Like all good ideas the possibility of cycling the Grand Union Canal came to us at the pub. I remember it was after a long and hard day of doing nothing and we were unwinding with a few drinks when we began to debate the idea more seriously. Our first thought was… is it possible? Well, yes. The distance is approximately 120 miles so if we cycled at 10 mph we would be there in no time.
Of course our optimistic slightly inebriated minds did not consider the possibility of rough terrain mixed with frequent stopping. Also we were both out of shape. I had just finished a long delicious summer in Greece and Mat was.. well.. Mat.
Anyway, the plan was made and a suitable date was found. On that date we set off early, at 7am and in no time found ourselves in Warwick. The canal path was well maintained, we basically had it to ourselves and we were making great progress.
Things started to go wrong after Napton Junction. Before this junction we had been cycling on grass for a while. This is tiring and slow to say the least but not a problem. However once you get past Napton Junction the path gets very basic and is badly maintained. This is where I got my puncture. “No problem” I thought, “I’ll grab the pump”. A quick rummage around my bag revealed that the pump was not in-fact here with me but instead was around 40 miles away in Birmingham.
This meant my next 2 hours involved a slow uphill climb to Daventry with my friends bike while he pushed my bike along the canal path. There I purchased a pump and I rejoined my friend after the Braunston Tunnel.
The rest of the journey was without mishaps and I thoroughly enjoyed it but this delay did slow us down a lot. Below are some pictures from the trip:
How to: Birmingham to London along the Grand Union Canal
Right, so you have heard from my experience and you want to give it a go. I don’t blame you – there is plenty of picturesque British scenery, beautifully decorated canal boats and empty flat land to tempt me back any day.
The Birmingham to London Grand Union Canal Map Route
Birmingham to Milton Keynes
The first thing you need to do is work out a route. I found a good route from Birmingham to Milton Keynes on Bikely. That website no longer exists, so I’ve also uploaded a Birmingham to Milton Keynes via the Grand Union Canal route to Wikiloc.
I used the GPX file to upload the coordinates to my iPhone which I used for route navigation. I’ve rounded up a bunch of great apps you can use on your iPhone for following the route. I recommend the Wikiloc app or ViewRanger.
If there is one part of the route I would alter its from Napton on Hill to after Braunston Tunnel. Here the towpath is of a bad quality and you will struggle.
Milton Keynes to London
I couldn’t find any routes from Milton Keynes to London so I added one to Wikiloc. You should be able to download the GPX file from Wikiloc for free, but you will need to create an account.
The second half of the Grand Union takes you past Watford and via the west end of London to Paddington. It’s up to you to decide what you consider the “centre of London” I would say it was Trafalgar Square others would say it is Charing Cross, Westminster. Chances are you won’t care very much by the time you have cycled all that way!
What to take with you?
- Inner tube spare x2 that fit your bike
- Allen Key
- Puncture repair kit
- Pump
- Waterproofs
- Map – there are two ways to go about it. If you have a GPS device then that’s great you can download the direction I have listed above.
- Water – you can on occasions fill up using the narrowboat facilities by the side of the canal.
- Bike lock
- Snack food – there are large stretches of the canal where there is nowhere nearby to get food.
Where to stay?
Halfway and at the end your going to need somewhere to stay. The cheapest option is Hostels. I always book through Hostel World. Alternatively if you fancy a bit more comfort go for a hotel. The best choice of course is if you have a friends house somewhere along the route and they will let you stay.
When to go on the Grand Union Canal?
I would recommend cycling during the summer as obviously you have more daylight and better weather. When it rains the trail can get muddy and you risk taking a dip.
Who is it for?
I cycled there with a Hybrid bike and had not cycled for over a month before setting off. I would recommend a bit more cycling than that before hand. Other than that if you cycle daily then this is a challenge you can do. If you don’t want to push yourself just plan for three days instead of two.
How long will it take to get to London?
This will largely depend on the person but it took me two days, setting off at 7am. Cycling about 12 hours a day.
Anything else I need to know?
The Canal and River Trust has an FAQ about cycling. If you enjoy the route, you may want to donate to their conservation work.
If I missed out any useful information please leave a comment below.
