Anchors Away (Sort of): A canal boat trip on The Rose of Hungerford

As part of the BW 25th anniversary celebrations, today’s BW social will be based in Hungerford, where we’ll be boarding the Hungerford-based canal boat ‘The Rose of Hungerford’. Today’s trip will take us to Wire Lock, where we’ll have fantastic views of the North Wessex Downs.

Starting at Hungerford Wharf at 14:30, we’ll pass under some classic canal bridges to follow the River Dun and on the edge of Hungerford Port Down. At our first lock stop at Dun Mill, we’ll be passing one of the many Pill Boxes, which was part of the defence line along the canal at the start of the 2nd World War and manned by the Home Guard. Beyond the lock, the River Dun flows into the beautiful chalk-stream River Kennet in the valley below, which we then follow towards Wire Lock. Here, the boat will be turned around before we make our return to Hungerford Wharf for an ETA of 17:00.

During the trip, we’ll have access to an on-board bar, which comes with a selection of drinks and snacks that can be brought throughout the duration of trip. Depending on the conditions, we may be able to disembark the boat at Wire Lock to stretch our legs as well as enjoying the views of the surrounding Berkshire countryside. There may also be the chance of assisting with the opening of the gates and working the lock paddles, which would be done under the supervision of the crew.

This trip is limited to 15 people, including the organiser, with the option to expand to 20 people if there’s the demand. If you’re interested in coming, please show your interest via Meetup as well as buying a ticket via this link at a cost of £12 per person, which excludes the cost of the on-board bar. Please note, that the boat has limited space, so please sign up and buy a ticket sooner than later to avoid disappointment. The boat will promptly depart from Hungerford Wharf at 14:30, so please arrive there by 14:15 to allow enough time for embarkation.

Please note, that dogs are allowed on board The Rose of Hungerford as long as they’re well behaved. However, there’s a possibility that there may be another person on board who’s allergic to dogs, by which case they may be denied boarding. This would be done at the Skipper’s discretion on the day of the trip.

If you plan to travel by train, the recommended train to get from Reading is the 13:01 GWR service that arrives in Hungerford at 13:26. For those who live in the Newbury area, this same train departs from Newbury station at 13:17. This will allow for plenty of time to walk to Hungerford Wharf, which is roughly a 10-minute walk from the station. If you plan to drive, the most direct route is along the M4 to Junction 14, by which you then follow the postcode RG17 0DN towards Hungerford Wharf.