The River Nene joins the Northampton Arm in Northampton. Leicestershire and Northamptonshire Union Canal, "The Grand Union Canal Holiday Cruising Guide and Map", Canalplan: Grand Union Canal (Leicester Section), The Grand Union Canal, Regents Canal, River Lee and River Stort, "First British canal for 100 years announced", Documents and clippings about Grand Union Canal Company, Watlington and Princes Risborough Railway, List of civil parishes in Northamptonshire, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Grand_Union_Canal&oldid=994615002, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. It then heads westward over level ground through Southall, Hayes and Yiewsley until it reaches the gentle valley of the Colne. Its last 160 yards (150 m) were lost in the 1970s saving a disused road bridge that stands isolated in a car park. North of the centre, it traverses the modern New Bradwell Aqueduct, the first on the Grand Union in over 100 years. [13] The trust confirmed in 2012 this remains a long-term objective, to be actioned when the economic conditions allow.[14]. Locks. As you may well guess, the Oxford Canal Company was more than just a little upset. The Grand Union Canal has six main branches, usually termed 'arms'. However, the onward sections from Braunston to Birmingham had been built as 'narrow' canals – that is, the locks could accommodate only a single narrowboat. The original line of the Warwick and Birmingham Canal leads to the Digbeth Branch Canal of the Birmingham Canal Navigations at the Warwick Bar, while the later line of the Birmingham and Warwick Junction Canal leads to the Birmingham and Fazeley Canal (and Tame Valley Canal) at Salford Junction, which in turn has connections to the Coventry Canal and the Trent and Mersey Canal. Above the eighth lock down the flight, a short arm (now used as pleasure craft moorings) used to serve Southam cement works. Until I did this walk I never realised that the Grand Union Canal did not go all the way to the Gas Street Basin/Farmers Bridge Junction in Birmingham but is left at Bordesley Junction. After rising through Cosgrove Lock, (and passing the start of the abandoned Buckingham Arm) another long level section brings the canal to the bottom of the Stoke Bruerne flight of seven locks. The boat dragged me forward and I sustained an injury as a result. Between these two towns, the canal crosses the River Avon and the former Great Western Railway on aqueducts. INFO Distance: 9.3mi (15km) Surface: Sealed, brick, & cobbles. Key Facts. You can find at postcode B94 6NA. † Diagram not to scale. At times it runs along the towpath of the Union Canal, a wonderful wildlife corridor and recreational space. From here the canal follows the course of the River Bulbourne through Bourne End with the well-known swingbridge at Winkwell, and the "Port of Berkhamsted, a small compact town". The section of the main line between Brentford and Braunston (formerly the Grand Junction Canal) was built as a 'wide' or 'broad' canal – that is, its locks were wide enough to accommodate two narrowboats abreast (side by side) or a single wide barge up to 14 feet (4.3 m) in beam. 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 … The locks on the canal are partially numbered: numbered consecutively south of its turn-off for Leicester, Braunston Junction. An Act of Parliament of 1931 was passed authorising a key part of the modernisation scheme of the Grand Union, supported by Government grants. The predecessor to the Canal and River Trust, British Waterways, received mild financial support indications from the two local authorities covering Slough and Eton, Berkshire to extend the Slough Arm to join the Thames, via any course i.e. It starts with five miles of the Grand Western Canal, and then follows remote country lanes, more or less shadowing the course of the canal, eventually arriving in Taunton. From Leicester to the Trent, the route is effectively the River Soar and the locks and bridges are wide. The map displays a range of services available on the Leicester Section of the Grand Union Canal. The Grand Union Canal north of Olton. The Leeds & Liverpool Canal, at 127 miles (204 km) and incorporating parts of the now-extinct southern end of the Lancaster Canal, is considered the longest single canal in the UK. Three miles (5 km) from Norwood on this long level is Bulls Bridge[2] Junction, once the site of the Grand Union Canal Carrying Company's main dockyard. One end of the Grand Union Canal (Grand Junction Canal – Main Line) is at Brentford on the River Thames in west London, where the canal follows the engineered course of the Brent. Named after the Prince Regent the 8.5 mile long Regents Canal was planned by Thomas Homer to provide a commercial link between the Grand Union Canal via the Paddington Arm and London's docks beside the River Thames in London's East End. The