Moorings on the Basingstoke Canal

The Basingstoke Canal is a 51-kilometre Site of Special Scientific Interest waterway running from the River Wey Navigation at West Byfleet in Surrey through Woking, Brookwood, Aldershot and Fleet to its current head of navigation at Greywell in Hampshire (the original terminus at Basingstoke is no longer reachable due to a tunnel collapse). Restored over decades and now managed by the Surrey and Hampshire Canal Society and the Basingstoke Canal Authority on behalf of the two county councils, this is a uniquely managed waterway — separate from CRT — and known for its exceptional ecological value. For boat owners, the Basingstoke offers a genuine surprise: heathland, ancient woodland, the Brookwood Cemetery surrounds, Frimley Aqueduct and a series of wide pounds suiting traditional narrowboats. Mooring is more limited than on CRT waterways and is generally allocated through clubs and the canal authority — long-stay liveaboard berths are scarce and competitive. The 29 Deepcut Locks and the Brookwood flight provide enough cruising challenge to keep things interesting. The canal is more popular with day-trippers, kayakers and walkers than with through-cruisers, and through navigation is restricted in some sections by water-availability rules. For boat owners able to secure a club mooring, the Basingstoke offers exceptional natural beauty and excellent rail access to London at Brookwood, Woking and Fleet.