If anyone wants to know more about the Grand Union canal, I’ve written about it here. #BensonWalks
The Leicester Line: Story of a Canal, part 1
Part 1 of a history of the Leicester Line, the part of the Grand Union canal that goes through Leicestershire, covering the building of the canal.
jembenson.substack.com
January 2, 2026 at 3:12 PM
If anyone wants to know more about the Grand Union canal, I’ve written about it here. #BensonWalks
And back to Watford. Possibly the most photogenic walk I’ve ever done, thanks to sun, frost, canals and landscape. Here’s the route if anyone else wants to try it. #BensonWalks
January 2, 2026 at 3:10 PM
And back to Watford. Possibly the most photogenic walk I’ve ever done, thanks to sun, frost, canals and landscape. Here’s the route if anyone else wants to try it. #BensonWalks
The Leicester Line from above. I was walking there a couple of hours ago.
#BensonWalks
#BensonWalks
January 2, 2026 at 2:58 PM
The Leicester Line from above. I was walking there a couple of hours ago.
#BensonWalks
#BensonWalks
Crossing the Birmingham line.
#BensonWalks
#BensonWalks
January 2, 2026 at 2:21 PM
Crossing the Birmingham line.
#BensonWalks
#BensonWalks
I could just about do 2026’s photos of the year already…
#BensonWalks
#BensonWalks
January 2, 2026 at 2:06 PM
I could just about do 2026’s photos of the year already…
#BensonWalks
#BensonWalks
Here I say farewell to the canal. Heading back to Watford a different route. #BensonWalks
January 2, 2026 at 1:18 PM
Here I say farewell to the canal. Heading back to Watford a different route. #BensonWalks
Long Buckby locks (👋 @juliegfamily.bsky.social) are wide enough for two boats to travel side by side, unlike on the Leicester Line.
#BensonWalks
#BensonWalks
January 2, 2026 at 1:04 PM
Long Buckby locks (👋 @juliegfamily.bsky.social) are wide enough for two boats to travel side by side, unlike on the Leicester Line.
#BensonWalks
#BensonWalks
Norton Junction, the southern end of the Grand Union Leicester Line. From here the canal goes west to Birmingham and south-east down to London.
#BensonWalks #FingerpostFriday
#BensonWalks #FingerpostFriday
January 2, 2026 at 12:29 PM
Norton Junction, the southern end of the Grand Union Leicester Line. From here the canal goes west to Birmingham and south-east down to London.
#BensonWalks #FingerpostFriday
#BensonWalks #FingerpostFriday
I’m walking slower than normal, partly because the paths are a bit slippery, but mostly because I *have* to keep stopping to take pictures.
#BensonWalks
#BensonWalks
January 2, 2026 at 12:12 PM
I’m walking slower than normal, partly because the paths are a bit slippery, but mostly because I *have* to keep stopping to take pictures.
#BensonWalks
#BensonWalks
The Watford locks, which mirror the Foxton locks at the north end of the Old Grand Union. Seven locks take boats down 54 feet from the summit pound to the level of the Birmingham canal at Norton.
#BensonWalks
#BensonWalks
January 2, 2026 at 11:38 AM
The Watford locks, which mirror the Foxton locks at the north end of the Old Grand Union. Seven locks take boats down 54 feet from the summit pound to the level of the Birmingham canal at Norton.
#BensonWalks
#BensonWalks
It is wonderfully peaceful here, apart from the distant hum of the M1.
#BensonWalks
#BensonWalks
January 2, 2026 at 11:17 AM
It is wonderfully peaceful here, apart from the distant hum of the M1.
#BensonWalks
#BensonWalks
I’m going to head south from here down to the junction with the London to Birmingham section of the canal at Norton. It is a lovely bright winter morning, ideal for walking. #BensonWalks
January 2, 2026 at 11:02 AM
I’m going to head south from here down to the junction with the London to Birmingham section of the canal at Norton. It is a lovely bright winter morning, ideal for walking. #BensonWalks
First sight of the canal. Here’s the south portal of the 1,538 yard Crick Tunnel, finished in 1814 shortly before the opening of the Old Grand Union.
#BensonWalks
#BensonWalks
January 2, 2026 at 10:59 AM
First sight of the canal. Here’s the south portal of the 1,538 yard Crick Tunnel, finished in 1814 shortly before the opening of the Old Grand Union.
#BensonWalks
#BensonWalks
I’m in Watford (not that one, the one in Northamptonshire, of Watford Gap services fame) to explore the southern end of the Leicester Line of the Grand Union canal. Heading up towards the locks and Crick tunnel first.
#BensonWalks
#BensonWalks
January 2, 2026 at 10:28 AM
I’m in Watford (not that one, the one in Northamptonshire, of Watford Gap services fame) to explore the southern end of the Leicester Line of the Grand Union canal. Heading up towards the locks and Crick tunnel first.