Part of the Breaking out of London series – This is the first post is a new London Cyclist monthly series that inspires London’s cyclists to break out of their city and explore the many gorgeous destinations available in the UK. The series provides all the information you will need to make such a trip.
So what is the terrain like from Milton Keynes to London?
The whole trip sounds appealing though but I might make it a MK to London trip.
Great job guys! It sounds like an amazing ride! I sometimes travel from London to Leighton Buzzard and back to visit my sis and I always wanted to try to get there cycling along the Grand Union. Now that someone survived a 120miles ride along the canal I have no excuse!!
Thumbs up
Great articles and well planned
Apart from not packing the bike pump!
Raffazizzi – hope you do it, I would really recommend it.
Craig – Milton Keynes and London the terrain is much easier than the first half. There was still parts with grass but that will only slow you down not stop you.
If you want try the MK to London trip first and then see how that goes.
Cyclists (& walkers) have chosen to stayover in Milton Keynes at Number 68 Bed and Breakfast. Secure overnight storage in garage available for bikes. It’s literally a couple of minutes ride from the towpath.
Although dinner is available, Stony Stratford is a great place nearby to eat & drink for the evening. Call 01908 221090 to find out more.
Hi Amanda do you know how much it is per night in July?
Thanks
Duane
Andreas my old flabby legs will only do 60 miles and then they need a long rest :). Gone are the days of Bristol-Plymouth
I am planning on heading up to Birmingham from London this weekend although my eyes are fixed on the weather report so I can leave a couple of days later if I have to.
Just wanted to say that I have pretty much used this page as a bible. I don think I would has planned this trip if I haddent stumbled upon this site.
cheers for all the advice and I will let you know if I make it lol.
Hi
I am doing the Brum-London ride by the Grand Union Canal on Friday week.
I am a bit worried about this matter of the towpath round Napton…..just how bad is it?
I dont have an iphone or any such gadget so any route would be great
Completed london – Birmingham first week september this year – apart for tunnels did the whole journey follwing the towpath – no gadgets – just old fashioned mark 1 eyeball and maps. the best for the journey are
GEo Projects –
Grand Union Canal Map 1 – Birmingham to Fenny Stratford
Gran Union Canal Map 3 – Fenny Stratfor to the Thames
The towpath is well marked on the map showing when it swiutches from one side of the canal to the other
Pubs are marked on or near the canal as well as going through towns – tescos…..
the maps are £4.95 each
trip was great – though took longer than two days but I was planning to camp and take my time so was carrying all the camping gear etc – I averaged between 40 to 50 miles a day – cycling for 8-9 hours a day.
My bike is a hybrid – but will next time put some more “off road” tyoe of tyres on – watch out for punctures – had 5 in total mostly due to thorns and briars – also recomend long sleaves and trousers as – I looked like I been thrown into a pit of angry cats – from scratches.
Now planning next trip – London to Kendal………
Great stuff.
On the occasions when the towpath switches from one side to the other, is there usually a bridge that you can cross at such points?
How did you find the path around Braunston? Is it as bad as reported?
always a crossing point where the towpath switches – on the maps I mentioned the towpath clearly marked and the crossing points.
Braunston Tunnel- was the most brambly/nettle laiden part – the first 100 yards or so then it opens out – there was as mentioned by a walker a dodge around that part – but the description of go aroud to the kleft then follow the track towards the house on the hill….. well, I put up with the track….
I will ssa that the most challing part are two crossing point are steps – one at buckly top lock where the “leciester line” branches the other If i remember correctly where the towpath “bridges” pver the braunstom Marina….
I have just completed the Brum to London ride.
The Grand Union starts (for me) underneath Spaghetti Junction.
The towpath from there through Birmingham is reasonable.
Through Solihull it gets muddy and worn. Beyond Hatton Locks parts of it are basically are/were a mud path.
Past Leamington parts of it are really quite difficult if you encounter the rain and mud that we did.
It was practically impassable by bike in many places towards Braunston Tunnel because of the mud.
From Weedon to Stoke Bruerne was either grass or decentish towpath.
The area around Milton Keynes is superb…..wide and flat with looked-after surfaces. Safe in nay weather. Through to Leighton Buzzard is similar….either concrete or similar with very few problems.
Hemel Hempstead onwards was OKish, although mud was again an issue.