project was first discussed in 1810 when its promoters included Samuel Whitbread. The Grand Union Canal in England is part of the British canal system. The Grand Union Canal north of Olton. Its main line starts in London and ends in Birmingham, stretching for 137 miles (220 km) with 166 locks. Here it merges with the Rivers Chess, Colne and Gade. The Grand Union Canal was formed in 1929 by the amalgamation of eight canal companies. Pack : Today I carried full Pennine Way kit. A Wendover Arm branches off westwards from the summit level under a bridge adjacent to Marsworth Top Lock and is currently navigable for just over a mile to moorings and a winding hole; it has restoration project to extend it back to Wendover. A five/mile (eight-km) section of the Oxford Canal forms the main line of the Grand Union between Braunston and Napton. The Saltisford Canal Trust have restored most of the surviving canal, 1990–2015, such as installing long lengths of sheet piling and restoring a warehouse in 2007. The Grand Union Canal was nationalised in 1948, control transferring to the British Transport Commission, and in 1962 to the British Waterways Board, later British Waterways. From here, there are two routes, both part of the Grand Union Canal. 158. It was built between 1806 and 1814 as part of the Grand Union Canal link across the Northamptonshire uplands to the Grand Junction Canal at Long Buckby. The SGT suite of trails highlights the finest experiences Scotland has to offer the long distance traveller. At the north-west end of the summit level is Bulbourne Works, where lock gates were manufactured until 2003 for the southern canal network. However, that canal never went further than the basin at Market Harborough. Join Now Renew Now Log in. The original Grand Junction Canal ran from Birmingham to London, is 137 miles long and has 166 locks. This was constructed as part of a project to create a wide-beam canal route to connect the northern and southern parts of the canal system, something which does not exist to this day. It is our longest canal, the ‘trunk route’ of the system, and helps thousands of people to live healthier, happier lives. Wooden bridge across the canal at Northolt, London, Bull's Bridge Junction in the eastern distribution-centred part of Hayes, west London, A lock and upstream tract to a white humpback bridge at Apsley, Hertfordshire, The canal near Bugbrooke, Northamptonshire, The canal near Nether Heyford, Northamptonshire, Coordinates: .mw-parser-output .geo-default,.mw-parser-output .geo-dms,.mw-parser-output .geo-dec{display:inline}.mw-parser-output .geo-nondefault,.mw-parser-output .geo-multi-punct{display:none}.mw-parser-output .longitude,.mw-parser-output .latitude{white-space:nowrap}52°03′03″N 0°44′02″W / 52.05076°N 0.73400°W / 52.05076; -0.73400, This article is about the modern canal. The main line may be considered to terminate at Bordesley Junction. The flight was seen as a considerable engineering feat in raising or lowering vessels 75 feet (23 metres). The club hosts regattas on a stretch co-running with the Soar, typically held in mid-April by over 100 crews over a 770-yard (700 m) course. All grand union canal artwork ships within 48 hours and includes a 30-day money-back guarantee. From Cowley Peachey, the Slough Arm runs 5 miles (8.0 km) to the west. Just before Uxbridge is Cowley Peachey Junction, where the Slough Arm branches off westward. Olton to Birmingham (National Indoor Arena) Distance -Approximately 7 miles from Olton Station to N.I.A. The three sections between Norton junction and the River Trent (collectively known as the 'Leicester line') are mixed in size. Beside Foxton locks is the site of a long-abandoned inclined plane boat lift. Canal length : 65.8 miles: Locks : 41: Boat Length : Locks : 227. Tips for Cycling The Grand Union Canal The Route. Another 3 miles (4.8 km) lead to the Knowle flight of five locks. 137 miles from the Thames to Birmingham. A new basin and warehouse were constructed at Tyseley, above Camp Hill, to deal with this. Bodies of Water. Its main line starts in London and ends in Birmingham, stretching for 137 miles (220 km) with 166 locks. … 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. [10] The project is supported by British Waterways (and its successor, the Canal & River Trust), the Bedford & Milton Keynes Waterway Trust, other waterways campaign groups, and also local councils. It has arms to places including Leicester, Slough, Aylesbury, Wendover and Northampton. Using peaceful towpaths and passing by Rushmere Country Park, this route offers a great way to enjoy the delights of the canal system. A few miles further on the canal passes through the 2040-yard (1865-m) Braunston Tunnel, which pierces a low range of hills that are part of the Northamptonshire uplands. Traditionally this section of the canal is called "Slapton Fields" or just "The Fields" by boaters. Canal Details. A few miles further on it enters Milton Keynes at the outskirts of Bletchley at Fenny Stratford Lock, which is unusual in lowering the level by only 12 inches (30 cm). This is the toughest section with the highest chance of punctures so planning to go any further is risky. The Canal River Trust, who manage the Grand Union Canal, have been contacted for comment. [9], From Milton Keynes, the canal is planned to pass beneath the M1 utilising an existing cattle creep, then cross over Brogborough Hill, and across the Marston Vale through to the River Great Ouse in Kempston.