A 2-mile easy circuliar walk: From Kennet and Avon museum, along canal and back. Click map below to enlarge. Click here for an aerial view. Click here for a downloadable PDF guide of this page. (There is a GPX route option here for phone/tablet download – some browsers need “save as”. But only follow this link after watching this GPX help video). Friendly warning: all files relating to walks are published here in good faith but on the understanding that users must be responsible for their own safety and wellbeing..
Start: Pick up towpath, under bridge, walk until bend in canal 750m
1: Continue walking until path up to road 570m
2: Cross road, enter Roundway Park road125m
3: Walk road until Quakers Walk path crosses it. Take left onto path 600m
4: Take Quakers Walk until it end at bridge. 880m
5: Cross river. Turn left onto road towards church entrance 320m
6: Walk through churchyard. Exit, take right onto main road 300m
7: Turn left and head towards start 200m
The pictures below are in the order things were seen on this walk. Clicking on any one will enlarge it (and the slideshow)
The walk
The map reference takes you to a car park. Should be space and charges not excessive. This is an easy circular walk. No stiles, no cattle, no muddy paths. Passers by on the towpath and a few walkers on the Quakers Walk (who may or may not be Quakers). Church circular added bit at the end is an option (church will probably will be closed).
What you see
The walk starts at the Canal Museum. Unfortunately, it is only open certain days and then only certain limited hours (check here). But if you can, it is well worth a visit. There is a display of equipment, tools, Measham Ware, and much detail of the growth of the canal, the geography, the economics and politics, and its place in Wiltshire history. There is a video here that gives an idea of its contents.
Close by there is a small local theatre – The Wharf Theatre. It seems to be busy.
The towpath makes a pleasant walk. At the end of this part there is a rather dull residential road (admire the front gardens perhaps). However, the Quakers Walk that leads off this road is a very agreeable tree-lined broad footpath. Although there is certainly a Quaker tradition in Devizes it seems that this walk has nothing to do with them but is a corruption of an older name – Keeper Walk.
At the end of Quaker Walk there is a suggested detour to St Mary the Virgin church. It’s a 12th century foundation – traditionally serving people outside the castle area (otherwise served by St Johns). Lots of 15th century alterations and again in the 18th. On our visit it was all locked up.
As part of this concluding circular addition to the walk you do pass what Pevsner calls “the best house in Devizes” – namely, Brownstone House. Then walking down couch lane (a medieval street). You might consider calling into the Black Dog Coffee company – where they do particularly fine cakes – its a bit hidden but on an opening to the right half way.