#BensonWalks
#BensonWalks
Finished! Back to Silverstone having walked 15.6 miles at an average of 16.21 minutes/mile, and climbed 713 feet. Quite happy with that. Thanks to this who followed along…
#BensonWalks 16/16
#BensonWalks 16/16
March 8, 2025 at 4:19 PM
Finished! Back to Silverstone having walked 15.6 miles at an average of 16.21 minutes/mile, and climbed 713 feet. Quite happy with that. Thanks to this who followed along…
#BensonWalks 16/16
#BensonWalks 16/16
14.5 miles. After a bit of a diversion I am now north of the racetrack and on the home straight back to Silverstone village. Here’s a serious-looking postbox I saw earlier for #PostboxSaturday.
#BensonWalks 15/x
#BensonWalks 15/x
March 8, 2025 at 3:54 PM
14.5 miles. After a bit of a diversion I am now north of the racetrack and on the home straight back to Silverstone village. Here’s a serious-looking postbox I saw earlier for #PostboxSaturday.
#BensonWalks 15/x
#BensonWalks 15/x
13.1 miles. The back of another grandstand. I am about to cross the River Leck - which appears to go under the circuit - back into Northants. If the counties ever enforced border controls it would slow the races down no end.
#BensonWalks 14/x
#BensonWalks 14/x
March 8, 2025 at 3:26 PM
13.1 miles. The back of another grandstand. I am about to cross the River Leck - which appears to go under the circuit - back into Northants. If the counties ever enforced border controls it would slow the races down no end.
#BensonWalks 14/x
#BensonWalks 14/x
12.4 miles. I’m on a footpath round the perimeter of Silverstone circuit. I have precisely zero interest in motorsport but even I’ve heard of this. A former RAF airfield, it has hosted the British Grand Prix since 1948. The track is 3.6 miles long so I’ve done nearly 3½ laps.
#BensonWalks 13/x
#BensonWalks 13/x
March 8, 2025 at 3:08 PM
12.4 miles. I’m on a footpath round the perimeter of Silverstone circuit. I have precisely zero interest in motorsport but even I’ve heard of this. A former RAF airfield, it has hosted the British Grand Prix since 1948. The track is 3.6 miles long so I’ve done nearly 3½ laps.
#BensonWalks 13/x
#BensonWalks 13/x
11.2 miles. I have seen wondrous things: a great obelisk on a hill, and the place where telegraph poles go when they retire.
#BensonWalks 12/x
#BensonWalks 12/x
March 8, 2025 at 2:40 PM
11.2 miles. I have seen wondrous things: a great obelisk on a hill, and the place where telegraph poles go when they retire.
#BensonWalks 12/x
#BensonWalks 12/x
10.1 miles. First big climb of the walk, but no I’m not tyred…
#BensonWalks 11/x
#BensonWalks 11/x
March 8, 2025 at 2:14 PM
10.1 miles. First big climb of the walk, but no I’m not tyred…
#BensonWalks 11/x
#BensonWalks 11/x
9.0 miles. I feel like I’m in the middle of nowhere now, just south of Three Parks Wood. I missed a footpath so went further south than planned, and have now come north and am about to turn east towards Dadford.
#BensonWalks 10/x
#BensonWalks 10/x
March 8, 2025 at 1:51 PM
9.0 miles. I feel like I’m in the middle of nowhere now, just south of Three Parks Wood. I missed a footpath so went further south than planned, and have now come north and am about to turn east towards Dadford.
#BensonWalks 10/x
#BensonWalks 10/x
7.4 miles. I’m sitting by the stump of an old gallows tree at a junction south of Biddlesden. This was once part of a drovers’ route that went from Wales to London. A plane overhead takes off from nearby Turweston Aerodrome.
#BensonWalks 9/x
#BensonWalks 9/x
March 8, 2025 at 1:19 PM
7.4 miles. I’m sitting by the stump of an old gallows tree at a junction south of Biddlesden. This was once part of a drovers’ route that went from Wales to London. A plane overhead takes off from nearby Turweston Aerodrome.
#BensonWalks 9/x
#BensonWalks 9/x
6.3 miles. I’ve just crossed into Buckinghamshire at Biddlesden - here the Ouse is the county boundary. A gaggle of cyclists passed me a few minutes ago: ‘pedestrian!’ shouted one and I moved hastily onto the verge.
#BensonWalks 8/x
#BensonWalks 8/x
March 8, 2025 at 12:50 PM
6.3 miles. I’ve just crossed into Buckinghamshire at Biddlesden - here the Ouse is the county boundary. A gaggle of cyclists passed me a few minutes ago: ‘pedestrian!’ shouted one and I moved hastily onto the verge.
#BensonWalks 8/x
#BensonWalks 8/x
5.0 miles. Syresham church which currently has some complicated steeple-scaffolding. Earlier I shut a gate on some sheep and one of them scolded me with a noise I can only describe as an angry growl-burp.
#BensonWalks 7/x
#BensonWalks 7/x
March 8, 2025 at 12:20 PM
5.0 miles. Syresham church which currently has some complicated steeple-scaffolding. Earlier I shut a gate on some sheep and one of them scolded me with a noise I can only describe as an angry growl-burp.
#BensonWalks 7/x
#BensonWalks 7/x