First walk of the 2017 season starts with a 9 mile walk from the Canal Museum at Stoke Bruerne and ends at Nether Heyford. Luckily the 86 bus got me from Northampton to the Canal Museum for the start of the walk and the D3 bus took me back to Northampton at the end. Neat!
Canal musesum at Stoke Bruerne – start of the walk
Heading north from Stoke Bruerne
Chipped rubber path leading from the canal museum to the entrance of the Blisworth tunnel
Approaching the southern entrance to Blisworth tunnel, the canal path rises up to the right
Looking down on the entrance to the tunnel – notice no towpath in the tunnel
The walking route is in woodlands above the tunnel
Looking back at the point the walking path joins the road
The walking route now follows the road for just under 2 miles
Tower above an air shaft shows that the end of the walk along the roadway is approaching
Hard to believe there is a 1.8 mile tunnel with boats in it below this countryside
Handy pointer to remind walkers to leave the road
The steep path down to the canal, alongside the northern entrance to Blissworth tunnel
Looking down on the northern entrance to Blissworth tunnel
Looking back to the northern entrance to Blissworth tunnel
Only 18 miles to Braunstone junction
Approaching Blissworth
Bridge 51 – Blissworth Mill Bridge
Blissworth Marina
Bridge 50 – Candle Bridge
Approaching bridge 49
Countryside north of Blissworth
Bridge 49 – Station Road bridge
Approaching Blissworth Marina
Entrance to Blissworth Marina
The junction with the Northampton Arm, looking down and north from bridge 48 the Gayton Junction bridge
Looking back towards bridge 48 – the Northampton arm is off to the left (heading north to Northampton)
Approaching Turnover Bridge (47) – note the walking path crosses sides here
Looking down and back from bridge 47 (Turnover bridge)
Back into open countryside – the walking path is just a grassy area with a slightly worn track
Bridge 45 – Wrights Lane bridge
Bridge 44 – Easts bridge
Approaching bridge 43a – a pair of bridges, one over the canal, the other over the railway line
Bridge 43 – one of the Banbury Lane bridges
Bridge 41 carries the walking route known as Midshires way
Heading north from Bugbrooke
Bridge 38
Approaching Bugbrooke Wharf bridge (36)
The path is a bit better controlled here
Strange building in the distance near the end of the walk at Nether Heyford