[12]. Ultimately, canal boaters choosing this route can reach Peterborough, the Fens and the Great Ouse. The Regent's Canal and the Grand Junction Canal agreed that amalgamation and modernisation were the only way to remain competitive. The Grand Union Canal runs for 147 miles from Paddington right into the heart of Birmingham. It was built as an arm of the Grand Junction Canal, in two separate phases, opening in 1800 and 1801. The route through Bordesley was part of the Warwick and Birmingham Canal, which intersected the Digbeth Branch of the Birmingham Canal Navigations a short distance to the north-west of the junction. Maps show junctions with other canals and hirefirms & boatyards. From Gayton Junction, about 60 miles (97 km) from Brentford, the Northampton Arm links with the River Nene. Shortly after Napton Junction, the Grand Union reaches three locks at Calcutt, which begin the descent to the Warwickshire River Avon. The canal then drops down the Braunston flight of six locks until it reaches Braunston Junction having covered just over 93 miles (150 km). The canal was built at the end of the 18th and beginning of the 19th centuries, providing a more direct route between the 2 cities. Until I did this walk I never realised that the Grand Union Canal did not go all the way to the Gas Street Basin/Farmers Bridge Junction in Birmingham but is left at Bordesley Junction. Apply Now; Renew Your Cover The restored arm is close to the centre of Warwick. Shop for grand union canal art from the world's greatest living artists. [9] The new waterway would create a new cruising ring connecting through from the Grand Union to the waterways of East Anglia which are beneficial to leisure cruising as boat hirers are able to take circular routes. There's lots of great canalside pubs to relax in on your walk. This realigned the canal to the south of its former course; the locks here are still referred to – without irony – as "The New 'Uns" by traditional boaters, and the term has been passed on to a new generation of canal users. The Grand Union Canal (Paddington Branch) is a broad canal and is part of the Grand Union Canal. 122 Reviews #1 of 3 things to do in Linslade. At this point I had walked a further 17.5 miles along the Canal. It was formed from the amalgamation of several different canals, and at 286.3 miles (460.8 km) (281.3 miles (452.7 km) when excluding the shared line with the Oxford Canal), is by far the longest merged canal in the UK. Select place by name; Select place by waterway; Use nearest place to where you are; Start from home mooring The Regent's Canal Company bought the other two companies, paying £801,442 2s 7d (£801,442.13) for the Grand Junction Canal Company. Grand Union Canal Walk Pubs/Cafes. This was where the last regular cargo of cement was loaded heading for Birmingham in the late 1960s I understand this cargo continued as part of a water extraction agreement. It includes tunnels south of Crick 1,528 yd (1,397 m) and north of Husbands Bosworth 1,166 yd (1,066 m) The village of Crick is home to a popular annual boat show. Here, the Grand Union heads north towards Birmingham, while the Oxford Canal veers south towards Banbury and Oxford. Grand Union Canal. Weather Warning: Towpaths are slippery when wet/icy. For more details on the Grand Union Canal see Jim Shead's canal pages. At Braunston Junction, the Oxford Canal diverges north and south. Grand Union Canal Walk. Thames Lock is lock number 101. The Grand Union Canal was never constructed as an entity, but is the result of amalgamations between 1894 and 1929 of several independent waterways — the oldest being the navigations around the River Soar in Leicestershire, the longest the Grand Junction Canal from Braunston to the River Thames. For either option I recommend Birmingham to Braunston (approx 50 miles) as the target for Day 1. Just upstream of the Gauging Lock was a large canal basin, now known as Brentford Lock, from which the canal covers more distance passing through two more locks. The Buckingham Arm once ran from Cosgrove, Northamptonshire to Buckingham. It was disused from 1932, but was not finally abandoned until 1964. To the left is the restored Saltisford Canal Arm, a short stretch that used to run under the railway to the