Canoe day trip, River Avon and Kennet & Avon canal, Somerset, UK

Canoe day trip on the River Avon and Kennet & Avon canal near Bath, Somerset, UK.
An easy five mile loop that starts at the bridge at Limpley Stoke going downstream on the river Avon passing below Dundas Aqueduct before a short portage at Warleigh Weir up to the Kennet & Avon canal above. An easy paddle back up the canal passes over the Aqueduct that you paddle under on the river section earlier in the day.
Music:
Adventure Darling by Gillicuddy.
Gillicuddy is licensed under a Attribution-Noncommercial 3.0 Germany License.
By By River by Lobo Loco
Licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike License.
Seh One by Lou Ricard on Epidemicsound.com
Voiceover recording by David Oliver.

[@_MrOcean]

Excuse me Sir, I'm afraid this video was not nearly as long as it should have been. We demand more :)

[@MrAndyballard]

Lovely comment, thank you. There are a couple of longer canoe films from the River Wye on my channel. And hopefully I'll be filming another river adventure next week.

[@PaddlingTramp]

beautifully relaxing video!

[@MrAndyballard]

much appreciated comment in these dark times, thanks 👍

[@tmartin1264]

What a great film! Very much enjoyed it. Thank you.

[@MrAndyballard]

Thanks Tom, good to hear you enjoyed it. Always heartening to get positive comments, I was v near this place yesterday - we did another stretch of the Avon & Kennet.

[@richardburke583]

Another gorgeous video, thanks. Saved this one in my playlist full of places to go.

[@MrAndyballard]

Appreciate the positive comment Richard. This trip is beautiful - and only takes a day (or less). Highly recommended!

[@stephentree3466]

Beautifully put together. Any man who brews his own fresh coffee bank side has my full respect and attention from the off . The images and narration were almost meditative . First class all round . More please

[@MrAndyballard]

What an encouraging comment, I thank you for that. These things take so much time & effort to film & edit that I feel like jacking it at times. Yeah… me mate doesn’t go far without his coffee pot either camping or cycling or canoeing! There’s a couple of longer River Wye canoe trips on my channel that might be right up your alley. If this godforsaken weather clears up we’ll be heading down the Wye again and I’ll do some filming. Thanks again.

[@lauriebloggs8391]

Top film.......loving your canoeing films!

[@MrAndyballard]

Glad you're enjoying the viewing Laurie.. binge it!

[@Alexander-vm2ox]

Oh just take me to the river please 😍

[@MrAndyballard]

Ok, can ya paddle?

[@Alexander-vm2ox]

Andy Ballard I’m more fisherman love fishing, that river looks beautiful mate

[@olmasters]

Thank you for sharing, I paddled this route with my better half yesterday and it was beautifully serene

[@MrAndyballard]

Ah nice one! serene it certainly is... then you get onto the canal up top and it's like the motorway services!?

[@olmasters]

@@MrAndyballard Absolutely, we're looking forward to paddling the upstream section at somepoint too. Thanks again!

[@MrAndyballard]

@@olmasters Excellent, yes that's on the cards for us too... a put in at Bradford on Avon at the Tythe Barn seems to be feasible.

[@LudwigHohlwein1974]

One of my favourite valleys. Nicely filmed.

[@MrAndyballard]

Was on the river Avon again yesterday, I paddled from Bradford on Avon down to Dundas and back on the K&A canal, beautiful valley indeed.

[@Rameman33]

One of the best times for a paddle Andy is around springtime,there always seems to be a serene calmness to the water,even down here in Cornwall on the tidal creeks.Beautiful short film again.Hope you have many more paddles in the coming warmer months.Andy.

[@MrAndyballard]

Yes, I'd agree with you about spring, it was very serene indeed. My mate in the film is familiar with Cornish tidal creeks - I think he's done a stretch of the Helford, and actually used to live on a boat up a creek in Falmouth many moons ago!