Large stretches from Batchworth onwards were excellent, and pretty much all of the Paddington Arm into Central London was excellent too.
It’s no coincidence that most of our 9 punctures were in the earlier rural stretches where the thorns were most prevalent. Inner tubes and puncture repair kits are a must, and/or the best tyres you can afford.
We did it in 3 days and that would have been 2 and a half without punctures.
A really nice ride though…but definitely one best left til Spring or Summer!!
Recommended – the Narrowboat at Weedon. Really welcoming staff, superb location alongside the canal, good food, real ales, decent rooms and manager was happy to lend tools for bike repairs. I would definitely go back.
hi im going to Peru next year for 1 year and im trying to raise money. Im fifteen and do alot of biking do you think this is a suitable ride for me and my mates to do as a charity ride?
Hi Matt – sure I don’t see why not. It’s a nice little challenge and definitely doable.
thanks
Hi Andreas,
My brother and I are wanting to do a sponsored walk along the canal from Birmingham to London this summer, hopefully with our dog too!
Problem is, I’ve never done a big planned walk like this before, and don’t know how to go about working out how far we need to walk in a day, and then liaising that with ending up where we need to stay for the night; and I’m not sure how to work out where we’d end up (or need to end up) so that I could book somewhere to stay the night.
How did you work out how far you needed to go in a day, and where to stay?
Did you book the hostel in advance, or just find somewhere to stay on the night?
Ideally I would like to have everything booked beforehand, but just don’t know how to work it all out!
Any tips?
Thanks a lot! 🙂
Amy
I’ve replied to this via e-mail so hope my tips helped!
A lot of good info here, thanks to every one that has left comments. I plan to try Birmingham to Hemel Hempstead in the height of the Summer, but I was planning to do it in one day. I’ve done distances of around 90 miles easily enough in a day but thats always heading into London then along the Thames Path and out on the River Lee and the paths are always fairly good. I was going to get an early start leaving Birmingham about 5 a.m. but having read some of the comments about the state of the path in some places I’m starting to wonder if I’ll make it in a day. I’ll leave a post in a few months and let you know if I did or not.
Hi all, I am organising a ride from Birm to London. Looking at the maps of the origin of the GU it appears to be quite industrial, is it easy to access around Bordseley area (I have been looking to start at Lawden road)….Thanks
“I would say it was Trafalgar Square others would say it is Charing Cross, Westminster.”
Does it make much difference? Seeing as they’re only thirty seconds walk from each other…
I’d have thought the finish point was the end of the Grand Union Canal myself.
hi, further to my post in september last year – as promised did Kendal to London in april this year – took 8 days fantastic weather and amazingly no punctures – best bit the macclesfield canal – worst bit for towpath the Oxford canal.
Camped varity of “wild”camping and at marinas who kindly let me pitch for the night.
now what next……
Hi Tim
Great story and well done on completing your Kendal to London cycle. I’m would like to do a similar trip but in the reverse, from South West London to Kendal. Do you have some pointers for me please about the route you used. Were you offroad most of the time? Thanks
Hi, it seems a lot of you haven’t commented for a while.
I’ve been looking at doing this Brum – London cycle road and possibly back too, is is manageable in 4 days with a stop halfway on both legs? And a stop in London?
I’d be starting from Brum as I live next to a canal which goes towards the spagetti junction, so quite possibly could start from there.
If people don’t think its practical to cycle back from London, how did you get back to Brum?
Matt
Matt
I think 4 days would be achievable, there are some stretches where the pace is somewhat slower, particularly the grass stages (depends on how recently it has been cut!).
How far into London are you planning to go? We did Birmingham to London in 2 days with an overnight stay in Milton Keynes, finishing at Batchworth. We did not go all the way into London.
We did have some members of the team (10 of us) who were fairly novice riders, this caused the pace to be somewhat slower than the 7mph average over the 125 miles (including breaks) that I had planned!
What sort of level rider are you?
I have thought about doing the route again starting at London and coming back down again but haven’t got round to it yet!
Good luck!
