Theres lots of great canalside pubs to relax in on your walk. Consideration needs to be given to delivering a balanced approach to provide key walkingcycling route grand union canal grand union canal local park enclosure to spaces along the canal through building heights. The most important part of this network of watery highways was the grand junction canal. Grand union canal west drayton, hillingdon, united. Established as a means of linking the midlands to london for trade as the oxford canal navigation, opened in 1790, was insufficient. It has arms to places including leicester, slough, aylesbury, wendover and. It is mostly a very rural canal avoiding large towns for much of its route, passing through attractive villages with their own inviting pubs and also having many fairly isolated canalside inns, all great places to stop for regular. The grand union canal continues from braunston to the tidal thames at brentford. Minimise disruption to the use of the grand union canal during construction build from the north, transporting components along the viaduct deck surface use a precast approach to construction of the viaduct where possible minimise temporary land take required for construction to reduce environmental impact. For more details on the grand union canal see jim sheads canal pages. Apr 11, 20 this summer, enjoy the picturesque grand union canal on a traditional narrowboat from braunston and take advantage of savings of up to. Grand union canal view of the grand union canal looking west to old oak north vision summary the grand union canal will.
They form part of a short circular cruising ring, including the tidal thames past the houses of parliament and joining the grand union canal at brentford. Canals as we know them were a creation of the 18th century, although as early as 1515 canterbury had obtained an act of parliament to extend navigation on the river stour. 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. Its a wildlife documentary your local canal its all about pace. The grand union canal runs from the tidal river thames at brentford to join the oxford canal at braunston. Grand union canal part 6 tring to marsworth junction. The canal was built at the end of the 18th and beginning of the 19th. Our sunday afternoon stroll was to take us along the grand union canal, beginning at alperton and was end at the paddington basin.
A towpath guide towpath guides by nick corble isbn. The following is a continuation from our iron bridge via denham to cowley lock along the grand union canal item. The towpath from bridge 167 at cassiobury park to abbots langley was resurfaced in 202014. Being almost entirely towpath it provides much for those interested in canal history. The grand union canal race gucr is run from the centre of birmingham to the centre of london along the grand union canal. You will need acrobat reader or equivalent software loaded on your computer, or the acrobat reader. I drove up from walthamstow and parked on the street, just below tring station. A full colour map of the grand union canal from stoke bruerne to langley mill suitable for both waterways and leisure users. The grand union canal in england is part of the british canal system. The grand union canal stretches through some 26 miles of south northamptonshire countryside, passing through the settlements of blisworth, stoke bruerne and cosgrove but otherwise surrounded by open countryside. A43 merge layout f lane gain with ghost island merge overlap 50m nose ratio 1. Enjoy the peace and tranquility of the canal or use the route as a traffic free journey. North lock and north bridge on the grand union canal in leicester. The grand union canal is well endowed with canalside pubs along its long mainline between birmingham and london, and along the winding leicester section.
Simply click the box next to any service being displayed in the map key on the left of your screen. This map covers the central section from braunston to kings langley. From there it was just a short walk down the road to rejoin the grand union canal. Grand union canal all cruising map in acrobat pdf format. The mainline was built between 1793 and 1805, to improve the route from the midlands to london, bypassing the upper reaches of the river thames near oxford, thus shortening the journey. A drive for new traffic was undertaken and a huge fleet of new boats was ordered from three main builders. The grand union canal cuts through the heart of the town. For london, its the regents canal and the hertford union canal. The regents canal and the grand junction canal agreed that amalgamation and modernisation were the only way to remain competitive. Whatever your preconceptions of the gu, youll have. Grand union canal lode lane to dove house lane lode lane bridge bronze plaque 33168788336.
