Cycling The Kennet and Avon Canal
Kennet and Avon Canal near Aldermaston
Start: Bath Spa Railway Station, Bath BA1 1SU
Finish: Reading Railway Station, Station Approach, Reading RG1 1LZ
Distance: 79 miles / 127 km
Elevation Change: +385m / - 374 m / Net -11m
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other Routes Touched (walk): Kennet and Avon Canal Trail, Limestone Link, Macmillan Way, Wessex Ridgeway, Great Stones Way, Lambourn Valley Way, Thames Path
Other Routes Touched (cycle): NCN 424, 254, 45, 403, 5, Round Berkshire Cycle Route
Maps: OS Explorer Map (155) Bristol and Bath, OS Explorer Map (156) Chippenham and Bradford-on-Avon, OS Explorer Map (157) Marlborough and Savernake Forest, OS Explorer Map (158) Newbury and Hungerford, OS Explorer Map (159) Reading, Wokingham and Pangbourne
Links: Canal & River Trust: Kennet & Avon Canal, Sustrans NCN 4
This is a long but easily navigable day-trip along the Kennet & Avon Canal from Bath to Bristol. The NCN 4 uses a lot of the canal towpath but runs parallel to it in some places. We chose to keep the the towpath rather than follow the strict path of the NCN 4. Bath and Reading are connected by regular fast trains, so doing this as a 1-day point-to-point trip is pretty straightforward.
From Bath Spa station, cross the River Avon and pass North through Bath City Centre until you reach NCN 4 on Cheap Street. Follow the NCN 4 East to Pulteney Bridge. Continue for another 1 km through Bathwick until you meet the Kennet & Avon Towpath after crossing the railway line on Beckford Road.
At Devizes you have the first choice about continuing along the towpath or taking the NCN 4. Either route will get you to Reading and they meet several times along the way.
The Kennet and Avon Canal ends when it meets the River Thames at Reading. From here take the NCN 5 heading West along the Thames Path to Reading Bridge where you’ll be in sight of Reading Station.