Andy
I cycled from London to Birmingham last year. I started from the Lea navigation in East London around 5am and reached Stoke Bruern around 9pm. It had started to rain and it was getting dark. I had a bit of a panic finding a hotel but luckily i did. I settled down feeling well pleased with myself as i had done about 100 miles and estimated that i only had half as much to do the next day. It turned out that the remainder of the journey was much more difficult. First i got delayed by the Stoke bruern tunnel. I wasted over an hour trying to find where to rejoin the canal. Then when i got to the Oxford canal i found it was quite overgrown and difficult to cycle on. I had to walk the bike for a while then ride and so on. Then i got a series of punctures due to thorns. If i had just cycled from Stoke bruern and back to London it would have been an easier ride even though it would have been about 50 miles more. I am going to do it again in a few weeks time. I will reinforce my tyres and try to plan my hotel stops rather than take a chance. I want to circle Birmingham then return to London. I will give myself 7 days which will include 1 days rest in Brum. Last year i diddnt cycle back.
Hi, I will be cycling from London to Birmingham also. We plan to do this in September; however, I’m starting to become a little worried about grass! lol
I have tried to look for a (really/ semi) good map, however, they are not as good as I had hoped. I don’t own an iphone, and the other cyclers, like me have a blackberry (the apps differ to that on the iphone)..
Any advice????
Also where (exactly) should I stop in Birmingham?
i was planning to ride from milton keynes to birmingham.i’m was sure i could do it in a single day….am i wrong?
You can do it in a day if you start early and are prepared to keep going until you get there but the oxford canal section is overgrown and hard to cycle on so it will slow you down.
Hey guys, some useful information here. I was planning on cycling from London to Leeds, following the Grand Union Canal up to Langley Mill, and then making my way from there. Is this the best/nicest way to get to Leeds, or has anyone got any suggestions? Looking at the map, it’s probably not the quickest route. I was also looking at following the Sustrans cyclin network, but I’m having a hard time finding any useful information about using that trail.
Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated.
Birmingham to London via Grand Union Canal – Useful Info.
Hi cyclists! Me and a friend cycled a good chunk of this last year in September.
We did it over 4 days. I recommend pre booking your digs as there’s not a lot close to the canal.
Day 1 – Birmingham, Gas Street Basin – Long Itchington, 35 miles.
The towpaths here are reasonable, muddy in places but no real trouble. Great fun going downhill through Hatton Locks. After a few miles cycling through Warwick and Leamington Spa we reached a pub at Long Itchington called the Two Boats. We stayed at a b&b called Marton Farm at £60 per night with 2 beds. Thoroughly recommend this, lovely hosts and great breakfast. There are a few pubs in the village and a co op near the church.
Day 2 – Long Itchington – Milton Keynes, 36 Miles
Now here, you could say we copped out a bit. Reading the forums, I got the feeling that this stretch of the canal wasn’t too good and I was correct. We cycled on the road to Stoke Bruerne and got back on the canal here. From here to Milton Keynes the towpaths were mostly overgrown, bumpy, full of bramble thorns and puncture paradise. I had 2 within half an hour. Top tips – get a strip of Kevlar lining in each tyre(Halfords £6.99), or a self repairing inner tube if you plan going anywhere on the canal on this stretch.
Stayed at the Roman Rooms Hotel in north Milton Keynes near the canal £50 per night/room with 2 beds.
Day 3 – Milton Keynes To Watford 43 Miles
The towpaths here are really good through Milton Keynes and onwards. Got as far as far as Leighton Buzzard and unfortunately due to my friend being knackered and unable to cycle much more (it didn’t help he was riding my girlfriends £100 special offer ladies bike) we got the train to Watford.
Stayed at The Southern Cross in Watford near to the station at £60.00 per night, room with 2 beds.
Day 3 – Watford – London Centre 32 Miles
A surprisingly scenic route here. Just remember to turn off at the Bulls Bridge near Southall otherwise you will end up going down to the Thames. Towpaths are good.
Finished and got lost somewhere near Regents Park, which is pretty much the end or the start of the Grand Union canal.
Stayed at LSE Carr-Saunders students hall of residence next to the Telecom Tower in Fitzroy Street, £59.00. They do a fab self serve breakfast here in the canteen and I even went back and sneaked a few more sausages in when the dinner lady had her back turned!
Day 4 – London – Birmingham by train.
No problem getting the bikes on the train, provided you let the ticket people know in advance.
