Cycling the Grand Union Canal – Aylesbury & Wendover Arms 2024

#canal #cycling #aylesbury
In this video I cycle the entire route of the Aylesbury and Wendover Arms of the Grand Union Canal. It was a perfect morning for it and it took just over 90 minutes to complete. Some of the route was slow going due to overhanging branches and narrow sections of towpath. I last did this in 2022 with a poor quality camera so this time it is much better with a GoPro strapped to my chest. I hope you enjoy the journey!

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well hello everyone welcome to another video today I am doing the Alsbury arm of the Grand Union canal and also the wind overarm entirely I don’t expect to be editing this I’m going to do it uh as it comes along should be I don’t know about an hour or so something like that so uh be an interesting ride they’ve done some upgrades on the uh area at Halton and Wendover on the toe path so it’ll be interesting to see what they’ve done there I haven’t been down that way for a while uh so uh it’s a lovely morning as you can see perfect weather so let’s do it off we go cross the [Music] weel there’s an awful lot of um growth in the canal [Music] itself I’m going to be tackling quite a bit of this uh overhanging branches further along especially down at putham J [Applause] thanks passing High Bridge I expect there’ll be a few people around it’s Monday [Music] morning yes dog walkers I’m prepared for that [Music] though cheers thanks [Music] the High Street Bridge [Music] thanks yeah it’s a perfect Morning Light Breeze low [Music] 20s all right Park Street Bridge number 17 [Music] past Tesco on my right and uh old Walton Mill over to the left thanks all right [Music] a little bit quicker now 13 M hour tow path from Ellsbury is like this up until Bron and a bit further I think and from then on it uh becomes grass yeah I think that the reason for all this growth in the canal itself is because there aren’t many boats coming down here anymore because of the opening of the circus field Basin this bit along here is lovely now this used to be so bumpy I wish it was like this all the way to Mars [Music] with a much more pleasurable ride you going see later on how I struggle when I get to near partum another dog walker two small dogs sorry it’s all right no [Music] problem we’re all here for the same reason to enjoy ourselves so why be difficult you know such a lovely morning so that was Oakfield road bridge now on the left circus field Basin called that because it used to be a circus field and they excavated out the field and created a new Basin few years ago [Music] [Music] it takes a long time to get out of hbur these days these houses on the left are fairly [Music] new Bren pastures on my [Music] right a push chair you see me thank you you’re welcome must be a nice place to live actually very quiet down there some lovely flowers aren’t they look at these gorgeous purples [Applause] pinks right now we’re getting into Countryside speed up a little bit [Music] those stunning colors really are [Music] gorgeous Bron hunt back bridge number 15 I have to walk it [Applause] up see it doesn’t take long to get out into Countryside at all [Applause] [Music] you see it’s still uh compacted gravel along [Music] here all right so instead of cutting back through hedge I just left it now the path goes around it okay [Music] [Applause] thank [Applause] you haven’t even had to use my bell yet I can probably hear the sound of my tires on the gravel you can’t see it but over on the left there’s still more houses I can hear Machinery oh God these branches hanging down I hav to bend down so much I can’t keep a straight line okay [Music] w [Music] [Applause] thank you [Applause] [Music] cheers I like my bell it’s very bright and cheery [Applause] [Music] again I have to bend down oh that was my helmet oh this is not much fun think it’s my bike is so big so I’m quite high up at least the toe path is still pretty decent [Music] here well the toe path is all right but these I mean the hedges are so overgrown in places they encroach upon it makes it hard to go along that’s a bit better out in the open oh dragon fly [Music] always goes slowly under a bridge and through it so I don’t know what’s coming the other side I’ve had occasion where I’ve met another cyclist it’s always a bit unnerving all [Music] right so many flies trying to keep my mouth shut [Music] 2.7 miles done so that means just over four I think it’s about 6 and 1/2 to mils Worth or the end of the El arm at [Music] least and you can get some good speed along these empty stretches and particularly if the toe path is like [Music] this obviously don’t want to go too fast cuz I want to be able to uh deal with any obstructions without coming off I would ruin my day if I did