[@cwgray63]

I've been waiting for this final edit of your Avon adventure and as usual Andy, you don't disappoint! Beautifully captured, narrated and edited. Your calm voice-over is so fitting and emulates your sensitive filming style. Well done mate! Oh, and didn't I mention your perfect apt choice of music in all your productions??

[@MrAndyballard]

Always a joy to get your articulate comments Chris, much appreciated. This loop is becoming a firm favourite - we went back over the long weekend just gone for a re-run, a bit overcast and grey, but still a joy to be out on the river & canal.

[@simonturner3701]

Another beautiful video. Was great to meet you on the yeo last year and chat as we both enjoyed a peaceful paddle. Going to have to give this route a go, looks stunning as always in your videos.

[@MrAndyballard]

Bloke in a small kayak drinking Stella and smoking fags?? Yes, I fancied a different river (altho the Yeo is close to me here). I highly recommend that stretch of the Avon, we had the place to ourselves as you could see, altho the canal and towpath were busier.

[@kevintwine8443]

Great line at the end "hear hear"

[@MrAndyballard]

Thanks for watching kevin 👍

[@kevintwine8443]

That's where I paddle it's such a lovely place

[@MrAndyballard]

@@kevintwine8443 Ah nice one! it is a lovely paddle. Hopefully, weather being conducive we're off for a paddle this Saturday. BoA to Dundas and back up the K&A. There's a newer vid on my channel of that trip (filmed in July)

[@kevintwine8443]

I'm going this afternoon ☺️ ok il have a watch. Have a good time Saturday ☺️

[@GaryThomsonJoinery]

Right that’s it,,,,,Subbed now 👍😄

[@MrAndyballard]

Ha ! good on ya Gary, obviously a spot close to your heart maybe? It is one of my favourite spots.

[@christopherhugh7075]

Cheers, Chris

[@MrAndyballard]

cheers 👍

[@jackledouxchoosealifenotak164]

Just found your Chanel love your content you’ll go far on here mate

[@MrAndyballard]

Thanks for watching Jack, roll on spring I say and time to get back on the river

[@mandycampbell329]

Absolute beauty Andy. Lovely drone footage. I feel quite chilled after watching it. 👍

[@MrAndyballard]

Good on ya as always Mandy. Pete's over in June, we're planning a big one on the Wye, I'm tempted to leave my cameras at home and just enjoy the trip for what it is...

[@mandycampbell329]

@@MrAndyballardGo for it boo. Wish I could see Pete again put alas cant see it . Give him my love and have a bloody good time 👍x

[@Lobo_Loco]

Beautiful canoe trip, also cool the different camera perspectives. Lucky Greetings Lobo

[@MrAndyballard]

Cheers! By your name there I'm guessing that I used your track ‘By By River’? A lovely track, I downloaded that some time ago from the FMA and have just been waiting for the right edit to come along... then it did! Great music. There are a few other of your tracks that I'd like to use on future projects too. Greetings from England.

[@Lobo_Loco]

Thank you, that would be great! I like your way of making films, happy people inside the nature. Lucky Greetings from Göppingen Germany Lobo

[@StevenWhite1]

Great videos Andy. I'd like to paddle from BoA into Bath. I can't decide whether to use the canal or river. I have a high-end inflatable canoe, but I'm concerned about the weirs on the river. Are they all easy portages? Any info would be gratefully received.

[@MrAndyballard]

Cheers Steven. Yes, that would be a great trip, I guess you could probably do it in a long day maybe... without a shadow of a doubt, the river is far prettier and much much quieter than the canal. The canal is chock full of narrowboats and masses of people on the towpath. I paddled downstream from BoA on the river last week and found the weirs quite high because of the rain we've been having. I portaged the Avoncliff one (not easy on a steep track - but not impossible either) and also the Limpley Stoke weir was very high. There's a straightforward track that bypasses the weir and a put in next to the bridge at Limpley. Easy. The next one is Warleigh weir, again possible to go down over it by lowering your boat or taking out at the weir and putting back in after the weir which is a fairly straight forward affair. I can't advise on the weirs further downstream. I'd highly recommend the river tho, it's a beautiful stretch of water. The canal is like minestrone soup in comparison! Check out the BoA trip vid too.

