River Avon

The River Avon rises near Naseby in Northamptonshire and flows southwest for 85 miles to join the Severn at Tewkesbury. It marks the border between Leicestershire and Northamptonshire for its first few miles, where Stanford Reservoir has been formed. The river then enters Warwickshire, passing Rugby, Warwick and Stratford-upon-Avon before reaching Evesham and Pershore. Its catchment covers 1,032 square miles and it has many tributaries, including the Swift and the Leam.

Navigation began in 1635 when William Sandys built pound locks that allowed boats to pass without losing much water. By 1641 the river could be reached within four miles of Warwick, and later improvements let 40-ton barges reach Stratford. The river was divided into Upper and Lower Avon in 1717, and restoration work in the 1960s and 1970s returned it to full navigation. Today the Avon is used only by leisure boats and forms part of the 109-mile Avon Ring cruising route.

Walkers can follow Shakespeare’s Avon Way for 88 miles from the source to Tewkesbury, staying close to the river. Two chain ferries carry pedestrians across the water at Evesham and Stratford. Overnight moorings and boatyards are found at towns along the river, and the Stratford-upon-Avon Canal links to the Avon in the town centre. The river’s gentle bends and historic locks make it a peaceful place for boating and walking beside water meadows and old mill sites.