yeah I remember how this used to be this bit was uh it was just grassy muddy rutted but yeah they’ve done a a good job [Music] so we passed Bron a long way back I mean I said earlier the tow path was good up to Bron but I forgot it goes quite far I think it goes to Red House which is the next bridge and from there on it’s uh it’s the grass [Music] I chose today because it’s not rained recently so it’s not going to be very muddy oh it’s the next Bridge after this is a red house Bridge number 10 this is a bit dodgy in it on we go just over 3 miles [Music] done I did do a video before about uh these two arms of the Grand Union oh come on man look at that that shoulder heye for me right what was I saying yeah I did uh the two arms a few years ago before I had a GoPro uh it was interesting to do and I might well have a look back look back and um see how it’s changed might be interesting to put up some clips of the same section as I go along oh is a dip and another dip and another my arms are going to have a few scratches on by when I get home all these branches sticking out so there here’s the red [Applause] [Music] house forly an in back in days gone by right so this is how the Canal’s going to be for the next few miles bumpy and uh rotted just as it used to be back there before they put the uh compressed uh compacted gravel so change of gear certainly can’t bomb along here that would be asking for trouble I suppose the dried ruts make it worse some points up here I shall be getting off the bike and walking I think cuz it’s safer cheers thank you yeah I’m having to stoop right down to get through [Music] there yeah did you notice how this undulates up and down up and down I have a theory and I don’t know whether it’s true or not that uh before the canal was built this was a rig and fough field Buckland number [Music] 12 Thea Factory is over on my right coming through man no problem [Music] [Music] oh yes I remember this bit so that there is one of the only two benches I think along this stretch the other one was at Red House the next one is at uh just by hton Airfield which is some miles away she’ll probably have a break there it’s such a tranquil spot yeah this is treacherous and along here where it bends up the end up here I should be uh gently nudging my way along [Applause] it just over 4 miles [Music] done yeah look how close this is look it’s so overgrown lovely butterflies flying around Meadow Brown beautiful flowers again there’s a corant you see that [Applause] sh [Music] [Music] hey stooping down and there’s a blooming drop over on the left there right so I’m glad it’s not all like this it does improve a bit further on as we get near to putting them it’s really bad right that’s just knock my helmet off it’s just ridiculous this bit it really is it’s a good job I got a helmet actually cuz that would have hurt I can’t go along here it’s ridiculous these deep ruts and overhanging branches it’s the only way to get through remember I’m 6′ 6 so I would have to bend right down and I still do I don’t know how they would um improve this bit they’d have to cut back the the hedging cuz the toe path is right on the edge of the bank oh it’s such fun isn’t it it’s only like this that P them I might be able to get back on let time AG go nor Le Su could just push myself along with my foot [Applause] [Applause] such fun right through I hate that just takes forever plattinum [Applause] bottom okay let’s go go he said no far from uh Wilston [Music] [Applause] that’s of trouble with doing this in the summer everything is fully grown on the plus side get all these stunning Colors oh flying down my top there wonder what the wind over arm’s going to be like from uh from marsworth it’s not too bad once you get to tring Hill that’s quite uh quite easy to go along it’s just when it’s like this can’t really enjoy the surroundings because you’re constantly looking for Dangerous [Music] spots the ground’s given way or whatever like here there’s a bit of a puddle that’s nothing I’ve had far [Music] worse sure I saw a person up ahead [Applause] I did oh he’s got your buts on see this is the problem isn’t it you got a nice Bell here and he can’t hear a damn thing he’s got some music playing maybe before I ring it frantically God it treacherous let’s try again cheers maybe you’re cutting between the songs Look to have scared the hell out of him [Music] yeah come on still in eco mode right it’s not so bad along here cuz the village is nearby [Music] only about a mile to go oh my God this is absolutely ridiculous man every time I do that it knocks my helmet back right some Posh residencies on the left there remember there used to be an old like Workshop there right up the other [Applause] side Jeff lock number eight [Music] [Applause] so make a bit of progress here always