The Grand Union Canal Walk

Background

The Grand Union Canal runs for 147 miles from Paddington right into the heart of Birmingham. As it links the two biggest cities in Britain it was a major transport link before the coming of the railways, although nowadays it is almost exclusively used by pleasure craft.

I walked the Grand Union Canal in sections between 1999 and 2001, extending it slightly by adding the Regents Canal from Mile End in East London to the southern end. The walk passes through some pretty countrysde, and even when going through cities or towns it keeps a rural, attractive air. The walking is easy with no significant climbs and a generally good towpath underfoot, which makes it an ideal training walk for long-distance walkers.

The map.


PB110142 A man tying up a working boat in Gas Street Basin.		AI20 The canal at Bulbourne.

The walk in full:

No.	From	To	Distance	Status
1	Mile End	Paddington	8.3	Completed
2	Paddington	Alperton	6.4	Completed
3	Alperton	Cowley Peachey Junction	12.5	Completed
4	Cowley Peachey Junction	Kings Langley Station	16.2	Completed
5	Kings Langley Station	Hemel Hempstead Station	4.2	Completed
6	Hemel Hempstead Station	Tring Station	8	Completed
7	Tring Station	Cheddington Station	6.1	Completed
8	Cheddington Station	Bletchley Station	13.3	Completed
9	Bletchley Station	Wolverton Station	11.9	Completed
10	Wolverton Station	Bugbrooke	16.6	Completed
11	Bugbrooke	Braunston Junction	13.5	Completed
12	Braunston Junction	Leamington Spa	16.1	Completed
13	Leamington Spa	Solihull Station	20.9	Completed
14	Solihull Station	Birmingham (New Street)	12.1	Completed


PA270061 Looking back at Braunston along the canal.		P9290013 The sign at Gayton Junction - Northsmpton 4.75 miles, Brentford 77 miles and Brauston 16.5 miles.

Further information

The walk is also covered in detail in the Grand Union Canal Walk, by Anthony Burton and Neil Curtis, ISBN 1 85410 244 3, published by Aurum Press Ltd. Click on the image to the right to go the Amazon page for this book.

For more details on the Grand Union Canal see Jim Shead's canal pages.

More Grand Union Canal photos


PA060017 Looking west along the lane leading back down to the canal at Braunston.		PA270069 A view down the Stockton flight of locks.


PB040089 Looking down the Hatton flight of locks from Lock 42.		PB110131 Ashted canal tunnel.


D25 A pagoda restaurant on the Regent's Canal between London Zoo and Camden.		D23 Little Venice on the Regent's Canal.


D24 The Regent's Canal below the Aviary at London Zoo.		G22 The Grand Union Canal east of Alperton.


G25 Boats on the canal near Kensal Green.		AE09 A lovely view along the canal.


AI16 Looking along the Grand Union Canal.		AI17 Looking along the Grand Union Canal.


AI18 A view of the Grand Union Canal.		Z24 A bridge on the canal.


P7220005 The view from Soulbury Top Lock		P7220002 Slapton Lock


P7220004 Leighton Lock (11.49:35)		P7220003 Leighton Lock


P8110003 Stantonbury Bridge (No. 75).		P8110001 The attractive double bridge (No. 97).


P8110002 The canal near Newport Pagnell.		P8110004 The mural on the wall near Wolverton.


P9290001 Looking north at the Wolverton Aqueduct.		P9290002 The view of the Great Ouse from Wolverton Aqueduct.


P9290003 Looking south at Wolverton Aqueduct.		P9290004 The canal junction at Cosgrove Lock.


P9290006 A bridge between Grafton Regis and Stoke Bruerne.		P9290007 Stoke Bruerne lower lock, looking up the flight of locks.


P9290008 Old canal ironwork outside the waterways museum at Stoke Bruerne.		P9290009 The rain dropping off the corrugated iron roof of the shelter near the southern portal of the tunnel.


P9290011 The northern portal of Blisworth tunnel.		P9290012 Looking up the Northamton branch of the canal at Gayton Junction.


P9290014 Boats on the canal immediately to the south of Bugbrooke bridge.		PA060008 A bridge just north of Bugbrooke


PA060009 Weedon Station Bridge		PA060010 Looking south along the towpath north of the A5


PA060011 A boat on the canal between Muscot Mill and Whilton Bottom Lock.		PA060012 Buckby Bottom Lock


PA060014 A small cast-iron sign at Norton junction - Leicester 41.25 miles, Braunston 4.25 miles		PA060015 Looking north along the Leicester arm of the Grand Union Canal.


PA060016 The eastern end of Braunston Tunnel		PA060018 The plaque on the western end of Braunston Tunnel.


PA060019 The western end of Braunston Tunnel		PA060020 A couple of boats in one of the locks at Braunston.


PA060021 A lock and covered dry dock at Braunston.		PA060022 The distinctive twin-humped bridges at Braunston Junction.


PA060023 Looking towards Birmingham from the bridges at Braunston Junction.		PA270060 The towpath bridges at Braunston.


PA270062 Looking south along the alignment of the old Great Central Railway over the canal.		PA270063 Looking north along the alignment of the old Great Central Railway.


PA270066 A canal boat on the stretch between Calcutt bottom lock and Gibraltar bridge.		PA270067 A lock on the Stockton flight.


PA270072 A view along the canal to the east of Long Itchington.		PA270073 Bascote Top Lock.


PB040096 Looking up the Knowle flight of locks from the bottom lock.		PB040085 Looking east along the canal near Leam bridge.


PB040087 Looking up the Hatton flight of locks from above Lock 35		PB040088 The drained lock on the Hatton Flight, complete with boat hulk.


PB040090 Hatton top lock		PB040091 The south-eastern end of Shrewley tunnel.


PB040094 Looking down the spur canal from Kingswood Junction.		PB040101 The canal on the outskirts of Solihull.


PB040097 Knowle top lock.		PB040098 The canal near Kenilworth road bridge.


PB110122 Looking west along the canal near Rowwood Bridge.		PB110124 A view east along the canal.


PB110125 A view west along the canal.		PB110128 A disused church visible above one of the Camphill Locks.


PB110129 Bordersley Junction and the last of the Camphill Locks.		PB110132 Ashted canal tunnel.


PB110134 Aston Junction.		PB110137 Looking west towards the BT tower at the Farmers Bridge locks.


PB110139 A boat on the canal at the junction at Farmers Bridge.		PB110141 Nearly there! The corner of Gas Street Basin.

Back to walks index

Back to long distance paths index

Please visit my ramblings blog at: https://walkerramblings.blogspot.com/