Lynn was very pleasantly surprised to find 9 other walkers ready to join her for the walk, which started from College Lake carpark. We walked along to the Grand Union Canal at Bulbourne (next to The Grand Junction Arms pub) and headed north along the towpath, turning left onto the Wendover Arm. This is a nice, peaceful section of canal and we stayed on there, crossing over to the other side at one bridge, then coming off that part of the canal at the bridge soon after going past Tringford Pumping Station. We followed the roadside path up to the footpath that goes alongside the dry part of the Wendover Arm (where the CRT and volunteers are slowly repairing the canal to open that part up again) and stopped for elevenses at the benches on the other side of the wooden crossing bridge, where there is water again - and a number of brightly coloured dragonflies!.
After the break, we walked back over the bridge and round the edge of Wilstone Reservoir to cross the road and head into Wilstone village with its pretty cottages, gardens and a thriving community shop.
At the other end of the village, we joined the Aylesbury Arm of the canal - a narrow and seemingly much less used part of the canal system - walking past a few overflowing locks and several new build properties until we arrived back at the main Grand Union Canal. From there we headed down to the bridge at the old (closed) White Lion pub, where we met a couple of swans with their cygnets, so we had to give them as much room as possible - but still got hissed at, as a warning!
This part of the canal was very busy with boats on the water as well as people walking and cycling along the towpath. We walked past the Tring Reservoirs to The Grand Junction Arms and then back to College Lake car park and lunch in the cafe there. A very enjoyable, easy going, approximately 6-mile walk.
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| Track of walk, walked in clockwise direction |
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