Started in 1793, the grand junction canal as it was then called provided a more convenient route between london. The mainline was built between 1793 and 1805, to improve the route from the midlands to london, bypassing the upper reaches of the river thames near oxford, thus shortening the journey in 1927 the canal was bought by the regents canal company and. The grand union canal, as the name suggests, is not a single canal, but rather a grand union of several canals. For more detail on this section see the history of the grand union canal in 1929 the regents canal bought the grand junction canal and a new company the grand union canal was established. Cowley peachey junction is where the five mile long slough canal arm leaves the grand union canal the slough arm perhaps obviously ends at slough and has. As we started commenced our walk we soon became very aware that the towpath ran alongside a very industrial area, contrasting from our previous stroll. Not the pace we live with everyday, but a slower more relaxed one. This website should provide you with all the information you require on the race including entry details, results, route details. House, combining their outlet through the working port of brentford and into the river thames. The union canal trail runs along the tulpehocken creek from the city of reading up to blue marsh lake in leesport. Grand union canal introduction the grand union canal in england is part of the british canal system. Horses are not allowed on the union canal trail but are permitted on the multiuse trails at blue marsh lake. The grand junction was the londons principal link with the rest of the uks canal system. The canal is joined by the gu leicester section at norton junction.
The grand union canal then purchased associated canal carriers ltd and formed the grand union canal carrying company ltd in 1934. Theres the trunk stretching from london to birmingham and then there are branches, or arms, heading off into surrounding areas. The grand union canal is essentially composed of no fewer than eight separate canals, and was built to link the major cities of london, birmingham, nottingham and leicester. The people who know the most about the grand union canal are the boaters themselves.
Some of those arms are full of water and navigable the entire way. Leicester line grand union canal canal and river maps canal. Constructed in the 1790s the saltisford canal arm was the terminus of the warwick and birmingham canal. The original grand junction canal ran from birmingham to london, is 7 miles long and has 166. The canal is joined by the stratford upon avon canal at kingswood junction. Grand junction canal network including brentford to braunston fully opened. It has arms to places including leicester, slough, aylesbury, wendover and northampton 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. It descends then climbs again to a new summit in birmingham, 7 miles and 166 locks. This has 75 x full a4 pages of maps plus 4 cover pages. On the canal near kingswood you will find the the navigation inn which has a lovely canalside beer garden to relax in. The grand union canal is britains longest canal, running 7 miles from london to birmingham. The route starts at braunston heading south westwards across rural northamptonshire, passing through weedon bec, blisworth and stoke bruerne before arriving in milton keynes.
The main line of the canal from birmingham to braunston is 43. Francis egerton, duke of bridgewater the canal duke, father of the inland waterway system, lived in ashridge, near berkhamsted. In 1929 the regents canal bought the grand junction canal and a new company the grand union canal was established. On this walk i was going to walk up the main route of the grand union canal as far as. Its main line starts in london and ends in birmingham, stretching for 7 miles 220 km with 166 locks. Competitors are required to complete the 145 mile distance within the time limit of 45 hours. Waterway gazetteer for grand union canal paddington. The grand union canal links london to birmingham, passing through rolling countryside, industrial towns and peaceful villages. The grand junction canal is a canal in england from braunston in northamptonshire to the river thames at brentford, with a number of branches. 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. The flat, crushedstone trail surface makes for a comfortable journey on foot, bicycle, crosscountry skis, or even snowshoes. The grand union canal is great to walk and cycle along as it heads south from cowley peachey via stockley to hanwell locks. 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.
Lined with colourful streetart, running under a variety of bridges and a mixture of old developed warehouses and newbuilds on. An act was passed and plans were made to tackle the new waterway in three sections. Years of decline force canal companies to merge and become. Summer boating holidays on the grand union canal waterways. Later that year the new company bought the warwick canals. This map gives detailed coverage of the grand union canal from stoke bruerne to langley mill with emphasis on the waterways and information useful and relevant to users of the waterways without neglecting other leisure users.
The leicester line of the grand union canal takes a quiet, meandering. The grand union canal holiday cruising guide and map. A list and map of canalside pubs on or near the grand union canal. Grand union canal, saltisford via river avon aqueduct to. Jun 14, 2019 the regents canal and the grand junction canal agreed that amalgamation and modernisation were the only way to remain competitive. Its main line connects london and birmingham, stretching for 7 miles 220 km with 166 locks.
The maximum boat size that can navigate the waterway from braunston to the top of camp hill. It has arms to places including leicester, slough, aylesbury, wendover and northampton. Canalside pubs there are many public houses near this canal, some are next to the waterway and offer moorings and other facilities. Its time well spent your local canal its a national treasure your.
