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Route: Basingstoke Canal Towpath Trail (United Kingdom)

Location
United Kingdom
Distance
52 km
Vertical Gain
50 m
Description

The Basingstoke Canal Towpath Trail is 33 miles long from Penny Bridge, Up Nately, to the Basingstoke Canal's junction with the River Wey Navigation at Woodham, Surrey. A permissive tree-lined footpath following the restored 200-year-old canal through the Hampshire and Surrey countryside via woodland, heathland, wetland and pasture. Wildlife has flourished in the canal's clear water, creating Britain's best site for water plants and over 25 species of dragonfly. There are many sights along the way, including Odiham Castle, the Deepcut flight of locks, aqueducts, scenic villages and historic buildings. The canal towpath has been reinstated as far as Up Nately, 3½ miles from Basingstoke. This is currently the limit of the Towpath Trail.
 

GPS Track
Basingstoke Canal.gpx4.91 MB

FKTs

Comments

Jay Sinclair
Sun, 10/04/2020 - 11:07am

Just completed this as always wanted to run the length, and as I was completing the virtual VLM seemed sensible. Great day out, even with the terrible weather. We saw a kingfisher, few very friendly Herons, swans and a Cormorant looking bird(?). Completed with Chris Schollick with loads of the West End Moovers crew meeting us for various points to enjoy the fun. As the other runners have mentioned, the start hard to find (just opposite a gate into a field) and when you are on the greywell tunnel follow ur nose and U'll find ur way across easy. Once on the canal proper easy as pie. Woking path re open as of the 4th October 2020, but another section was to be closed soon I believe. Along the route there are distance markers every 0.5km (waist high posts with a green flash around them) they count down from greywell to Woodham. Very useful. 

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Vince WARNE
Mon, 01/30/2023 - 04:18am

I'm planning to run this on Saturday 4th Feb 2023.  I've previously run from the River Wey and always stopped at the Greywell Tunnel (and conveniently, the pub), so I'm not so sure on the section beyond the Tunnel. I'll be running from Up Nately this time and hope to go under 5 hours on this try.

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Vince WARNE
Wed, 06/21/2023 - 12:30am

Completed the route Greywell to West Byfleet on the 4th Feb 2023 in 4H 21M, I plan to do an out-and-back attempt starting around 6AM 1st July 2023 at West Byfleet end and probably/possibly arriving back at 4PM.