First walk of the 2017 season starts with a 9 mile walk from the Canal Museum at Stoke Bruerne and ends at Nether Heyford. Luckily the 86 bus got me from Northampton to the Canal Museum for the start of the walk and the D3 bus took me back to Northampton at the end. Neat!

Canal musesum at Stoke Bruerne – start of the walk

Heading north from Stoke Bruerne

Chipped rubber path leading from the canal museum to the entrance of the Blisworth tunnel

Approaching the southern entrance to Blisworth tunnel, the canal path rises up to the right

Looking down on the entrance to the tunnel – notice no towpath in the tunnel

The walking route is in woodlands above the tunnel

Looking back at the point the walking path joins the road

The walking route now follows the road for just under 2 miles

Tower above an air shaft shows that the end of the walk along the roadway is approaching

Hard to believe there is a 1.8 mile tunnel with boats in it below this countryside

Handy pointer to remind walkers to leave the road

The steep path down to the canal, alongside the northern entrance to Blissworth tunnel

Looking down on the northern entrance to Blissworth tunnel

Looking back to the northern entrance to Blissworth tunnel

Only 18 miles to Braunstone junction

Approaching Blissworth

Bridge 51 – Blissworth Mill Bridge

Blissworth Marina

Bridge 50 – Candle Bridge

Approaching bridge 49

Countryside north of Blissworth

Bridge 49 – Station Road bridge

Approaching Blissworth Marina

Entrance to Blissworth Marina

The junction with the Northampton Arm, looking down and north from bridge 48 the Gayton Junction bridge

Looking back towards bridge 48 – the Northampton arm is off to the left (heading north to Northampton)

Approaching Turnover Bridge (47) – note the walking path crosses sides here

Looking down and back from bridge 47 (Turnover bridge)

Back into open countryside – the walking path is just a grassy area with a slightly worn track

Bridge 45 – Wrights Lane bridge

Bridge 44 – Easts bridge

Approaching bridge 43a – a pair of bridges, one over the canal, the other over the railway line

Bridge 43 – one of the Banbury Lane bridges

Bridge 41 carries the walking route known as Midshires way

Heading north from Bugbrooke

Bridge 38

Approaching Bugbrooke Wharf bridge (36)

The path is a bit better controlled here

Strange building in the distance near the end of the walk at Nether Heyford