Longer distance canal walks - public transport for one way section returns

[whole diary]

[grahame]

Following up on an ealier thread here ... and also to be shared separately elsewhere ...

I have been taking part in the "Melksham Daily Mile" this month in Melksham - the objective being to walk a daily mile. My predominant use of public transport over car and taxi in any case brings me good though shorter exercise anyway but I have been making a point of extending my walks.

This month - April 2025 - I have walked all the way from Devizes to Bath.  In stages, each stage topped or tailed by public transport to make for a one way walk. Total distance over these 3 days - about 22 miles (35 kms) spread roughly equally into 3 walks of about 7 miles each.

1. Devizes to Melksham
Out by 273 bus. Back home on foot along the canal.

2. Melksham to Bradford-on-Avon (walked in reverse)
Out by bus (x34, change to 69 in Trowbridge). Back on foot along the canal

3. Bradford on Avon to Bath
Out and back by train. Back along the Canal to Dundas then through the Two old railway tunnels under Combe Down.  With my cousins visiting from South Lake Tahoe on the California / Nevada state border in the USA

It has been a glorious and enjoyable trip and updated / reminded me of just how good for the livelihood of a canal running through the community is, and it has reminded me how useful the local public transport is.

[bradshaw]

Back in the 90s I set out to walk the K & A in a series of stretches, usually around 12 miles. Living in Maiden Newton I set out using the train. The stages I embarked on were Bath to Bradford; Trowbridge to Avoncliff ( for the Cross Guns); Trowbridge to Devizes for bus to Bath; Pewsey to Devizes for bus to Bath; Pewsey to Great Bedwyn; Bedwyn to Hungerford; Hungerford to Kintbury. I never got round to the last section.
The walks were helped by there being an hostelry every four miles or so.
In addition these guides were very useful.