Grand Union Canal

The trunk route of Britain's canal network, the picturesque Grand Union links London through the Chilterns with Birmingham via the longest single canal in Britain.

The Grand Union is a 1920s marriage of historic waterways that even now impresses with the scale of its vision. The attractive 137-mile main line has many branches to towns along the way. The longest of these, the Leicester Line, runs to Leicester, from where the River Soar continues to Nottingham.

As the main line from London to the Midlands, the Grand Union Canal was once one of the busiest in the country. Today, its charm lies in its diversity: from the centre of London through the Chiltern Hills, rural Northamptonshire and Warwickshire, and into the suburbs of Birmingham, it offers a wide variety of landscapes, wildlife, architecture, historic craft and buildings.

Download a Guide and map to West London's Canals

Download a Guide and map to Birmingham and the West Midlands’ Canals

Download a Guide and map to Nottingham and the East Midlands’ Canals & Rivers

Download a Guide and map to Milton Keynes’ Canals

Download a guide to using water conservation locks on the Grand Union Canal