We planned the routes using http://www.daftlogic.com/projects-advanced-google-maps-distance-calculator.htm#loginbox
Its a really useful tool enabling you to calculate distances along the route. I printed all these maps out and my friend had a sat nav on the phone so there was no excuse for getting lost(although we did in London, cycling with the double decker buses and black cabs).
I’m planning London to Birmingham in September. Someone was after a useful book/map –
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Oxford-Collins-Nicholson-Waterways-Guides/dp/000745256X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1373733098&sr=8-1&keywords=grand+union+canal I’ve managed to get the 2010 edition from the library. Has anyone camped at the Old Diary Farm just south of Milton Keynes http://campsiteheaven.com/uk-campsite-directory/undefined/the-old-dairy-farm I hoping I can get my wife to drive our campervan to there for the overnight stop 🙂 From the advice given I shall be getting my self some decent slime or Dr Sludge inner tubes too. I have a friend at work who did the journey approx 18 years ago in one day (19hrs)!!!! And to think the towpaths where probably in a worst state back then. I hoping to ride for about 7-8hrs per day so should complete it within the planned two days.
Have done this ride from Coventry (oxford canal, path is over grown a lot) down to London in 3 days and its a great ride, stayed at Weedon and Leighton Buzzard you join the grand union at Braunston junction, if you get the Nicholson guides they are the best as they are OS maps but just the bit that the canal concerns, they also have 1 mile markers so you can work out your route down to the last mile. I rode it on an old fixed frame mountain bike and that was an error, you don’t realy need a mountain bike and have since done the Birmingham loop 120miles on a hybrid with no probs no need for all the hi tech there is only 4junctions and they are marked.
We are going up from bulls bridge to the end this September and plan to camp up on the canal side, theres plenty of deserted spaces you wont be seen, and lets face it that’s what the fishermen do!
I have ridden from Windsor where I live to Guildford on the Wey, up to B,ham across to Stratford, and most of the Thames path, you cant go wrong with Nicholson guides and a hybred is fine take plenty of spare inner tubes as those hawthorns are unforgiving
hello everyone, i am planning to cycle paddington basin (london) to manchester using the grand union, trent and mersey. my challenge is to cycle non stop for 24 hours, i doubt i will reach manchester but i am going to attempt it. last year i cycled on road london (farringdon) to macclesfield in 18 hours. does anybody know which points i have to exit and is it well signposted to return back onto the canal. thanks
Hey, I’m looking for some guidance…
I’m a relatively newbie cyclist but want to set myself a goal for next year and cycle the grand union canal, onto Birmingham and finally reaching Nottingham. Has anyone ever done this along the towpaths only? As I’m a newbie, I prefer to keep off the roads but I’m finding it difficult to work out a route!! Thank in advance for any help!!!
I don’t know about all the way in to Nottingham, but if the route to London is anything to go by then this can be a really great experience. You should definitely be able to accomplish this goal – it’s a really pleasurable ride and as long as you take it slow, anyone could achieve it.
I am from Australia and my husband & I are looking to hire bikes to ride the Grand Union Canal from Brentford to Birmingham. Can anyone suggest a company where we can hire bikes (in the Brentford vicinity) ride the canal and then leave the bikes at a company in Birmingham. We would like to do over the course of a week or so.
Well I’ve just done this (October 2015) London to Birmingham and it was not at all easy but it was achievable. Whilst cycling we averaged about 10mph but our group of 7 spent the same amount of time stopped – for rest breaks or for puncture repairs. You are welcome to see the route on strava. https://www.strava.com/activities/411045486. We reckon that knocking a couple of hours off that on each of two days is achievable – and we may give that a go next year.
We stuck to the tow path – and didnt cheat by going onto roads except that we did use the immediately adjacent surfaced cycle route through Milton Keynes. But this is not for the faint hearted, it is not for “newbie” cyclists and not everyone will find it achievable. It was tough but very rewarding. Much of the route is like cycling on an extended field of pasture. At times the towpath is very narrow indeed. And there is a real risk of getting a dunking – as I did (with a bloody nose into the bargain.)
From London we got to Stoke Bruern at the end of the first day and to Central Birmingham the next. We were en-route for about 11 hours both days with 15 hours “moving” time.
Distance was 153.3 miles.
