Basingstoke Canal

The Basingstoke Canal in North Hampshire was built between 1788 and 1794 and is 32 miles long with 29 locks. After many years of restoration it is fully navigable and a long boaters paradise. The canal flows between the village of Greywell in Hampshire to Woodham in Surrey before connecting to the River Way Navigation, which in turn joins the River Thames.

The canal's unique composition alkaline water in the chalky springs of Hampshire to the more acidic waters in Surrey makes it a perfect home for aquatic plants. The Basingstoke Canal actually has recorded more types of aquatic plant than any other waterway in Britain. This rich river band of plant in turn provides a home for over 25 species of dragonfly. It is for this reason that most of the canal (with the exception of the stretch through Woking Town Centre) has been designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) by English Nature.

Public narrow boat trips are offered from the Basingstoke Canal Visitor Centre in Mytchett at weekends and during school holidays Easter-September. You can also hire a boat for the day or bring friends and family together for a private party cruise.

If you prefer, the Basingstoke Towpath Trail offers amazing views of the canal and its wildlife. Stretching the full length of the canal the trail starts at Penny Bridge to its junction with the River Wey at Woodham. There are many sights along the way, including Odiham Castle, the deepcut flight of locks, aqueducts, scenic villages and historic buildings.