The River Thames and the Great West Way

Based on one of the first Great Roads commissioned by the kings of England, the Great West Way® winds through some of England’s finest lush green landscapes, through Royal Windsor and past timeless Avebury, taking in Bristol’s city energy, historic Bath and English village life. Grace and elegance, rural peace or contemporary cool. The cities, towns and villages along England’s Great West Way are brimming with charm, buzzing with vitality or shouting their history from every corner.

The River Thames and then the Kennet & Avon Canal keep company with the Great West Way from its beginning in London to its finishing point in Bristol. The two meet at Reading, but these are very different waterways: the Thames is England’s longest river, beginning as a small spring in the Cotswolds, widening and deepening as it passes through the heart of London to the sea. The Thames flows tranquilly curving past some of the most significant sites in history: Runnymede, where Magna Carta was sealed; Royal palaces at Windsor and Hampton Court; the Parliament buildings at Westminster.

The Kennet & Avon is in fact two rivers, linked by a central canal section built in the Georgian period. The Kennet & Avon Canal (K&A Canal), created as a trading link between London and the west coast, is a masterpiece of engineering with 105 locks, including the longest continuous series of locks in the country at Caen Hill, Devizes.

Today, these wonderful waterways provide a place to relax with a gentle stroll and picnic or for the more active there’s an amazing variety of activities from canoeing and kayaking to paddleboarding or cycling along the towpaths. Passing through towns and cities, the waterways offer tranquil spaces in urban areas, as well as stopping off points to discover England’s heritage. The more rural sections offer a wealth of wildlife and natural beauty and all along is living history. The waterways have also inspired festivals and regattas through the ages.

Travelling through 125 miles of twists, turns and new discoveries – by road, railway or waterway –discover these destinations, along with lesser-known attractions and unique experiences: a captivating mixture of the worldfamous and the yet-to-be-discovered. For a taste of rural England – literally and figuratively –a meander north takes a detour to the Cotswolds. With its soft green hills and honey-coloured stone, it’s the perfect spot for a stroll and to sample some delicious regional food and drink.

And then of course, just off the route, is Stonehenge. This ancient masterpiece of engineering is one of the planet’s most important ancient sites, a slice of England’s story, and a fascinating part of a compelling journey along the Great West Way.

England’s new touring route can now be fully explored car-free, thanks to Great Western Railway’s new Great West Way Discoverer pass, a partnership between train and bus providers and the Great West Way. The pass covers the railway line from London Paddington and London Waterloo to Swindon, Pewsey and Salisbury, and onto Bath and Bristol Temple Meads

Discover the Great West Way here