River Wey and Godalming Navigations - Guildford to Shalford Paddle Trail

2-3 hours

Duration

8.5 miles

Distance

Out and Back

Very Easy

Difficulty

GU1 1LW

Start Postcode

GU1 1LN

End Postcode

A. Launch from the small triangle of land beside the public house grounds - do not launch from the public house garden/car park.

B. Put in and turn right to paddle upstream, away from the bridge which has the word NAVIGATION across it.

C. As soon as you set off you have countryside on your left and a wide variety of houses to your right.

D. The river meanders gently towards Guildford Town centre. The first bridge you pass under is the A3 and from then on into Guildford there is a mix of countryside, pretty bridges, historic and industrial buildings.

E. On your right just after the A3 bridge is Woodbridge Meadows. These natural meadows have some amazing wooden sculptures in them and they are well worth a look. Have a look at the car park gate entrance too.... sadly the barrier is too low for a car with a roof rack but the train and insect sculpture on the barrier make up for that!

F. A few hundred yards further on the left is Dauphne Wharf and again it is worth a look. Keep a look for other boats on the blind bends at this point.

G. As you come into Guildford the river appears to branch left and right. Debenhams will be on your left and it’s the right hand side you need. Go under the footbridge and up to the sluice.

H. This is your first portage by Millmead Lock. Portage across the island (an easy get out) and put in clear of the lock. There is a narrow boat hire company on the opposite bank next to the Yvonne Arnaud Theatre so do watch out for narrow boats.

I. After a short distance the river bends sharply right. On the opposite bank is Guildford Rowing Club so also look out for rowers.

J. From here on you leave Guildford and head off into open countryside as the river continues to meander. If you are interested in geography there are some good examples of Ox Bow lakes here as well as other geological features created by the river.

K. Paddling along you will then come across a wooden footbridge, then a fork in the river. Take the right hand side as this is the main river channel (you have the option to return via the channel to the left and this is where you will come out!).

L. St Catherine’s Lock is reached a few hundred yards further on. The lock is portaged on the towpath side. You may see Highland cattle on the adjoining water meadow from this vantage point.

M. The scenery is very rural and peaceful between the passage of trains on the nearby mainline. Back on the water; continue a few hundred yards, passing a weir on the left before the railway bridge.

N. From this point you can choose to return to Guildford as one of the options for this trail. For this, land on the grassy bank between the weir and railway bridge to portage about the weir and transfer into the natural river course. It is a 50 yard portage to the get in point immediately below the weir. Take care as the water can flow quite quickly with a back eddy. From then on you can enjoy the pleasures of this meandering section of Natural River, past the water works and ending up at the place where the river first divided.

O. If you decide to carry on beyond the railway bridge towards Shalford, after the next road bridge (A248) there is the junction with the Wey & Arun Canal. This remaining short section of canal is now a stretch of private moorings and worth exploring.

P. If you wish to stop and picnic on your journey there are lots of opportunities so the choice is yours! Continuing a further 2.5 miles and portaging two locks brings you to Godalming and a one way trip from here to Guildford is worthwhile if you can arrange a car shuttle.

Q. A starting point in this area is Catteshall Lock, Farncombe, (Grid Ref 981445) with on road car parking or in the nearby car park (free on Sundays) on the A3100 adjacent to the Leathern Bottle public house.

At times of high flow the locks are padlocked and the waterway is closed to all navigation.

Discover More

Enjoy a paddle along the Wey, which was one of the first British rivers to be made navigable and opened to barge traffic in 1653. It is quite an unusual waterway. The Wey has two separate sources in two different counties.

During the seventeenth century, the river was made navigable to Guildford and extended in the eighteenth century to Godalming. The Basingstoke Canal and Wey and Arun Junction Canal were later connected to the river. The navigable sections are now owned by the National Trust.

The river has long been used as a source of power for mills, and many are recorded in the Domesday Book. At one point, there were 22 mills on the river, and more on its tributaries. At various times they have been used for:

Grinding grains
Fulling wool
Rolling oats
Crushing cattle cake
Leather dressing
Paper production
Gunpowder manufacture

This 15½-mile waterway linked Guildford to Weybridge on the Thames, and then to London. The Godalming Navigation opened in 1764, enabling barges to work a further four miles upriver.

The award-winning visitor centre at Dapdune Wharf in Guildford tells the story of the Navigations and the people who lived and worked on them. Visitors can see where the huge Wey barges were built and climb aboard Reliance, one of three surviving barges.

The entry to the Wey from the Thames is below Shepperton Lock and even though the river is very close to London you soon feel a sense of peace and remoteness. The river has been recorded in history as the Wegan (956–1225) and Waie (1190–1193).

Licence Information

The waterways in this trail are managed by the National Trust and it is a requirement for paddlers to hold a licence. Paddle UK’s On The Water membership includes an annual licence for here as well as other waterways.

When paddling, have your membership card with you as proof of licence; otherwise, you could face a fine. Get your digital membership card straight away with your licence and liability insurance included from www.paddleuk.org.uk.

JOIN PADDLE UK

Safety Information

We want you to have fun and a safe paddle! Here are some helpful tips to ensure you paddle responsibly and stay safe on your journey. Please take a moment to review these important safety tips:

– Always wear a correctly sized buoyancy aid

– Carry a mobile phone – in a waterproof case

– Tell Someone Where You’re Going

– Check the weather and conditions

– Know your limits

Check out some useful blogs and e-learnings on how to keep safe

Environment

Wherever and however you paddle, our Paddlers’ Code helps to ensure we can all enjoy and share the water safely and protect our precious environment.

Don’t get sick doing what you love. We know water quality is a concern for many paddlers. Click here for some simple advice on water quality and how to protect yourself.

Get informed, stay safe and make good decisions by checking the National Storm Overflow Map

Paddlers can play a vital role in keeping our waters free of harmful non-native species. It is crucial you Check, Clean and Dry you boat and equipment to prevent the spread. Click here for more information on Invasive Non-Native Species.

For more environmental advice and guidance, see our Blue Space Blogs section on the Paddle UK website.