Kennet and Avon Canal
Hike along the Kennet and Avon Canal at your own pace on a full self-guided walking holiday. Accommodation, luggage transfer and custom holiday pack included.
Kennet and Avon Canal
https://www.contours.co.uk/kennet-and-avon-canal
A walk through changing landscapes and charming settlements, following alongside the Kennet and Avon Canal.
From £410 per person
The Kennet and Avon Canal Walk travels from Reading to Bristol across the South of England. On this self-guided walking holiday, you'll walk alongside a major water transport route, built over 200 years ago during the heyday of the British canals.
The trail passes through the chalk hills of the North Wessex Downs in the east and southern fringes of the Cotswolds in the west. The changing landscape offers plenty of opportunities to spot wonderful plants and wildlife. This largely rural walk features rolling fields, quiet woodlands and pretty valleys. Along the way you will also visit picturesque villages and bustling towns. Among the most exciting places are the UNESCO World Heritage-listed city of Bath and the vibrant harbour town of Bristol.
Dogs are welcome on select routes along this trail. Look for the pawprint icon when choosing your holiday.
From £820 per person
The full Kennet and Avon Canal walking trail enjoys 95 miles of gentle canal towpaths and easy paths. The route stays close to the River Avon as it meanders through the North Wessex Downs from Reading to Bristol. Along the way you will find plenty of beautiful scenery, as well unique insights into England’s industrial history. The walk passes the Caen Hill flight of locks and the ornate aqueducts at Avoncliff and Dundas, to name a few enticing sites. The route also visits the iconic Roman city of Bath – a UNESCO World Heritage Site – and Bristol’s vibrant floating harbour. With all this and more to discover along the way, this trail has something for everyone to enjoy.
| Code | Tour | Duration | Price per person | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| KAC1 | From Reading to Bristol | 5 days walking | £820 | |
| KAC2 | From Reading to Bristol | 7 days walking | £1085 | |
| KAC3 | From Reading to Bristol | 9 days walking | £1350 | |
| KAC4 | From Reading to Bristol | 13 days walking | £1890 |
Travel to Reading where your first night's accommodation will be booked
Reading to Newbury. 19.5 miles (31.5km)
Newbury to Crofton(T). 16 miles (25.5km)
Crofton(T) to Devizes. 19.5 miles (31.5km)
Devizes to Bath. 23 miles (36.5km)
Bath to Bristol. 18 miles (28.5km)
Depart from Bristol after breakfast
This itinerary lists our preferred overnight stops for this tour. Sometimes there may be a shortage of available accommodation in a preferred location, in which case we will transfer you from the trail to your accommodation and back again at no extra charge. Overnight stops marked with a (T) will always require transfers as standard.
Overnight stops marked with an (L) have very limited accommodation, and therefore more often than not will also require a transfer, particularly on bank holidays and weekends. We will use non-transfer accommodation wherever possible.
The daily mileages quoted are average trail miles only and do not include the distance from the trail to your accommodation. We do not expect you to have to travel more than a mile from the trail to your accommodation in most cases; should your accommodation be further than this, transfers will be provided as standard if practical. A very limited number of stops will require you to travel on foot up to two miles off the trail, however these instances will be clearly communicated to you if applicable.
Further transfers may also be required due to some accommodations having a two-night minimum booking policy, especially at weekends.
Below are the additional costs that may apply depending on your requirements. Dog-friendly tours are subject to a Daily Dog Charge, which will be listed below if applicable. Our standard prices per person are based upon two people sharing a room; if you are on your own, or are part of a group but require a room of your own, then the Solo Traveller or Single Supplements apply respectively:
You can add rest days at any of the overnight stops:
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Wandering at your own pace along well-laid, clear paths through quintessentially English countryside, with wonderful views throughout.
Counting all 105 canal locks along the route and learning about the amazing industrial history of this waterway.
Exploring the magnificent architecture in Bath, as well as the range of facilities and attractions on offer in Bristol.
You can add rest days at any of the overnight stops:
To find out more about the weather forecast for your chosen holiday's general location, please see the following websites:
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“The walk was challenging but so much fun. We often walked for hours without seeing anyone; just us, the ducks/geese/swans (and their babies) and the birds. Perfect. The walk was everything we wanted and more. Some of the route involved an almost non-existent path; nothing more than the canal bank. That added to the adventure. Would absolutely recommend, especially if someone wants an off-the-beaten-path experience.”Ms Burda, USA
“Another great holiday, Thank you for the organisation.”Mr Richardson, UK
“From picking this holiday on the website, the personal attention given to our booking, the very complete holiday pack, all the b&b's and hotels we stayed in, the way the luggage transport is handled; this is the most relaxed way I can imagine booking a holiday and be sure our interests are in capable and caring hands.”Mrs Sanders, Netherlands
“We enjoyed the walk very much, beautiful scenes, many locks and comfortable walking paths, even the weather was helpful.”Mr van der Meer, Netherlands
“Just so grateful to all the hosts - wonderful memories...and gorgeous breakfasts! Thank you so much for making the organisation of this trip so easy. We felt welcome all the way”Mr Sharrad Jones, Australia
“Wonderful stress free holiday.”Mr Bullock, UK
“We loved it and found the walk to be, for the most part, peaceful.”Ms Burda, USA
“The route was very interesting and relaxing. Good variety of accommodation and the transfers ran efficiently.”Mr Parry, UK
“Very well organised and instructions easy to follow. We are intending to book another walk with you next May.”Mr Farrington, UK
