Grand Union Canal

I'm really looking forward to some waterside walking when I reach the Severn at Bristol. I'll follow it in parts until I get to Stourport, then it's up the canal to my home town, Wolverhampton.

Living on the edge of Leicester for almost six years I've not walked many towpaths. The Grand Union branches at the impressive Foxton Locks and heads into Market Harborough. I pottered along there a few months ago on a trip that was characterised by a large number of closed pubs.

So today I decided that I should return to the towpaths, bridges and locks of the Grand Union. I set off from home, into Great Glen, across the busy dual carriageway A6 to pick up the canal on the far side of the railway. I enjoyed the pair of swans, upending themselves to find dabble among the reeds and the heron which skidded into the air when I unwittingly disturbed it as I past. There were half a dozen locks, all descending, which made great places for resting and a picnic lunch in the company of two runners who wanted to hear all about my trip. Then I swung westwards and hopped back onto the roads in South Wigston. The canal passes behind the large Jacobs biscuit factory and it felt good to be in a town that still makes things.


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I stumbled upon a reptile shop, so popped in for a £2 tub of live crickets for the family pet (a leopard gecko by the name of Sally). South Wigston may have a reputation for being a bit tough but I really enjoyed it. The townsfolk seem to have a bit more edge and attitude than I've become accustomed to here and it reminded me of the Black Country where I lived for so long.

The route back into Oadby through Wigston, where the Borough Council is run from a house (okay, a large house with a large extension) was pretty straightforward.

Even though the temperature never climbed above 12C, I didn't unpack my rucksack to put on extra layers. A short-sleeved walking shirt seems adequate when you're moving along. Another thing I noticed today is that keeping my walking speed down and my stride modest has helped with the leg pain that I usually get after seven or eight mile in my right thigh. The whole day's walk was about 13 miles but I did this in a leisurely total of six hours, including stops.