Grand Union Canal

The Grand Union Canal is the UK’s longest canal, from London to Birmingham. It enters Northamptonshire near Cosgrove and takes a north westerly route, leaving the county at Braunston north of Daventry. The canal is well maintained by the Canal & River Trust and provides good walking along its towpath and the excitement of Blisworth Tunnel. The Northamptonshire stretch opened in 1815 and at the Gayton junction, it also joins the river Nene linking Northampton to Peterborough and then to the North Sea. Given Northamptonshire’s hilly countryside, there are innumerable locks worth exploring. If you would like to explore the history of the canals, a visit to the Canal museum at Stoke Bruerne is highly recommended.