The Avon Causeway to Christchurch

The following photos and notes have been supplied by a canoeist who paddled from Fordingbridge to Christchurch one day in the spring of 2008. This ‘section’ describes the final 10kms from the Avon Causeway to Christchurch Harbour

SZ156964: River Avon between Sopley and WinktonThe gatehouse to moorlands Bible College is the building just right of centre, in this view from the river

SZ160960: Hatches on the river Avon at Winkton
The river divides into two streams here. This is the view looking upstream from the western branch. The eastern branch flows to the right of the picture, upstream of the hatches

SZ160956: Hatches on the river Avon below WinktonThese hatches connect the east and west branches of the river Avon, which divides at Winkton and converges again at Burton. The function of the thatched building is not known to me

SZ157944: River Avon at Fairmile
Power lines and gravel extraction plant mar this view across the meadows from the river Avon towards Fairmile

SZ154940: River Avon above Christchurch waterworks
This pipeline across the river is near the upstream end of the large waterworks of the Bournemouth and West Hants Water Company. The river flow is controlled and divided into three streams here by sets of hatches, which also serve as footbridges carrying the Avon valley Path across the river. The tranquil, rural scenes of the upper stretches of the Avon are suddenly transformed at this point, not just by the industrial buildings, but by a profusion of high steel fences and unwelcoming signs

SZ156934: Railway bridge over the river Avon
Looking downstream through the railway bridge

SZ160931: A35 bridge over the river Avon
The view downstream through the bridge carrying the A35 Christchurch by-pass over the Avon

SZ162928: Bridge Street crosses the river Avon An interesting house on the east bank of the river Avon, in Bridge Street in Christchurch. The river divides into two streams about 200 metres upstream of this point, and converges again just upstream of the confluence of the rivers Avon and Stour. This view is downstream on the eastern branch of the Avon

The river now joins the River Stour, and flows into Christchurch harbour. The paddle can be extended a further 2.5kms across the Harbour to Mudeford Quay (SZ183917)

A note from the paddler

We paddled my open boat from Fordingbridge to Christchurch on Monday, 23km as the crow flies but 37km on the water. We launched at 9 and arrived at Christchurch at 4, having struggled against a strong head wind all the way, but with surprisingly fast flow – faster than the stretch we are familiar with around Downton.

We saw very few people. A farmer on the Somerley estate got on his mobile as soon as he saw us, a game angler threw a comment after we had passed, a walker said hello, and four Environment Agency workers launched a boat as we passed, motored past us at Avon Castle and were working on the bank as we passed them again. They were very friendly

All was well until we reached the Christchurch waterworks, where the hatches must be portaged. As we portaged we were challenged by one of their staff who said we were trespassing, and he crossed the bridge to meet us. We launched ahead of his arrival to avoid conflict and were met at the next bridge by one of his colleagues who took photos and told us he would confiscate our boat if he saw us there again. Both were quite unfriendly in their approach and very confident of their position. This is a difficult portage to make discretely and, although the portage across the hatches is on the Avon Valley Path, and therefore a right of way, you have to cross a small piece of their land, the grass bank, to launch again. Presumably they could prevent that if they saw you coming, or threaten to sue for trespass if they knew who you were?

Other than that, a great day out, lots of bird life below Ringwood, and a very pretty piece of countryside. We thoroughly recommend it.