Jane’s Walk 2026: Day 11

Today we are joined by our daughter Clare, son-in-law John and their Cockerpoo Layla.

According to the notice board on the edge of the canal at Midgham, the following 11 miles caused problems for the canal builders. Rivers like the Kennet are unpredictable, varying in depth, width and flow. This made it difficult for vessels to navigate in the 18th century between Reading and Newbury. The builders faced 2 challenges: how to overcome the rise of 40 metres between Reading and Newbury and how to overcome interfering with the water supplies to the local millers. To bypass the meandering river, they designed 11 miles of artificial channels, 20 locks and numerous weirs and sluices and it worked. Commercial barges were then able to carry their important cargo up and down this stretch of the river.

Most of the locks on this stretch were turf-sided, cheaper, which was possible due to the abundance of water. The turf linings have now been replaced.

It is a beautiful stretch of canal here. The river comes and goes, making it wider and more alive. On either side we see glimpses of lakes, many having been dug as gravel pits in the past and surrounded with mature trees. The water fowl are abundant and the fishing is obviously good, apparent by the number of fishing stands round the lakes visible from the towpath. Many of the fields house large numbers of young thoroughbred horses, so presumably there is a flourishing racing stud nearby.

We have a very jolly lunch in the Fox and Hounds in Sheffield Bottom and then complete our walk after passing under the M4.