[@jacobtaylor4258]

oh wow, just made me some tea and biscuits and it was over, so andy having never canoed, how do i go about learning, and can you negotiate through the locking system on the canals,

[@MrAndyballard]

There are more than a few canoeing films on my channel Jacob. Check out the River Wye trips, they're probably my best edits. Well... I'm no expert on canoeing, I've owned mine for only a few years now. But what I do know is that it's the most rewarding & relaxing pastime you can take part in. Ah... the locks. Canoes can't enter locks on UK canals. No big deal, there are plenty of rivers to canoe on here in the UK. What part of the UK are you from?

[@jacobtaylor4258]

@@MrAndyballard thanks for your reply, i have watched all your films now and found them most relaxing, i probably have the same mind set has yourself, peace and quiet and mother nature that's when i am at home, i live in the longdendale valley the dark peak, is there any books on mapped out rivers for canoeing, and could you perhaps make a film on your kit set up and why it works, thanks andy.

[@MrAndyballard]

@@jacobtaylor4258 Ah,that's good to hear, if I've inspired someone, that's even better. You're up north then. I'm not really familiar with the North to be honest. Probably the best place to learn about canoeing is from a guy named Ray Goodwin. He's got a great book out packed with information for the beginner through to expert. It's called ‘Canoeing’ by Ray Goodwin. He's also got a YT channel with some good practical techniques. He's prob the best guide in the UK currently.

[@RocketmanRadford]

Thanks. Do you have a link to that route you can share?

[@MrAndyballard]

All the information is in there Martin... Google limpley Stoke bridge & the put in is in the field below it. You could check out the website "song of the paddle" to find more Bligh's and info 👍

[@MrAndyballard]

Bligh's? Bloggs, bloody spell checker!

[@bradkent5671]

Nice video. Sounds silly but do you need any sort of license to do this?

[@MrAndyballard]

cheers Brad. Apparently on some stretches of canal you're meant to have a licence. But rivers no. You can join British Canoe.org and the licence covers you for canals I believe. I've never been challenged anywhere.

[@fatherjohn_3132]

It seems you have made enemies with the people who live next to the first weir, they requested we did not cross over the weir with our kayaks today when we tried to follow your route and said that because of your video they have had so many issues. But last time I checked the Avon was a public navigation so everyone can cross all the way through? Am I right in thinking this?

[@MrAndyballard]

Good to get your comment Fatherjohn! Avoncliff I presume? People have been portaging/going down that weir long before I posted that video. That chap is holding me personally responsible for everyone that now goes down over the weir, it's nuts. He also said that I encouraged people to picnic in his garden, unbelievable! He also accused me of (wait for it this is the best bit) murdering a swan! Yes, a fair haired bloke in a green canoe was seen murdering a swan and paddling off in a hurry. The bloke wants a scapegoat and he's found one in me. People have been paddling the Avon downstream from BoA for eons, he clearly doesn't like people enjoying the river and regards it as his personal fiefdom. There is a portage trail around the weir - I tried it a couple of weeks ago but it's not easy, it's a switchback trail, and you'll struggle with anything over a 12ft boat getting it up the steep track to the canal above. Every canoeist/kayar and SUP paddler I have spoken too on the river since say that they lower their craft down the weir.

[@fatherjohn_3132]

@@MrAndyballard yeah it was avon Cliffe, It was my first paddle since getting my new kayak and haven't been out of any for a few years since I last owned one and your video described perfectly where to start (the barn) and was a really nice scenic loop route so thanks for that! Yeah I was told the story of the Swan and the picnic in his garden and expected the portage to be a quick side trail round the house which I regretted after seeing the hill to the canal! We later saw more kayaker who said he also told them to get out and portage the weir which they politely told him to 'fuck off'. But seriously, your videos are great and if you ever come down Salisbury, Wiltshire. I'll love to meet up for local rivers and I can give you a tour 👍 keep it up!