How to get there - Mytchett is about 5 miles south of Camberley. From junction 4 on the M3 turn south on the A331 and shortly turn left onto the A325 (signposted Frimley). At the roundabout, take the third exit and at next roundabout turn left onto the B3411. Follow the road round to the right at the church and then across two roundabouts. Fork right into Sturt Road and after 2nd railway bridge, fork left (Mytchett Road). At next roundabout turn left into Mytchett Place Road and immediately after the canal bridge turn left into the Canal Centre.
For those with SatNav the postcode is GU16 6DD
Get a map with driving directions to start (enter the postcode of your starting point at A)
Suggested Launch Site - Canoes can be launched over the bank. There is a lowered portion of the bank for this purpose.
General
Description - Set off to the left (south). This is a six mile lock & portage free paddle. While suburbia is never far away, the canal runs through it's own strip of countryside. The railway runs adjacent or near to the canal several times so it's not unusual to her trains but these are not the high speed variety. At several points the canal opens up into "flashes". These are wide lakes of water pre-dating the canal and probably originate from flooded gravel pits. These now support a wide diversity of wildlife.
The Swan Inn is canalside at Heathvale Bridge at Ashvale. The canal then spends a half mile passing the back gardens until it passes briefly through what passes as a town centre at Ash before returning quickly to it's normal rural feel. The aqueduct carries the canal high over the dual carriageway before returning to the woods and Ash Lock which is where I turned round.
Comments on this trip
Martin E 21 Jul 2013
Surprisingly few boats on this stretch of the canal today; just a couple of narrow boats and chav rowing boats. An idyllic paddle in beautiful weather.
Ali Johnson 05 Jul 2013
Wow! You could have been anywhere! It felt like Canada!
