Bike packing shake down ride
Bike packing overnight on Kennet and Avon canal from Devizes to Great Berwyn and Savernake Forest
An midweek overnight bikepacking trip along the Kennet and Avon Canal to test some gear options and to get away and relax.
When the seasons start changing I like to do a 'shake down' ride (or walk) along the Kennet and Avon canal to test things out and also for the pleasure of getting away for a midweek overnight.
This trip I parked up on the road near Devizes and after getting loaded up I headed east along the canal towpath to Great Bedwyn. The first part of the ride took me past the Cann lock flight and at the top the little cafe was an ideal place to stop/start and have my lunch and a coffee. The climb up is not at all severe but its enough to get into a different sort of cycling mode and remember to slow down, and get into a steady bike packing pace.
Test to use two Lomo dry bags on the fork cages instead of my usual Ortlieb fork bags - Full length sleeping mat in one and tent fly, inner and pegs in other
This trip I parked up on the road near Devizes and after getting loaded up I headed east along the canal towpath to Great Bedwyn. The first part of the ride took me past the Cann lock flight and at the top the little cafe was an ideal place to stop/start and have my lunch and a coffee. The climb up is not at all severe but its enough to get into a different sort of cycling mode and remember to slow down, and get into a steady bike packing pace.
Stopped before I started at a bench and enjoyed watching the canal in the sunshine before heading off
Most of the canal towpath is semi surfaced or roughly surfaced interspersed with the more rural and remote sections where it is soft mud and can have a camber sloping towards the canal itself. A reasonable head wind and the sections of mud and camber kept things interesting enough and the towpath seemed to be busier that usual with dog walkers and can live a board dogs on the tow path. No problems with any but a did slow down when approaching to gauge the mood of the animals before cycling past. Lots of colourful boats, and some quite shabby looking ones!
This canal boat was nicely painted and looked cheerful in the autumn sunshine
I have walked this stretch of the canal in both directions, from a midway starting point and enjoyed doing the whole 50km plus in one go, on the bike for a change. The wide and chunky tyres made the muddy sections easier and any tyre drag was compensated for by the better handling and confidence to ride through the mud and grip on the off camber sections.
Many sections of the canal towpath are quiet and rural with few people and boats
The Crofton Locks section drops down quite a bit on a muddy towpath
At Great Bedwyn I left the canal and used the road to climb up and away form the canal to get to take the bridleway to St Katherine's Church and rejoin the road for a short section to get to the southern end of Savernake Forest. The track through the forest seemed to take ages with lots of short, sharp up and downs before I arrived at the camping site. The Camping in the Forest site is quiet basic with just a toilet block, sinks and water points. It is open all year and very quiet midweek and out of season!
Photo of tent taken in the dark using night mode and head torch!
Lessons learnt
I was mostly pleased with the set up I had. The stove in a cage mid frame might be tinkered with and swapped about some where. I really missed some sort of chair but have found in the past one to be unwieldy in the tent! I have a thermarest chair kit so might try that again. All, in all and good shakes own trip and the route will be fine for the winter.