Canoe trails
The Canal & River Trust’s waterways offer hundreds of miles of canoe-friendly routes, perfect for beginners, experts, groups and solo paddlers.
You can use the maps on the Canal & River Trust website to plan your route. However, if you want to let someone else do the planning you’ve found the right place! To help you with your canal adventures we’ve gathered together a number of routes, courtesy of Canoe England.
Tell us about your favourite route
These trails are only the tip of the iceberg. There are over 2,000 miles of Canal & River Trust waterways to explore. Do you enjoy paddling through the city or are you more at home in the countryside? We want to hear about your favourite canal trail.
If you’d like to share your favourite route with our readers please email the details, including the start location, length, skills needed and finish point to feedback@canalrivertrust.org.uk . Don’t forget to send us some pictures as well if you have them!
In This Section »
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Gloucester & Sharpness canoe trail
The Gloucester & Sharpness Canal is a new experience for most English canoeists - much more like a continental European Canal, or like the Caledonian Canal in Scotland, easily wide enough to avoid anglers’ lines, and with large ships going up to Gloucester docks at times. At weekends, the paddle steamer ‘Oliver Cromwell’ plies up and down. -
Kennet & Avon Canal: Hungerford to Newbury canoe trail
The stretch of the Kennet & Avon Canal from Devizes to the River Thames at Reading is well known in canoeing circles as it forms the first part of the internationally renowned Devizes to Westminster Canoe Race. It also makes a great day out if you're looking for a peaceful canal route. -
Bridgwater & Taunton canoe trail
The Bridgwater and Taunton Canal opened in 1827, linking the River Tone to the River Parrett. It is a well-kept secret but a well-managed one. Local people, have set up a volunteer wardens scheme to look after their canal and their success can be shown in its beauty. -
Kennet & Avon Canal: Crofton to Hungerford canoe trail
The Kennet & Avon Canal crosses the country from Reading to Bristol, passing and running through towns and villages such as Devizes, Bradford-on-Avon and Bath. -
Kennet & Avon Canal: Newbury to Aldermaston canoe trail
This trail along the Kennet & Avon Canal can be undertaken as a straight A to B paddle but will involve a car shuffle or can be paddled as a circular route. -
River Weaver canoe trail
The River Weaver is a paddler's delight with its abundance of wildlife and the magnificent Anderton Boat lift to admire.
