Since my arrival in West Stowell, Marlborough of Wiltshire, a week ago, I discovered a pleasant walk to the Kennet & Avon Canal at Wilcot by avoiding all roads. Oh how I adore off-road!

With the warm sun heating my bones and gilding everything in it’s path, beneath a bright blue sky, I set off on my journey of exploration: Over the fence at the end of the property; through the corner of the field with the heifers and a lone bull (must research how fast a cow or bull can run – anyone know?); a hop over the fence in to the next field, around the outskirt of lush grass; under a fence; another climb over a fence coated in barbs, in to a wheat field stretching for kilometres; along the bare meter-wide track through the middle of the wheat; over the final fence and on to the canal path.

For at least an hour along the water’s edge, I hiked with many pauses in between to take photographs of all that caught my eye, hoping most of it’s the creative one. And we can all be the judges… Not long to go now…

The row of barges, each unique and maintained to varying levels; people sitting on the bank enjoying their barge-break; ducks serenely swimming and protecting their young; a stork perched in the water patiently poised, ready to pounce on a fish; to the right, ravens in a field of heifers – no bull this time; lush vegetation that looked like pumpkin leaves hugging the water’s edge, their reflections dancing in the liquid-mud of the Kennet & Avon Canal; the bridges arching over the water, sporadically spaced, each one numbered; a young couple enjoying their bicycles; a dog walker with a wet Labrador-cross-something-or-other; a cheeky male-form carved out of wood sitting on deck of a barge; graffiti across a derelict; birds chirping; the breeze rustling through the trees.

I couldn’t have asked for a more stunning day!

DID YOU KNOW? The Kennet & Avon Canal…

 

*Starts in Bristol and finishes in Reading (the Thames River)

*Is 140 kilometres in length

*Waterway incorporates 105 locks

*Has been developed as a popular heritage tourism destination, and is also vital for wildlife conservation

*Is fondly known as K&A

Discover more information about The Kennet & Avon Canal at the Canal River Trust here.