Weekend Breaks
Weekend Breaks: from 2pm Friday to 9am Monday
Friday 2pm-4pm Arrive at Devizes Wharf (SN10 1EB), load gear on to boat, park car, receive boat handover training (about 1hr) then set off for the Bridge Inn, Horton (01380 860273) or the Crown Inn, Bishops Cannings (01380 860218); you are advised to pre-book for a Friday night. Moor on towpath side of canal, not too close to a bridge or on a swing bridge landing stage.
Saturday Set off – from Bishops Cannings it’s 2hrs to Honey Street, which apart from being in the shadow of the Alton Barnes White Horse, hosts the Honeystreet Mill Cafe (01672 851155) and the Barge Inn (01672 851222). It’s another 2hrs to Pewsey Wharf with its Waterfront Bistro/Bar (01672 564020) – but don’t forget the scenery is idyllic along this beautiful 15 mile pound so there is no need to have to do any more than simply moor in the countryside for a picnic or barbeque lunch or dinner! At Pewsey Wharf the bustling village with its lovely museum is a mile down the road from the Wharf – the station, shops and pubs are here. Chocolate-box Wootton Rivers is 1hr further. The thatched Royal Oak Inn (01672 810322) is excellent for dinner if you wish.
Turn round before Bridge 109 (Farm Bridge) – put the bow of boat in until you just touch the railway sleepers then, on just over ‘tick over’, push your tiller to the right and boat will gently come round. Then gently into reverse with your tiller in the opposite direction and take the boat under the bridge so as to straighten up. You are now facing Pewsey again – choose your mooring whether close to the village or back out in the countryside.
Sunday If you stay the night at Wootton Rivers you will need to allow 6hrs ‘non-stop’ cruising if you need to leave your boat at Devizes Wharf on Sunday afternoon. However a gentler cruise on Sunday can place you at either Bishops Cannings or Horton ready for a short cruise to Devizes Wharf on Monday morning. Or, lunchtime Sunday at the Kings Arms, All Cannings (2hrs to Devizes) mooring at Allington Swing Bridge area and taking the public footpath through fields to the pub. Evening meal available at either The Crown or the Horton Bridge Inn…or simply relaxing on a mooring in the countryside – to allow for a timely arrival at Devizes Wharf by 9am next morning.
Monday 9am arrive at Devizes Wharf for unloading.
EARLY RETURN: You are welcome to return and moor at the wharf on Sunday afternoon/ evening, noting that you may be moored alongside other boats. You are welcome to leave the boat early (by prior arrangement) if you need to get home ready for Monday commitments – just ensure, when boarding, that you make the handover team aware of your intended early return and we will give you additional instructions for leaving/ securing the boat, noting that we are not on site to supervise your departure or check the boat in – we do this on Monday morning in your absence.