One Week Hire
One Week Hire: Suggested route options from Devizes Wharf
DAY 1 (2pm – 4pm) Arrive at Devizes Wharf (SN10 1EB), load gear on to boat, park car, receive boat handover training (about 1hr) then set off for the Bridge Inn, Horton (01380 860273) or the Crown Inn, Bishops Cannings (01380 860218); you are advised to check opening times in advance and we would recommend you pre-book for a Friday night. Moor on towpath side of canal, not too close to a bridge or on a swing bridge landing stage. You may have time to boat all the way to Honey Street (3hrs from Devizes) but with a late arrival moorings may be hard to secure.
DAY 2 Set off – it’s either 2hrs to Honey Street, to see or visit the Alton Barnes White Horse, the Honeystreet Mill Cafe (01672 851155), or the Barge Inn (01672 851222) – or 4hrs to Pewsey, the Waterfront Bistro/Bar (01672 564020). But, don’t forget, the scenery is idyllic along this beautiful 15 mile pound so there is no need to have to do any more than simply moor in the countryside for a picnic or barbecue lunch or dinner! At Pewsey Wharf the bustling village with its lovely museum is a mile down the road from the Wharf – the station, shops and pubs are here. Chocolate-box Wootton Rivers is an hour further: the best mooring at Wootton Rivers is above the first or second lock. The thatched Royal Oak Inn (01672 810322) is excellent for dinner if you wish. If you like boating you could, having ascended the four locks to the summit, reach Burbage Wharf for the evening.
DAY 3 From the summit you will comfortably reach Hungerford today with a lunch stop at Great Bedwyn where there is a great pub, the Three Tuns (01672 870280), a bakers and a Post Office. Hungerford is a lovely town with all facilities, famous for its antique shops, and has a nice wharf to moor at, space permitting.
DAY 4 This evening marks the half-way point of your week’s holiday so REMEMBER to TURN before the day is out so you arrive back in Devizes in good time not to forfeit your deposit! This is a delightful section of canal with the infant River Kennet criss-crossing the canal all the way now. Towards Kintbury you might meet the horse drawn trip boat – remember to steer on the far side of the boat to where the horse is pulling! Turn at Kintbury for a relaxing week, perhaps returning to moor in the water meadows below Hungerford. Adventurers may reach Newbury this evening but beware of long days back, as above: – no speeding or night boating please! (Do not try to over-extend your outward journey; most hirers go as far as Kintbury, but only a few make it to Newbury. Doing this means long days on board and missing some of the delights of Wiltshire along the way).
DAY 5 If you moored at Hungerford cruise back up to the summit, perhaps mooring before the tunnel to explore the Savernake Forest with dinner on board. If at Newbury, cruise back past Hungerford to reach either Hungerford Marsh or the top of the Froxfield Locks for a remote country mooring for the evening.
DAY 6 Both routes today should lead to an evening mooring in the Pewsey area, allowing around 6 hrs cruising back to Devizes on your last full day.
DAY 7 If you left Pewsey today, why not stop for a morning snack at the pretty Wide at Wilcot, or pause for lunch at the the Honeystreet Mill Cafe (01672 851155) or opposite at The Barge Inn (01672 851222). Moor for the evening no further away than Bishops Cannings to allow a timely arrival next morning before 9.00am.
EARLY RETURN: You are welcome to return and moor at the wharf on your last afternoon/ evening, noting that you may be moored alongside other boats. You are also welcome to leave the boat early (by prior arrangement) – just ensure, when boarding, that you make the handover team aware of your intended early return and we will give you additional instructions for leaving/ securing the boat, noting that we are not on site to supervise your departure or check the boat in – we do this on the final (Mon or Fri) morning in your absence.