Guildford sits on the River Wey Navigation, a 1653 canalised river that runs from the Thames at Weybridge down to Godalming. The towpath through Guildford is one of the most pleasant urban walks in the south-east — past mills, the medieval castle, the cathedral on its hill above the trees, and a series of working locks.
The Dapdune Wharf visitor centre, run by the National Trust on the river just north of the town centre, has a small museum on the Navigation, a restored barge you can board, and short boat trips in summer.