Avington Estate Beat

Four miles of chalk stream on the Avington Estate near Hungerford, Berkshire, covering the main River Kennet and an intricate network of carriers (the kind of labyrinthine system created by 18th-century water engineers that gives the Kennet far more than its road-map length suggests). The fishery comprises the Kennet and its twisting carriers, and the water is fished on an exclusive-use basis, with all rods sharing the full four miles rather than rotating through individual beats. The Kennet here is a fairly big river by chalk stream standards, offering a mix of open glides, faster riffles, and intimate carrier channels.

Brown and rainbow trout are the target species, fished upstream on dry fly and nymph. The season at Avington runs from 1 April through to 30 September. There is a great variety of fishing to suit all levels of experience throughout the season, including what is most often a spectacular mayfly hatch. Olive hatches in spring are combined with grannom, and the mayfly is followed by some excellent evening fishing through the summer months as caddis flies gather. Because the Kennet runs slightly cooler than most other chalk streams, the mayfly hatch tends to start a little later, creating a longer and more sustained hatch throughout late spring and early summer. The beat is well stocked and suited to beginners, with the carrier network offering sheltered, manageable water alongside the more demanding main river.

Avington offers one of the best fishing lodges on the whole of the Kennet; once a cricket pavilion, it was dismantled and moved to its current riverside location, and is filled with old fishing rods, cased fish, and trophy pictures of many happy anglers. A fully catered riverside luncheon is included. Group bookings and corporate days can be arranged on a limited number of Mondays throughout the season, with the fishery and hut able to accommodate groups of up to twelve. A 9 ft four-weight rod is the standard tool for this water.