Cycling the Grand Union Canal towpath between London and Birmingham

Over the past 5 years, I have cycled the whole length of the Grand Union Canal (GUC) between London and Birmingham in segments, and this is a list of the blogs covering my experience. They are listed South-North from London to Birmingham, although sometimes I rode them North-South. Some are incorporated as part of circular rides.

• this post: Brentford Lock on the Thames to Bulls Bridge, Southall; also  Regents Canal from Limehouse and Paddington Arm from Paddington Basin
• this post: Bulls Bridge, Southall to Cowley and Uxbridge
• this post: Cowley through Uxbridge to Kings Langley
• this post: Kings Langley to Berkhampstead
• this post: Berkhampstead to Northampton
• this post: Northampton to Kingswood Junction
• this post: Kingswood Junction to Birmingham

Alternatively, here is a map showing the rides in outline: more detailed maps will be found by clicking each coloured line, which will bring up a link the relevant blog.



The GUC provides a 137 mile long green corridor linking the cities of London and Birmingham.The towpath is open to (considerate) cyclists for its full length, which is continuous except for tunnels at Shrewley, Braunston, and Blisworth. The surfaces span the full range: tarmac, compacted earth, stones, dirt, grass; wide and narrow, smooth and rough, but mostly perfectly cyclable on a hybrid or mountain bike, and, of course, fairly flat. (Perhaps the roughest section is on my ride between Kingswood Junction and Northampton.) As always, there is the caveat that you must expect mud on unmade sections after prolonged rain and in winter. Also, remoter sections can get a bit overgrown in summer, and you should watch out for overhanging low branches, which can deliver a nasty blow to the head (I speak from experience).

In country areas, you will encounter few people, but in urban areas you may find the towpath is very popular with other cyclists, pedestrians, ramblers, dog walkers, fishermen etc. And the banks are in places lined with moored narrowboats, whose ropes and other clutter spill out onto the towpath. All of which means you should cycle with care and consideration, making use of a good bell to warn of your approach.

Although the canal is quite hemmed in by buildings, hedges and walls, the immediate surroundings provide a varied experience, including industrial works, housing, new apartment developments, marinas, nature reserves as well occasional glimpses over open countryside. The whole canal is of course a fine piece of industrial archaeology, including many locks (sometimes coming in quick succession in 'flights'), characteristic arched bridges, basins, aqueducts and numerous buildings (lock-keepers cottages, pubs, maintenance sheds....). Although now literally a quiet backwater, in its heyday the GUC was the motorway of its time: the route established for the various constituent waterways in the eighteenth century has been exploited by later forms of transport, and you are often passing under, over or alongside motorways, major roads and railways. Indeed, the GUC was only named as such in 1929, when about ten linked canals were finally united within one commercial entity, and the canal continued to carry freight until 1970. it is now looked after by the Canals and Rivers Trust, to whom many grateful thanks.

There are plenty of pubs and cafes along the canal and in the towns it passes through, and the aforementioned proximity to major roads and railways ensures that there are lots of opportunities for transport to the start, and from the finish, of your journey.

My rides cover only the GUC from London to Birmingham, and omit the Slough and Aylesbury Arms, as well as the branch to Leicester: plenty of scope for more cycling adventures!

Surfaces: excellent...

...Good.....

.....Nice.....

OK

.....Narrow.....

....Overgrown.....

Bridges

Lock flight

Lock gate

Shed

Cottage

Basin

Brum

Tunnel

Motorway

Road

Railway

Sculpture

Development

Yet more development

Green steps

Little Venice

Thames