You will need a well maintained mountain bike or possibly a hybrid.
Puncture resistant tyres are essential.
Drop me a line via strava if you want to know more.
My mate Andy and I tried out a stretch today…Catherine De Barnes to Daventry. It is April…has been raining for a few days and rained off and on during the ride. I was on cyclocross my Andy on a 29er.
I could not agree more with the comments about the stretches between Napton and Brauston. Even a bit of gravel or a few stones scattered onto the ground will give you a bit of grip but there a long patches were there was just thick mud. Cycling on this was a bit exhausting, we had to stop in bad patches and we really had to concentrate not to slip and go in the drink! It’s a bit frustrating when you can’t see many KMs coming off your target!
We plan to test out M.K to London on another occasion then do the full next year. I would defiantly recommend doing this in the summer….you need the ground to be rock solid.
I cycled Slough Arm of the Grand Union to Stoke Bruerne, Braunston Junction and down the Oxford Canal to the Folly Inn at Napton, someway short of my two day target of Oxford. As said before the path to Milton Keynes is fine, with some grassy stretches and a good lunch stop at the Three Locks at Leighton Buzzard which was about 5 hours from Yiewsley/ slough Arm junction. Beyond Blisworth it feels very remote, hardly seeing a boat, walker, fisherman for quite long periods and consequently the towpath is very sketchy and can easily see how dangerous it could be in the wet. The vegetation was cut but there were sneaky fronds of bramble sneaky out across the path but I use Schwable Marathon tyres and no punctures (indeed 2k since I has one). I stayed in Northhampton . I had to abandon the ride the next day at the Folly Inn Napton , lovely beer and Sunday lunch as a reward as I only making 7 to 8 km/hour and my buttocks were very painful due to the very uneven towpath. The very nice 20km to Banbury on tarmac seemed like paradise. There are water taps along the canal and various villages for small shops and a Tesco at LB. Pubs are scattered along the water’s edge. All in all a great ride. A good day would be to get to Stoke Bruerne and get the train back from Northampton
Hi boys and girls, I spent a month planning to walk the Grand union canal from Paddington basin to Gas street basin over 6 days, 147 miles. Though fit and had trained hard, the end of my 1st day was my last due to severe feet problems, though this was only due to the 20 kilo backpack I was not used to carrying………………………. So now I am planning this for next year I am now planning to do this on my mountain bike. I was thinking originally of doing it over 2 days but I think I am going to do 3 days. we are 16th Sept 2016 and wantg to do this within the next few weeks if anyone wants to join me. my e mail is landroverman2125@aol.com if you are interested Starting at either end is fine with me 🙂
We did this ride in June 2016 .. from Tipton to Gt Ormond Street Childrens Hospital .. 176 miles.. 22hrs 10 mins cycling .. absolute arse ripper lol .. when the going gets bad its bad .. especially after the floods .. my recommendations .. plenty of fluids .. protein gels and a spare pair of undershorts … doing it again in 2017 …
I am planning this in June 2017 with 5 others. We were thinking of starting at kings cross not Paddington. Is the canal path between these two points clear as I see on the map, the canal does goes through a tunnel?
Also, for anyone thinking of doing this, we have a been doing a couple of practise runs on the canal between LB and MK. A few pointers: yes it is flat which means you have to cycle continuously, no major free wheeling for resting, dog walkers mean you keep having to slow down so average speed is nearer 7 – 8 mph not 10plus. Fishermen think they own the place with these huge rods and you have to stop continuously to ask them to move them, BUY A BELL, saves you saying excuse me or coming through every minute. Have innertubes and be good at changing punctures – Hawthornes are like nails, take a lock and chain for when you are in a pub.
Hope this helps.
You can start from Kings X easily enough but its not the nicest bit of the route and you have to get off a couple of times for tunnels. You just have to go up and over – no major detour. But If I were you I’d start by the zoo in Regents park.
Drop me line at richard.perry@bbc.co.uk if you want to chat about any of the route..
I have been doing this ride for the last 11 years for charity (Smethwick Challenge) usually around 25-30 riders. We take 3 days over the May bank holiday starting at Paddington and stopping at L Buzzard and Weedon finish in Smethwick.
I have done it in two days just to see if I could but that was following some preparation. If dry conditions it is quite easy when reasonably fit, if its wet then expect lots of mud which makes for hard work.