remember to put it in tour plus mode when I approach these locks to go up the other side oh here we go again and another one 6 mil exactly well better wait for this lot to come through I wouldn’t dare push my way through they have just come from marsworth because that’s not [Applause] far morning thank you [Applause] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] cheers there’s my favorite property coming up is on this uh Bend [Applause] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] it always looks so beautiful don’t it look at that [Applause] Oh by me and I caught my arm Black Jacks number four lock is he waiting for me [Applause] [Applause] cheers all right now we’re approaching the end of the elb [Music] on I imagine there’ll be a few people at marsworth two reservoirs [Applause] there and why not it’s a beautiful morning [Applause] [Music] [Applause] um yes hey Yep this ain’t the lightest bike in the world I’ll just get out of the way no way I’ll value my life too much look at that yeah I know need some [Applause] good let’s have a drink good huh good yes it’s come from [Music] elsbury yeah well I hav got any momentum to go up here so I might as well walk it hey green [Applause] fly okie dokie so make my way around to the W over arm now [Applause] the uh Canal off to the left goes up through late and Buzzard back to the north being up there as far as lightting Buzzard but not further [Applause] Steady As She Goes bound to be people [Applause] and then days gone by this used to be the White Lion Pub on my right now sadly derelict the great loss to the canal was a lovely place to have a point look at the state of it it’s so sad we got the angr retreat just down the road there and uh the Grand Junction further along the canal on the other side [Music] [Applause] a few obstructions here and there [Music] [Music] and here we are at the reservoirs that’s the Canada geese follow this around [Music] [Applause] so that was 6 and 1 half to uh the end of the elb arm and it’s still almost a mile to the wind over AR don’t really think about that too much thanks SL [Applause] steady there’s another nice house here probably lock keeper Cottage yeah lock Cottage [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] look a happy [Applause] Gog yeah 7.4 [Music] miles okay [Applause] pause the carry on this route will take me to [Applause] London but uh I’m turning right just behind this bridge [Music] as I turn [Applause] around there you go that sign there says bronston 55 and a/4 Miles wind over 6.34 so we are 7.6 at the moment so we’re looking around the time I get uh between 13 14 mil on the clock let’s see how accurate that [Music] is oh again ever so [Applause] carefully it’s hard to steal when you’re sort of leaning out of the way you know or crouching [Applause] down I suppose they don’t get many tall people along [Applause] here and also the canal is quite low down if IU can up in here uh come through I’ll just stop here well actually we can be here [Applause] yeah all right [Applause] thanks yeah some bits of this are all right it’s cuz there’s a lot of bends turns you can’t really see who’s coming look at this I can’t can’t cycle on [Applause] that that sounds like somebody uh thank you very much all right thank you yeah there’s no way I could cycle on here look at this just falling [Applause] away ow shouldn’t have such a big bike should [Applause] I all right we should be okay now mirror back on [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] see these BS where it just it’s a big opening on the right and there just nothing oh it’s not so bad now [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] oh don’t like [Applause] this God blim [Applause] me go this is really overgrown that’s it [Applause] it’s cuz I got quite wide handle bars my left hand will be in the pluming [Music] [Music] Hedge it’s a nice breeze [Music] coming up to buber now and uh Pates flow [Music] Mill should dismount [Music] [Applause] all right [Music] [Music] [Applause] that’s the best way to do [Music] that as quickly as possible Right heygates flower Mill [Music] ah some people [Music] [Applause] thank you we had to meet in the St ah the bumpy bit yes so I have to get off the canal somewhere up here because it’s still being restored I forgotten how bumpy This was oh dear press the free wheel and stand up so many Gams of Fes just emerging from the grass blue demel and uh some orange ones whatever they are it’s getting [Applause] warm yes I think definitely on foot through here that’s a squeeze even for me cool this is uh very narrow [Music] [Music] I’m taking some foliage with me getar off the water’s so clear ah beautiful I don’t know if you can see these uh Danel flies just flying around enjoying the morning sun right it’s much easier from here