Arguably the most interesting stretch of the Basingstoke Canal, this walking or cycle route takes you past 11 of the huge locks that lift the canal 100 feet in just 2 miles and form the majority of the Deepcut Flight.
Section 4 of the Basingstoke Canal Towpath The is a picturesque two mile walk past 11 of the 14 locks in the Deepcut Flight. The Deepcut Flight In total these locks raise boats by nearly 100 feet in just 2 miles! The Locks The Route The Bisley Bullet This line was closed in the 1950s, leaving only its brick piers. Curzon Bridge Plenty of Wildlife The Walk I often cycle this route and it takes about 20 minutes to reach Pirbright Bridge from Curzon Bridge. Uphill or Downhill? If you cycle in the other direction, you are going uphill. The Paths The surface can be a little bumpy with stones in some places but is easy to use a bike or buggy along. Where to Next? North – Section 3: St John’s to Brookwood to Pirbright Bridge 
Section 4 of the Basingstoke Canal towpath takes you from Pirbright Bridge to Curzon Bridge in Deepcut. 
The Deepcut Flight is a series of 14 locks on the Basingstoke Canal between Pirbright and Surrey Heath. 
The locks have two enormous wooden doors at each end with huge levers. 
This section of the towpath starts at Lock 15, which is next to Pirbright Bridge 
and a conveniently placed car park. 
Then heads under Cowshott Bridge to Lock 17.
Along the path are remnants of the Bisley Bullet, a railway line that connected Brookwood to nearby rifle ranges. 
The path leads past another seven locks 
and ends at Curzon Bridge, a modern bridge that shelters Lock 25. 
Wildlife is everywhere along the canal and we spotted butterflies, caterpillars, spiders, ladybirds, newts, freshwater snails and lots of fish, including a large one that looked like a pike.
There were plenty of waterbirds, including ducks and coots with gorgeous chicks.
This section of the towpath is 2 miles long and is not circular. It took us about 1.5 hours, walking at a child’s pace. 
If you cycle or walk from the Deepcut to Pirbright you go down the hills. 
The towpath is generally flat but does rise 100 feet along this stretch. This means that at each lock there is a little hill but nothing we found strenuous. 
It can be muddy in places so be sure to bring wellies if it has been raining.
South – Section 5: Curzon Bridge to Frimley Green to Canal Centre
Visit the Basingstoke Canal website
Further Information
Nearest Town: Pirbright or Deepcut (depending on which end you start from) Opens: Daily Where to Eat: Bring a picnic and a blanket. How Long We Spent There: About three hours. Parking: We parked one car at Pirbright Bridge (where there is room for several cars) and the other at the lay-by on Gapemouth Road (GU24 0PQ – see above for details). Wildlife You Might See: Ducks, swans, Canada geese, herons, coots, moorhens, other birds, foxes, stag beetles, butterflies and other insects. Information Written: May 2017
County: Surrey
Nearest Postcode: GU24 0AG (on Pirbright Bridge) or GU24 0DN (from Deepcut). The Deepcut postcode will take you to Stanley Hill, which is as close to the Deepcut lay-by as possible to direct with postcodes. The lay-by is actually next to the railway bridge on Gapemouth Road. For the exact location, please see the Where To Go Map as the marker called “Basingstoke Canal Walk 05 – Deepcut to Frimley Green to Basingstoke Canal Visitor Centre” points to the lay-by.
Cost: Free
Facilities: There is a picnic table along the way at lock 28.
Buggies: Buggy friendly.
Cost of Parking: Free
Information Checked: June 2024
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Our visit to the Deepcut Flight and Section 4 of the Basingstoke Canal towpath from Pirbright Bridge to Curzon Bridge in Deepcut is summarised below and you can add your own rating under ‘User Rating’ or in the ‘Add Comment’ section below.
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