Waterways and Parks
From the Kennet and Avon canal, which runs from the east to west of West Berkshire, to Victoria Park which sits at the heart of Newbury and plays a big part in the town's outdoor activities.
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VICTORIA PARK
The park is in the centre of Newbury and in an area currently undergoing changes due to a number of initiatives and developments.Contact InfoPark View
Newbury
RG14 1EL
GOLDWELL PARK
Northcroft and Goldwell Parks are Green Flag Award winners.
Contact usNorthcroft and Goldwell Parks
Northcroft Lane
Newbury
West Berkshire
RG14 1RS
BOAT TRIPS ON JUBILEE
Public Trips every Saturday and Sunday and most Public Holidays from April to October, departing at 12 noon and 2 p.m from Newbury Wharf and lasting approximately 75 minutes.Additional trips every Thursday from May to September, departing at 2.30 p.m from Newbury Wharf and lasting approximately 75 minutes
Themed trips during school holidays (such as Pirates and Halloween)
Special Santa at Christmas.
All tickets available in advance by calling:
01380 721279 (weekdays) and 07716 460562 (weekends)
It is advisable to book in advance but tickets may be available on the day from the boat.
Check availability and further details at jubilee.katrust.org.uk
Jubilee is also available for private charter trips.
Call Sarah, our Booking Manager, on 07716 460562 or e-mail jubilee@katrust.org.uk
Contact usNewbury Wharf
RG14 5AS
KENNET & AVON CANAL
The Kennet and Avon Canal, which celebrated its bicentenary in 2010, forms an important route from east to west across West Berkshire. Although completed in 1810, the canal was developed from the early 18th century Kennet Navigation, when this river was made navigable for barges between Reading and Newbury by dredging the riverbed, cutting lengths of canal and building a series of locks.
Construction of a further canal from Newbury to Bath began in 1795, in order to create a trading link between the River Thames and River Avon. The engineer for what became the Kennet and Avon Canal was John Rennie, one of the great designers of his age. The canal was predominantly cut by hand by labourers who became known as Navigators or Navvies. The channel was lined with puddled clay, and brick and stone used to build bridges and most lock chambers. Lock gates were made from timber. The canal cost about £16,666 a mile to build, higher than average for the period.
As the canal network grew during Britain's Industrial Revolution, it became the easiest way to transport heavy goods around the country, faster than the badly maintained roads and safer than a sea voyage. Horse-drawn boats carried cargoes such as coal, iron, bricks, timber, peat, stone and grain but also cheese, malt, tobacco and spirits, and many settlements along the Kennet and Avon Canal such as Newbury, Kintbury and Hungerford prospered from the connections. New settlements and businesses were also created, for example at Aldermaston Wharf.
The fortunes of the canal waned with the coming of the railways in the 1840s, when freight began to be transported by faster methods, and in fact the Kennet and Avon Canal was bought by the Great Western Railway company in 1852, effectively killing any competition.
By the early 1950s it was no longer possible for a boat to pass from Reading to Newbury. But plans in 1954 to close the canal to Bath were met with opposition, and the Kennet & Avon Canal Trust campaigned for the preservation of the waterway.
Restoration started in the 1960s and the canal was reopened in 1990, with further money coming later from the Heritage Lottery Fund to complete the works needed. As well as now being a popular watercourse for narrow boats and cruisers, the canal provides walking and cycling routes along its towpaths.
Many of Rennie's designs can be seen, for example the listed bridges with integral locks between Hungerford and Newbury at Dun Mill Lock, Brunsdon Lock, Dreweatt’s Lock, Hamstead Lock and Guyer’s Lock.
Also of interest from the earlier Navigation era in West Berkshire are the restored turf-sided locks at Monkey Marsh, near Thatcham Railway Station and Garston Lock. Newbury’s Corn Stores building (part of the West Berkshire Museum) was built on the Kennet Navigation Wharf sometime after 1723 and is an extremely rare survival of a canal-side structure. Bridge Cottage, a private house in Woolhampton, is another former canal warehouse.
The strategic importance of the Kennet and Avon Canal was recognised during the Second World War when it marked a Stop Line against an anticipated German tank invasion. Pill boxes were constructed along the canal in 1940-1, most of which survive to add another layer of history to a visit. The set of Defence of Britain structures around Dun Mill near Hungerford are particularly significant militarily.
Price
Free entry
Contact usKennet & Avon Waterways
Canal & River Trust
Bath Road
Devizes
SN10 1QR
KENNET HORSE BOAT COMPANY LTD
The company was established in 1970 by Bill and Sue Fisher and has been run by the Butler family since 1980. The business is now owned and run by the second generation of the family, son Stephen Butler and his wife Charlotte who took over the business from Bob and Jenny in January 2004.
A new addition to the business is the luxury self steer narrowboat ‘Cygnet’. Purchased in February 2008 Cygnet is now available for day hire.
Boat Route: Return trips from Kintbury
Contact us1 Holt Road
Kintbury
Hungerford
RG17 9UY
Call: 01488 658866
Email: kennethorseboat@btconnect.com
Website: www.kennet-horse-boat.co.uk
THE NATURE DISCOVERY CENTRE
This fantastic visitor centre is packed full of interactive wildlife and natural history displays. There are a network of footpaths ranging from small family-friendly walks to longer paths for the more adventurous, and the bird hide offers a perfect opportunity to watch the world go by.
DIRECTIONS See location on Google Maps
Map Reference: SU 50614 67021
The Centre is off Lower Way in Thatcham, easily accessible from the A4 and close to Newbury.
THE ROSE OF HUNGERFORD
• Fully enclosed to protect against inclement weather
• Sliding picture windows all round to let in the nice weather
• Central heating for those chilly days
• Snacks, hot and cold drinks and a fully licensed bar for your pleasure
• Electric wheelchair lift fitted for the less able
• Toilet large enough for wheelchairs
• Highly trained captains and crew for your safety and enjoyment
DIRECTIONS See location on Google Maps
Map Reference: SU 33742 68796
Contact us
Canal Walk (off Hungerford highstreet)RG17 0EQ
Call: 01635 255367
Website: http://www.roseofhungerford.co.uk/
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a great place to live, work and visit. We look forward to welcoming you to Newbury soon!
Telephone01635 760505
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