Uk inland waterway size restrictions in english units compiled by john russell email protected. It runs for miles and 4 furlongs from bulls bridge junction where it joins the grand union canal grand junction canal main line gayton to brentford to paddington basin and wharves which is a dead end the maximum dimensions for a boat to be able to travel on the waterway are 72 feet. The original grand junction canal ran from birmingham to london, is 7 miles long and has 166 locks. Grand union canal synonyms, grand union canal pronunciation, grand union canal translation, english dictionary definition of grand union canal. Grand union canal, west drayton, hillingdon, united kingdom. The map displays a range of services available on the grand union canal. Grand union canal main line london to braunston gu. Grand union canal west drayton, hillingdon, united kingdom. Grand union canal the grand union canal main line runs from brentford junction with the river thames in london to salford junction in birmingham. The views are grand too, especially around pitstone wharf where the dunstable downs loom up on the eastern horizon. 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.
The following continues from our hatton locks flight area along the grand union canal in england item. It is our longest canal, the trunk route of the system, and helps thousands of people to live healthier, happier lives. The main line of the canal from brentford to braunston is 98. The grand union canal grand union canal looking north from sandhole bridge june 2008. A map of the grand union canal displaying locks, winding holes and various services available along the length of the waterway. Click on the image to the right to go the amazon page for this book. This first national waterways walk was created as part of the celebrations of the 200th anniversary of the creation of the canal companies that later formed the grand union canal. This is a downloadable grand union canal all cruising map in acrobat pdf format. The grand union canal in its current form came into being on 1 january 1929, and was further extended in 1932. The grand union junction, napton to birmingham, and north junction to trent lock.
I am pleased to present the grand union canal and boston manor conservation area. We are hoping that, with your help, we can make the uk waterways guide the most comprehensive and up to date source of information for the uks canals and rivers. The same map is also available as a downloadable grand union canal all cruising map in memorymap qct format. Bread punch roach fishing on the grand union canal. Heavily locked with 17 single locks along its short length, the northampton arm of the grand union canal was opened in 1815 linking the canal at gayton junction through the river nene in. More details are shown in each of the sections below. The maximum length of boat that can use the canal easily is 70ft and the maximum beam is 12ft 6 between london and birmingham and 7ft on the leicester arm. Maximum draught of a boat able to navigate this canal is 3ft 6 and height 7ft. Alternative routes for joining the two canals were discussed and it was. Getting that quality time for family, friends or just for you in a place that suits the mood. They are best guesses only and have been given in good faith. The grand union canal as it is now called has several arms or branches, these were often built independantly but have been amalgamated over the years to form the current canal. The saltisford arm starts where the grand union canal performs a near left hand turn. The grand union canal was the major artery of the canal system linking london to birmingham.
More details are shown in each of the sections below with the leicester section still to be added. Better towpaths on the grand union canal from west drayton to. The grand union canal paddington branch is a broad canal and is part of the grand union canal. Although the somewhat circuitous route to birmingham via the river thames and the oxford canal came first, it was the grand junction canal which really provided the transport infrastructure to bring goods from the industrial conurbations of the north and midlands to the capital. The grand union canal runs for 147 miles from paddington right into the heart of birmingham. The grand union canal, cowley peachey junction to hanwell. Minimise disruption to the use of the grand union canal during construction build from the north, transporting components along the viaduct deck surface use a precast approach to construction of the viaduct where possible minimise temporary land take required for construction to reduce environmental impact comments e f g d whilst we still have. The grand union canal towpath from rickmansworth to watford the grand union canal wends its way from london to birmingham through city, town and country. The grand union canal continues from braunston to birmingham. Uk inland waterway size restrictions in english units. To access the stonecliffe recreation area trailhead in reading from i176, take exit 11b to merge onto us 422 w. From london, this canal travels through northamptonshire and warwickshire into the suburbs of birmingham. In 1932 the grand union canal bought the leicester and loughborough navigations and the erewash canal for. Grand union canal definition of grand union canal by the.
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