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Pewsham Locks Open Day
May 10 @ 10:00 am - 3:00 pm
An event every month that begins at 10:00 am on day Second of the month, repeating until 11 October 2025
Popular open days on a restored stretch of canal between near Chippenham are due to return this weekend.
Hundreds of people attended last year’s events at Pewsham Locks, a flight of locks which once lifted narrowboats on their journey north along the Wilts & Berks Canal.
Visitors can enjoy a pop-up café, boat trips, and tours of the building projects and wildflower meadow.
The first event takes place on Saturday 10th May and will be repeated on the second Saturday of each month until October. The café and tours open from 10am, with boat trips available from 12.30pm, before the event closes at around 3pm.
The open days are organised by the Melksham, Chippenham & Calne branch of the Wilts & Berks Canal Trust.
Spokesperson Bright Wright said:
We’re looking forward to welcoming lots of visitors and sharing the progress we’ve made in bringing this historic waterway back to life. People often enjoy walking or cycling along the towpath but this is a golden opportunity to learn so much more about the charity, our local work and our plans for the future.
We’ll be offering guided tours of the dry dock and carpenter’s workshop, which are due to be completed later this year, as well as tours of the wildflower meadow and wildlife habitats. The boat rides are especially popular, taking passengers to Double Bridge near Reybridge and back again. We also offer exclusive trips for community groups in the mornings.
These rides depend on the weather and the water levels though, so we always advise people to check our social media for any late changes. Boats depart from the wharf at Pewsham Locks, where the pop-up café offers plenty of tea, coffee and cake, and lots of seating beneath the trees – it’s a great location for a relaxing day out.
The site is just a short walk along a footpath from the edge of Pewsham. Directions are available at www.wbct.org.uk/mcc-events (please note there is no public parking at the locks).
Refreshments and boat rides are available by cash donation or scanning a QR code. Last year’s events raised almost £2,000.
For further information call 07510 326730 or email brian.wright@wbct.org.uk
The aim of the Wilts & Berks Canal Trust is to restore the waterway from the Kennet & Avon Canal near Melksham to the Thames & Severn Canal near Cricklade and the River Thames near Abingdon, connecting Chippenham, Calne, Royal Wootton Bassett and Swindon.
New members are always welcome. Visit www.wbct.org.uk
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