on [Applause] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] all right so they’ve damned it off cuz they’ve be working on it [Music] and I have to leave the canal here otherwise I go and join the moing part of the canal oh God this is not going to be easy come [Music] on Jesus man I was going to bring my camera with me but that would have just added more weight just stopping here so I can hear down the road on my right there’s nothing coming so I’ve got to go down here [Applause] and then rejoin the canal up on my left where the sign post [Music] [Applause] is all right just be path yeah just be a bit careful we just cutting okay no problem sorry about that mate there’s Dey everywhere don’t matter it’s always Dodge you along [Applause] [Applause] here a so not the kind of debris it causes a puncture we often get hor horns along here I’m going to get one aren’t I I just know it so the canal from this point is dry look all these brambles [Applause] [Music] gosh just asking for it if I don’t get a puncture I should be [Music] amazed toe PA’s good though I said they’d upgraded it and they have this used to be just grassy so you can see down there where they’ve reinforced the banks sides of the [Music] canal it’s slow work and they’ve been doing it for many many years but it’s progress nonetheless and it’s all funded by donations and uh grants and that sort of thing if I had the money I’d help out myself cuz it’s a lovely uh stretch of canal you’ll see when I get to sort of the hton area how pretty it is [Music] so now we got water so it’s not a great deal of uh Canal that is [Applause] dry just a few hundred meters Maybe [Music] yeah it’s looking good just the water is not moving cuz it’s it’s uh obviously still quite stagnant [Music] [Music] [Music] oh another cyclist oh [Music] [Music] [Music] not far from Buckland DF and tring Hill f I’m not catching that cyclist so that’s all right it’s not going to get in the way [Music] jeez slippage [Applause] there where is he going [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] sax way [Music] Bridge because there was a Saxon burial ground found nearby 2001 [Applause] yeah it was up on the hill Saxons they love to have cemeteries on the [Applause] [Music] hill talking at Hills we’re approaching tring Hill is just up the way here I’ve got to go across the road as the toe path doesn’t go underneath [Music] it so there’s only a few cases where I about to cross roads to carry on this journey don’t really know what that is I mean surely the toe path can continue the bridges cool this is a bit low I’m crouching down again [Music] [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] well just as I reach uh Buckland wolf my uh GoPro battery died so [Applause] onwards as I join the road again I suppose I’m going to be behind this BL oh he’s going to turn right is he okay [Music] I’m not turning [Music] right nothing coming okay so that was tring Hill [Music] so that’s the Chon Hills up on the left which I’ve cycled and walked many many times over the years it’s really beautiful part of the country [Music] I’m beginning to wish I brought my camera now so many butterflies flying [Music] around maybe I’ll go for a walk later in the week when it’s coold down a bit it’s going to be pushing 30° [Music] today and hopefully I’ll be at home then enjoying a nice cold drink [Music] red kite flying above PL of those around [Music] [Applause] and this is the really picturesque part of the canal quite a broad Toe Path dappled Sunshine absolutely stunning [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] I don’t really want to go fast along here it’s so pleasant big mature trees [Music] [Applause] when I got nearer to Wendover there’s a possibility of seeing a king fisher spent many an hour Sat by the bank at the uh start of the canal cuz that’s where they like to uh feed really is amazing watching [Applause] them I might see [Applause] one it would only be a orange turquoise flash though probably if I do see one cuz they’re damn quick they’re like [Applause] [Applause] [Applause] missiles cheers yeah some of this top path it slopes towards the water it’s very disconcerting even worse when it’s wet as you can [Music] [Applause] imagine that’s really only this bit here that’s uh like [Applause] [Music] that yeah I’m keing to see what the top off’s like where it’s been um [Applause] upgraded cuz I really haven’t seen it cuz they’ve had to close it you know while the the work’s going [Music] on you know I probably don’t even need the motor assist turn it off just makes an annoying noise don’t it I’m still going 12 M hour just pedling without any power which is fine right there’s a a bench up here but I’m going to have a rest for a bit I said this is my favorite spot cuz it’s so tranquil car from the gun shot