Canal London to Foxton Locks, Leicestershire

[carlislemike]

Just visited Foxton Locks, an amazing bit of Industrial engineering from the early 19th century onwards. Ended my walk up the locks by chatting with a local member of the local branch of the Canal & River Trust. He hazarded a guess that I could cycle from London and the River Lea Navigation through to Foxton Locks. Possibly a project for a 2022 tour. Questions are, is there a map of canal routes and deviations for the route? Would it be easier to find a canal route map then use Cycle Travel maps to plan bearing in mind accommodation? Essentially, is it do-able and if anyone has done it, hints on routings, time and any access or other issues; all would be welcomed.

[millimole]

Foxton Locks is on the Grand Union Canal so to start on the Lea you'd need to divert through central London or go cross country to somewhere like Tring.
There is an app called 'Canal Map' which may be useful.
As others will confirm, the towpath is of very variable quality, and may be busy with walkers in places.

As an aside, if you are thinking of camping, there are embryonic plans for CRT to have a campsite at Foxton from next year. (The plans may come to nothing).

[jgurney]

The canals have continuous towpaths dating back to the days when horses hauled barges. Generally the only major gaps are where canals pass through tunnels. While I have never tried it, it is supposed to be possible to walk or cycle all the way from Foxton to the Lea by towpath apart from the tunnel at Stoke Bruerne where there is a footpath over the hill and the two tunnels in London where walkers or cyclists make their way through the streets.

However be aware that progress may be very slow. Canal towpaths were never intended to be cycle routes. The towpath may often be narrow and in some places muddy or overgrown by nettles and brambles, and in others heavily frequented by pedestrians and anglers, leading to frequent stops. Narrow passages under low bridges are common on some canals. In some cases two cyclists meeting head on may have difficulty passing each other.

While in good conditions towpath cycling can be very pleasant, it can become slow and/or difficult a few miles down the same canal.

Most canal maps are intended for boaters and contain a lot of specialist information of little use to cyclists. I usually use the OS 1:50 000 which tells me about the surrounding area including possible alternative routes if the towpath proves tiresome.

[simonhill]

As far as I remember, you can cycle the Grand Union all the way from London to Birmingham. I think there is a book, but it may be for walkers. Searching on the web will show a few things, including this , which is a description from Leicester to Londond https://www.routeyou.com/en-gb/route/vi ... ter-london

I've cycled a bit of the GU when I did a circular Oxford GU Aylesbury tour. From memory it was OK, I did it on an MTB (with full camping gear). If riding a road bike, you may want to look for road routes for when the going gets rough. https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/enjoy-th ... er-network

I've cycled quite a few canals (made good off road routes in early days of MTBing) and the previous comments are worth noting. Going can be very slow and frustrating. Mud, walkers, mooring lines, etc. Worst of all are the fishing rod extensions (perch poles) that they love to leave across the path, blocking it. You have to stop and ask each to move it - generally done, but it is an annoying stop.

[carlislemike]

Right there folks, great advice. I will actually follow the links inc trying to find the walking route book suggested. Genesis Longitude with 700x38s should be ok I guess. Not a suspension MTB but darn close. I had to get rid of the fat tyres on the original as I swap from gravel to road too often for fatties.Many thanks, Mike

[simonineaston]

Another factor to consider, which I read about and agreed with, back when I cycled the Nantes to Brest canal one year. Several cyclists talked about the tedium of hour after hour of cycling along in the same gear, without the variety afforded by hill & dale. The Nantes to Brest canal is a charming route to occupy several days of typical rural French landscape, but being flat, you spend an awful long time in one gear! By the second day, I was deliberately taking diversions to nearby towns and villages just to seek out some variety. It may however be unfair to compare an English canal tow-path with the broad, continuous cycle track that goes alongside the canalised rivers.

[simonhill]

Not so much of a problem on English canals. Every lock is a small hill often with a slightly technical climb/descent.

The towpaths are rarely good enough to sit back for any length of time, unless it is a surfaced section, eg around towns.

[simonhill]

Probably as a result of previous searches, this popped up on my Google feed. It is a blog of a camping ride along the GU from London to Birmingham.

https://bicycleadventureclub-co-uk.cdn. ... venture%2F

[Sweep]

+1 to folk saying it could get a bit boring/have surface issues.

I use the Bridgewater canal quite a bit and it would be hard to imagine a better surfaced towpath - but even that can be slightly bumpy and that can get wearing after a while - nowhere as smooth as a road. Even if surfaced, canal towpaths often have stuff buried under them - telecoms cabling etc and this can affect the surface.

That ride was loaded on 38mm 700 wheels.

I was up the river Lee/Lee Valley recently on a 26 inch wheel with 1.75 inch tyres - noticeably more comfortable.

In short, canals very nice indeed for short to medium jaunts - a bit of a drag for longer trips I tend to think.

[st599_uk]

Foxton Locks is on the Grand Union Canal so to start on the Lea you'd need to divert through central London or go cross country to somewhere like Tring.
There is an app called 'Canal Map' which may be useful.

The bit through Central London is actually a nice ride - but there are some busy sections.

Round the back of King's Cross has had a fortune spent on it, then you're in to Camden Locks (with a street food market), Regent's park next to the Zoo and very posh houses, then in to Little Venice. Then it's a bit industrial past Wormwood Scrubs but gets better as you head out past Hayes.

It's all relatively well paved (although some bits are cobbled) - there's some nice places to visit just off the route - Osterley Park etc.

You'll probably manage 10mph easily on decent tyres (not road tyres)

[Slowroad]

I've done most of this from London to just north of Milton Keynes, on various trips. There's canal routes from the River Lea through London to the main Grand Union Canal, but expect to go slow along Regent's Canal, very busy and some friction between different users. Fascinating route west through the city, then north through lovely countryside. As far as I remember the towpaths are OK, sometimes good, sometimes just OK. Would be less OK in bad weather.
I never did get my Grand Unon Canal project finished off, mainly beacuse it gets less cycle-friendly between Northampton and Leicester, and the campsites are few.

[Richard Fairhurst]

Worth noting that the last section of canal from Norton Junction (near Watford Gap) to Foxton, known as the "Leicester Summit", is famously remote - Tom Rolt wrote about it very approvingly in Narrow Boat, the book that started the canal revival. It's probably the narrowest, singletrack-iest bit of towpath there is between London and Foxton, and then there's a tunnel to consider at Crick. Just something to consider when planning your ride... the last bit will be the hardest!

[carlislemike]

Wow, I can see my mate and myself having to get a decent plan together for 2022. Many thanks one and all.