our stated distances include mileage to the accommodation or pickup point and so may not agree with the guide book mileages.
Rest days can be taken in any location.
Why not combine this walk with a hiking tour in another part of the UK or Ireland. Our staff will be happy to advise on necessary transfers.
Online booking available.
A deposit of £85 per person is required to secure the booking, with the balance due 6 weeks before departure.
Optional extra days and accommodation upgrades can be added during the booking process online.
Please wait for the confirmation of your holiday before making final travel plans just in case your holiday is not available for your requested date.
Reading to Bristol (east to west)
in England UK
11 day itinerary
9 days walking and 10 nights
Suggested Itinerary
| Day 1: | arrive Reading | |
| Optional Day: | optional extra day in Reading | |
| Day 2: | Reading in Aldermaston | 10 miles |
| Day 3: | Aldermaston to Newbury | 9 miles |
| Optional Day: | optional extra day in Newbury | |
| Day 4: | Newbury to Hungerford | 10 miles |
| Optional Day: | optional extra day in Hungerford | |
| Day 5: | Hungerford to Pewsey | 14 miles |
| Day 6: | Pewsey to Devizes | 11 miles |
| Optional Day: | optional extra day in Devizes | |
| Day 7: | Devizes to Bradford on Avon | 12 miles |
| Day 8: | Bradford on Avon to Bath | 9 miles |
| Optional Day: | optional extra day in Bath | |
| Day 9: | Bath to Keynsham | 9 miles |
| Day 10: | Keynsham to Bristol | 9 miles |
| Optional Day: | optional extra day in Bristol | |
| Day 11: | depart Bristol |
11 day itinerary 10 nights
| Double or Twin Occupancy | Single Occupancy travelling with others | Solo Traveller |
|
| 2025 | £1,290 | £2,080 | £2,280 |
All prices subject to change
Extra nights from £64.00 per person
depending on location
Optional Accommodation Upgrades for
Kennet and Avon Canal Walking Holiday
Reading to Bristol (East to West)
Can be added when booking online
Subject to availability Supplement per person per night
Reading
Crown Plaza Hotel
Malmaison Hotel
double/twin
£49.00
£49.00
Single
please ask
please ask
Aldermaston
Hinds Head Hotel
double/twin
£39.00
Single
please ask
Newbury
The Elephant in the Market
double/twin
£29.00
Single
please ask
Hungerford
Three Swans Hotel
double/twin
£39.00
Single
please ask
Devizes
The Peppermill
double/twin
£49.00
Single
please ask
Bear Hotel
£29.00
please ask
Bradford on Avon
Timbrell’s Yard
double/twin
£68.00
Single
please ask
Bristol
Hotel du Vin
double/twin
£52.00
Single
please ask
Kennet and Avon Canal Walking Holiday
Reading to Bristol
Suggested Tour Duration:
10 nights, 9 days walking
Total Distance:
93 miles/149 kms
Min/max daily distance:
9/14 miles
Average Daily distance:
10 miles
Grading:
Easy
Features:
River Thames
Crofton Pumping Station
Claverton Pumping Station
Caen Hill flight of 16 locks
Tithe Barn in Bradford on Avon
Dundas and Avoncliff Aqueducts
Roman Baths at Bath
Clifton Suspension Bridge
SS Great Britain in Bristol
This route connects with:
Thames Path
White Horse Trail
Sarsen Way
Cotswold Way
Severn Way
Somerset Coast Path
A 93 mile walking holiday on the Kennet and Avon Canal from Bristol and Bath to the River Thames at Reading.
This is one of our Canal Walking Holidays, one of our Southern England Walking Holidays, and also one of our Wiltshire Walking Holidays.
Please note the Kennet and Avon Canal Race will take place 25th July 2025.
This affects the availability of accommodation in the area and your enjoyment of the canal towpath.
Therefore when booking your walking holiday on Kennet and Avon Canal we suggest you avoid this date.
What’s included
in your Kennet and Avon Canal Walking Holiday in Southern England
- accommodation at high quality guest houses, inns or small hotels on a bed and breakfast basis
- room with en-suite or private bathroom, tea and coffee making facilities
- daily luggage transfer
- support should there be any problems on route
- detailed itineraries
- map ot Kennet and Avon Canal
- guide book to The Kennet and Avon Canal & River Avon Trail
Optional Extras
for your Kennet and Avon Canal Walking Holiday in Southern England
- upgrade to the region’s most elegant, prestigious and famous hotels, where available
- transfers back to car or station
- parking facilities
- rest days
- inn to inn walks
What’s not included
in your Kennet and Avon Canal Walking Holiday in Southern England
- lunches and dinners
- travel insurance
- entrance to local attractions
Lunches and Dinners
These are not included.
Evening meals
These are available at overnight locations, either at your accommodation or in the town/village.
Packed lunches
These can be provided by your accommodation or can be obtained from a local store, or cafe or inn along the route.
Holiday Travel Insurance
We require that you take out holiday insurance as Let’s Go Biking Ltd accepts no liability for the following:
cancellation, personal accident, illness, loss/theft of personal possessions and/or money, and any unforeseen circumstances, especially travel delays.
This is in addition to our existing
booking conditions.
Please contact us if you have any questions.
Our telephone Lines are open 7 days a week.
UK +44 (0)1837 880075
or +44 (0)207 193 1252
March to September 9am to 9pm
October to February 9am to 5pm
US +1 (646) 233-1541
New York 5 hours behind UK time:
March to September 4am to 4pm EST
October to February 4am to 12noon EST
AUS +61 (02) 8006 0182
Sydney 10 hours ahead of UK time:
March to September 7pm to 7am EADT
October to February 7pm to 3am EADT
CAN +1 (647) 4786251
Toronto 5 hours behind UK time:
March to September 4am to 4pm EST
October to February 4am to 12noon EST
or
Kennet and Avon Canal Walking Holiday:
How to get there
- By Plane to Bristol or London where we can arrange transfer to Bristol, Bath or Reading
- By Car to Bristol, Bath or Reading where parking is available
- By Train/Bus to Bristol, Bath or Reading
A 93 mile walking holiday on the Kennet and Avon Canal from Bristol and Bath to the River Thames at Reading.
This is one of our Canal Walking Holidays, one of our Southern England Walking Holidays, and also one of our Wiltshire Walking Holidays.
Our canal walking holidays in the UK include Grand Union Canal Towpath, Great Glen Way, John Muir Way, Kennet and Avon Canal Towpath, Leeds and Liverpool Canal Towpath and Oxford Canal Towpath.
This is one of our categories of walking holidays.
