UK Canal Boating

Day 1

Head back down the Northampton Arm of the Grand Union to Gayton Junction.(Turn right out of the marina).
At Gayton Junction turn right down the Grand Union Canal. Soon you will pass the village of Bugbrooke, and the Wharf Inn is by bridge 36, or there is a couple of village pubs if you walk into the village.

You will probably want to move on & head for the village of Weedon which is just over 2 hours from Gayton & ideal for a 1st nights stop, there is a small aqueduct over a road as you approach the village. There are takeaways, stores & pubs in Weedon , you can moor up near the Church . The Heart of England pub by bridge 24 is a good family pub. Just before you get to Weedon is the Narrowboat Inn beside bridge 26, with canalside seating and mooring.

Day 2

A short while after leaving Weedon you will pass brockhall park on your right, (access from bridge 18). The Hall here is Tudor in part, and in the Victorian courtyard farm buildings has been established The Heart of the Shires Shopping Village. The Shopping village has about 25 widely ranging shops, including a tearoom, so is well worth a visit.

The canal continues through open landscape until you begin the climb up to the Norton Junction through a series of 7 locks called the Buckby locks.
The New Inn is canalside at Buckby Top Lock, with canalside seating and moorings.

It is 5 hours 20 minutes from Gayton marina to here, or 3 hours from Weedon to here.

At the Norton Junction turn right along the Leicester section of the Grand Union Canal, it meanders through the rolling fields until the Watford Locks are reached. South of bridge 6 is the Watford gap motorway services on the M1, 24 hour sustenance and provisions are provided. There is a Thai restaurant quite close to the canal here.
At the Watford Locks there are 2 locks followed by 4 staircase locks, where the top gate of one lock forms the bottom gate of the next lock etc. You will need to consult the friendly lock-keeper before using the Watford Locks which are open daily April-Oct 8am to 7pm and Nov-mid April 8am to 3pm. There is then 1 more lock and this will be all you have to negotiate before you get to the mile long Crick Tunnel. After passing through this you can moor up by bridge 12 and walk into the village or there is a restaurant and coffee house by the bridge- Edwards of Crick.

Crick is a large village with an off licence and stores, and 2 or 3 pubs.

From Weedon it is 6 and half cruising hours to here, so ideal for your 2nd nights stay.

Day 3
Day 4
On the 3rd day you can turn just after bridge 14 and negotiate the long Crick Tunnel again, back towards the Norton Junction and back to Gayton, which should take you about 8 .75 hours, or you can cruise for 7.75 hours back to Bugbrooke, and get up early on the day of your departure and cruise the remaining 1 hour back to Gayton to get there before 9.30am.

 

NB: This route has been provided as a guide only. Information may become inaccurate or out of date. You should always check with the marina that the route is possible within your time frame, current weather conditions and canal stoppages etc.