original canal basin complex and terminus of the Warwick and Birmingham Canal – the basin was filled-in in the 1970s. Beyond Blisworth the canal continues north west and is joined at Gayton Junction by the Northampton Arm - which connects the Grand Union canal with the River Nene 5 miles away. At Whilton, the canal reaches the bottom of the Buckby flight of seven locks which raise it to Braunston summit the village of which parish is 5 miles (8.0 km) away. Canal Details. Join Now Renew Now Log in. Commercial traffic continued to decline, effectively ceasing in the 1970s, though lime juice was carried from Brentford to Boxmoor until 1981, and aggregates on the River Soar until 1996. It was originally the main line of the Warwick and Birmingham Canal, 1799, leading to the terminus and a basin with wharfs for timber. The Grand Union Canal, Regents Canal, River Lee & River Stort The Grand Union Canal leaves the River Thames at Brentford and climbs over fifty locks up into the Chiltern hills. The longest canal in England is The Grand Union Canal which runs from Birmingham to London. This arm has 17 narrow locks as it descends to join the navigable River Nene (see below). The double Thames Lock at Brentford separates the Tideway administered by the Port of London Authority from the River Brent/Grand Union Canal, administered by the Canal & River Trust. At Warwick the northernmost branch off of the Grand Union Canal (also known by regular users as the "GU"), the Saltisford Canal Arm begins. The Grand Union Canal was also the original name for part of what is now part of the Leicester Line of the modern Grand Union: this latter is now generally referred to as the Old Grand Union Canal to avoid ambiguity. It is now the subject of a restoration project. The Grand Union Canal in England is part of the British canal system.Its main line starts in London and ends in Birmingham, stretching for 137 miles (220 km) with 166 locks. Camp Hill Locks in Birmingham were not widened, as it would have been very expensive and of little point, since they lead only to further flights of locks not in the ownership of the Grand Union. It descends then climbs again to a new summit in Birmingham, 137 miles and 166 locks. on the Grand Union Canal (Warwick and Birmingham Canal: widened section - Main Line) between Kingswood Junction (Junction of Grand Union and Stratford upon Avon Canals) (6 miles and 4¾ furlongs and 5 locks to the south) and Camp Hill Top Lock Winding Hole (7 miles and 4 furlongs to the west). The triangular canal basin formed by the junction is called the Little Venice in Maida Vale. On the canal near Kingswood you will find the the Navigation Inn which has a lovely canalside beer garden to relax in. The north section leads to Rugby and Coventry; the southward fork carries both the Oxford Canal and the Grand Union for 5 miles (8.0 km) to Napton Junction. After Rickmansworth, the canal follows the valley of the Gade, passing the site of Croxley paper mill. Try them out to discover yet more of Scotland's hidden countryside and its wildlife, and if long distance walking is your bag, explore some of Scotland's Great Trails (SGTs) too!. Along the route, you’ll pass interesting sights on the canal … Grand Union Canal in London, courtesy of Go Jauntly This walk is courtesy of Go Jauntly , a free community-based walking app, which invites you into a world of outdoor adventures. Bulky shining sculpture or landmark, Liquidity erected 2002 at the apex Ferry Wharf, Brentford, marking a then-dry entrance to the Grand Union Canal from the River Thames's Tideway as at low tide. Funding to deal with the narrow locks at Watford was not forthcoming and the scheme was aborted. Traffic Warning: There are two tunnels on the canal where there is no towpath so you need to navigate streets briefly.Also look out for cyclists and other pedestrians (especially under bridges). After Kings Langley and Apsley – the site of more former paper mills – the canal passes the town Hemel Hempstead and Boxmoor Common. Olton to Birmingham (National Indoor Arena) Distance -Approximately 7 miles from Olton Station to N.I.A. Great Way to enjoy the delights of the Grand Union intended to the... Considerable engineering feat in raising or lowering vessels 75 feet ( 23 metres ) 'Leicester line ' ) are in... The Gade, passing the site of more former paper mills – the of! Slapton Fields '' by boaters Company bought the other two companies, £801,442!, launches, and even when going through cities or towns it a... Depth and width were never carried out between Braunston and London Canals hirefirms... Motorway as it descends then climbs again to a new Arm from here to the Great Ouse at Bedford was. 1 January 1929, and licence info on the Arm by a public partly! Count the dots and multiply by 2 hours of Warwick ( 97 km ) with 166.. 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