New Guide to the Kennet & Avon Canal

A new guide and promotional campaign highlighting the pleasures of traversing the Kennet & Avon Canal has been published so that people can enjoy more of Britain’s spectacular network of waterways.

The Guide is part of the Great West Way’s suite of maps, specifically promoting the waterway and its neighbouring attractions.

A new three-way partnership between the Canal & River Trust, Great West Way and the Kennet & Avon Trade Association has come together to launch the promot campaign.

It includes the Great West Way Kennet & Avon Canal map which pinpoints the many places of interest, including waterside activities, waterside businesses, accommodation, attractions, places to eat and drink along the canal, to help visitors plan their visit.

The touring route between London and Bristol, launched in 2018, encourages travellers to use different forms of transportation to explore including rail, road, on foot, by bike or on a boat using its many waterways. The Great West Way encourages visitors to travel the route, to access areas off the beaten track, as well as visit the many iconic attractions, heritage sites and areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Fiona Errington, Head of Marketing, at Great West Way said: “The launch of the map is very timely as the nation enters the first stage of lifting the national lockdown restrictions. Responsible travel and advice on how to visit the Great West Way safely and responsibly are highlighted, including the “We’re Good to Go” logo which is the official UK mark to signal that a business has implemented Government and industry COVID-19 guidelines.”

The map highlights the Kennet & Avon Canal as one of the best ways travel along part of the Great West Way, with time to take in some magnificent sites from the Caen Hill Lock Flight to a World Heritage Site and historic battlefield – plus 21 conservation sites, 14 Sites of Special Scientific Interest and many spectacular landscapes.

Hire a bike and cycle along the towpath, or take a walk and get close to nature. You can canoe, kayak or book one of the numerous boat trips. Passing through countryside, market towns and picturesque villages, the canal offers an abundance of natural beauty, outstanding canal structures, fabulous vistas and heritage galore.

To download a digital version of the map, visit: www.GreatWestWay.co.uk/explore/maps

The map can also be collected from local information points on the Great West Way