Its further than 120 miles to Smethwick from Paddington though (day 1 57 miles day 2 44 miles day 3 59 miles)
Mountain bike is my preferred choice but we have had all sorts over the years including last year someone on an electric bike.
im just preparing for my third grand union pedal from London to Birmingham next week..i did it with a friend aug 2015 on a 1984 Raleigh burner bmx (true)..it took three days sleeping in a survival bag on the canal stopping at tring and heart of england just passed weedon..the trip althoughdaunting at times went quite smooth with no punctures..aug 2016 along with the same friend both on mountain bikes this time saw us do it in 2 days stopping at tring again in a survival bag..50 miles the first day and 100 miles on the second..this time were going aug 21st and planning on a steady three days on mountain bikes..im 50 years old my friend is 30..we both pedal regularly but only socially,we aren’t hardened cyclists..i recommend the trip to anyone,its a fabulous mental challenge that has a positive effect by leaving the rat race for a few days but also very scenic and enjoyable..i could not recommend the trip enough..any questions about the route of if anyone would like to join us feel free to contact me on m.parker821@btinternet.com
Hi, I’ve used this blog and the comments as a reference point for my attempt. We just completed this from Birmingham Children’s Hospital to Great Ormond Street. We being myself and my amazing 11 year old son. It took us 3 days stopping overnight in Weedon Bec and then Tring. The parts before Braunston are as bad as people say, almost impassable in places and very narrow. We did it though but it was tough going in that section. First day definitely the trickiest and about 55 miles. Second day grass track for large parts so slow but okay ish and 46 miles. Third day 50 miles and last 20 are wonderful on proper towpath. Enjoyed it throughly and my son has also raised £3200 so far for Birmingham Children’s Hospital in the process.
Hi
I was thinking about cycling Birmingham to London along the Grand Union in one day. Has anyone done this previously? Also, it’s a while since anyone has posted on here altho I’m sure people are still riding the route? Are there any significant changes re state of tow paths etc?
Hi James, I did it last weekend with my 11 year old son albeit in 3 days. After Leamington through Napton towards Braunston, it’s bad!! My son fell in as the towpath is very narrow and grass. Its hugely overgrown too. Its passable…..just, but hard going and not much fun for about 10 miles of the journey. You have two tunnels to navigate around also. First one Braunston and the second one I’ve forgotten but it’s a bit of a detour, guess a couple of 3 miles maybe off road and also road cycling to join back up. If you’re following GPS its easy enough. Once 20 miles out from London its flat and or pathway so lovely finish in to London. Just remember to turn off towards Paddington otherwise you go down The Thames. Tom
One day, no chance
I have done it twice now and it’s a hard ride,3 days, take inner tubes and camp out if you can, it’s easier to sleep where you drop than make it to a room, Glyn
It would be possible if super fit and focussed but by no means easy..also would not attempt it blind without doing it over a few days first..done it 7 times now over 3 days and rode from tring to birmingham 100 miles in one day which was painful..travel light,camp out tring cutting and Weedon bec in survival hammock..end July/august best to avoid punctures..mike..
Update: I updated the post to remove the old links to Bikely and EveryTrail as those websites no longer exist. I also uploaded the route to Wikiloc and shared it publicly. Finally, I re-added the pictures as it looks like the HTML embed feature from Flickr no longer works.
Just completed Cheddington to Birmingham (105 miles) on the canal in two days on MTB’s with tubeless tyres. No mechanicals. Stopped overnight at Narrow Boat (recommended) in Weedon. Route between Napton and Braunston is passable but overgrown with brambles and very narrow in places.
My mate Dom and I cycled it earlier this year. We didn’t quite make it as far as Birmingham, which is why I’m planning on having another go next year. This year I ran out of time once I got to Hatton Locks.
Here’s the tale of our ride: https://www.willcycle.com/2021/06/02/so-you-want-to-cycle-the-grand-union-canal/
A couple of years back I cycled from St malo Northern France to perpignan southern France mostly by canals. Now starting to think about UK canals, inspired by your article I might well give it a go. I’ve hired narrow boats before and know that not all paths are flat and even but that’s the same in France especially in more rural areas
This services is Good