let’s just rest that there yeah ain’t this gorgeous right I’m going to have a break and I’ll be back in a little while right refreshment break over now I shall make my way to Wendover but past to hton [Applause] First the gunshots so because I’m passing M mod land on the left there so maybe they’re doing target practice or something I don’t know and talking of that uh Holton um RAF base is going to be decommissioned in 20127 and there’s talk of uh I think 11 or 1200 houses being built on the site it’s quite a sizable piece of land I’m not sure what will happen to hton house though the big old uh former Rothchild property we will [Applause] see about to pass under the Magnificent [Music] blue painted Iron Bridge that’s a lovely piece of work isn’t it wonderful [Music] so this is Holton so again I have to leave the canal and uh go down the road a little because the toe path is on the other side of the road [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] the same through all right thank you there we are all right yes thanks well I don’t remember this being gravel before so presumably this is the the new toath got a steady 10 m an hour that’s all you need to [Applause] do such a pleasant section it’s good for a photographer as well you know it’s not just a pleasant walk it actually is photogenic uh I think I’ll dip over this side it’s also nice cuz it’s shaded it’s quite warm in the sun today this is good [Music] [Music] so just like um the pr on [Music] there a foot path to the right that leads down to Western turville which I have walked there’s another one up here which goes through the woods to uh Western turville Reservoir [Applause] this is another lovely place to [Applause] be get to it through there can’t cycle through though because it’s not a cycle way it’s barely even a foot path to be fair it’s one of those uh permissive ways I think that’s what they call it you just got to stick to the route as you go through okay change of gear yeah I remember sitting along here couple of years ago trying to spot King fishes or photograph them trying to find where they uh live or hunt is much better in there going here yes benefits will be further along cuz that used to be pretty narrow about a mile out of Wendover be interesting to see what they’ve done there I mean this was already quite wide anyway I just remember the narrow bits I love this bit as well it’s so open such a beautiful morning [Applause] [Applause] [Music] see your headphones on let’s see if he’s listening no it’s a bloody pain isn’t [Music] it [Music] oblivious oh this is so annoying I get past him [Music] yeah claing sight man two kids and a mom coming on up ahead good place of [Music] stopping tend to do that if there’s more than me you know cuz they kids as well they might not be as balanced on the bike as me best to give him a bit more [Music] room yeah it was this bit along here bit further [Music] along of course the other good thing about having a wider tow path you can see further ahead so I’m going to have to stop in here a bit the opportunity to have a drink and watch the dragon flies butterflies [Music] thank you all right morning you come on okay look like Tac down yeah I can remember coming long air in the past and it was really overgrown you could hardly get through thank you quite busy this morning big dog who does he belong to you lost where’s the owner maybe that was those three so really not far from Wendover now just a little bit more to go so how are we doing for mileage what was it 6 and 3/4 miles from marsworth 14.1 we were 17 and uh No 7 and a half weren’t we when I got to um that sign so yeah I said about 14 didn’t I cheers thanks oh just got stinging that one my hand there so no blue flashes yet no king fisher seen thanks right let’s see if there’s anything up here I said I’d be very fortunate to see [Music] one so this is the start of the W over arm and this is where you see King fishes my God there’s a lot of growth in there imagine that would uh hamper them somewhat can’t see any lots of butterflies there which is nice right time to turn the ba Beast back on and head off home well I hope you’ve enjoyed this little well not wasn’t a little journey was it it was quite long but uh interesting nonetheless and without a puncture I can’t believe that I did all that section at uh where was it just after tring Hill or just before it where that man said there was debris on the top paath and I swear there were a load of Bramble branches laying on the tow paath any of those could have given me a puncture I’ve been very lucky so 14.7 mil done and uh got about another five to go before I get back to Alsbury which is not so uh difficult cuz much of it is on a cycle way so I shall say thanks for watching if you made it this far and I’ll see you in the next video