The River Avon, Wiltshire and Somerset (Malmesbury to Bristol and Avonmouth)
Introduction
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The river Avon flows from above the ancient town of Malmesbury through Wiltshire and Somerset to the Severn Estuary and Avonmouth near Bristol. Because of a number of other River Avons in England, this river is often also known as the Lower Avon or Bristol Avon.
The Avon rises near Chipping Sodbury in Gloucestershire, dividing into two before merging again and flowing through Wiltshire. In its lower reaches from Bath to the River Severn at Avonmouth near Bristol the river is navigable and known as the Avon Navigation. |
Maps
Ordnance Survey Landranger 173 (1:50,000) Swindon & Devizes Marlborough & Trowbridge
Ordnance Survey Landranger 172 (1:50,000) Bristol & Bath Thornbury & Chew Magna
Google Map of the lower Avon river trip
Access Points
There are various places along the river for ingress and egress, they are listed here:
- Malmesbury: At the roundabout on the A429 at the southern end of Malmesbury, turn towards Malmesbury town center. Immediately afterwards turn left into a small no through road, it is possible to park here and jump over the fence to the river nearby. Alternatively follow signs for the long stay car park from either the north or southern end of town. The river is at the back of the car park.
- Great Somerford: Find a sensible place to park, Great Somerford is only a small village and the river is easy to find.
- Christian Malford: The B4069 between Chippenham and Lyneham passes over the river at Christian Malford. There is room to park one or two cars next to the bridge, or there is a layby towards Chippenham.
- Chippenham: There are plenty of places to park in Chippenham but most of them are pay and display. The best places are either: At the public car park near to The Technical College, follow signs for the station. The river is down the hill in the park. Or take the new bridge over the river off the A4 Avenue la Fleche, there is parking on both sides of the road and the river and Chippenham Weir are nearby.
- Melksham: Drive into Melksham from the roundabout where the A350 meets the B3107. Follow the one way system around keeping to the left, this will take you over the river bridge. Take the first left into the car park, remember that it is pay and display (not Sundays). Find a way through the railings to the river.
- Bradford on Avon: Follow signs for the station and park right at the back of the car park (pay and display). The river is best accessed beneath the railway bridge.
- Bathampton: Park at the pub by the toll bridge, but ask first, it's always polite to pop in for a pint afterwards too.
- Bath: Don't bother it's impossible to park, it's best to use Bathampton.
- I think you can park at the marina, just off the A4175.
- Get out at the docks, if you follow signs for the SS Great Britain but carry on a bit further along the main road you should find them.
Journey
After leaving the town of Malmesbury you reach a large vertical weir with a footbridge running over it, the weir is easy to run in normal conditions. Beneath the weir there is a boulder dam and then another one just around the corner, after the road bridge.
A hundred metres below the bridge in Great Somerford there is a weir with two vertical concrete walls. Worth a play on but can be savage in higher water, be careful. It's then gentle flat water to Christian Malford.
There a few little weirs along the next stretch of calm water until you get to Seagry weir. In high water there are two wide open sluice gates in front of you as you come down the river take the right hand one and inspect it before you go. After passing under the M4 you get to Christian Malford weir which can be very shallow and you may consider portaging if the water levels are low.
More gentle touring until you reaxh a fish ladder that needs portaging and a few more miles to Kellaways Weir which is a straight shoot. The river picks up a little speed after here and winds tightly through tree lined banks.
About one mile north of Chippenham the river Marden joins the Avon and it becomes a lot wider and slower.
The Chippenham to Melksham stretch has only three weirs. The first in Chippenham itself is a steep five foot drop with shallow water at the bottom and a low bridge above it. The next weir at Reybridge is about 3 miles further downstream. And the last is in Melksham itself after a long gentle and winding paddle.
The next section to Bradford on Avon is similarly winding but the river is obviously larger there are is one decent weir at Staverton by a large factory before the weir in Bradford on Avon.
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There are weirs every few miles on the next stretch to Bath and the river gets larger as other join it. Most notably the Frome. Bathampton weir is a good place to stop if you don't want to go into Bath itself. However, if you have an inflatable canoe then the train station is very close to the river. For those who can the train intersects with the river from Chippenham all the way to Bristol so you can start without a plan and catch the train when you want to. |
Below Bath the paddling is easy but quite built up. Beware past the docks in Bristol as you will be going out to sea so be ware of the tides.
Tides
See the admiralty charts at easytide
EasyTide
