Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
On the Marsworth Flight near Wilstone
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Nevertheless, the idea had popular support from the people of Aylesbury and the Marquis
of Buckingham, and the Aylesbury Arm was opened in 1815, remaining commercial until
the 1950s, after which it became semi-derelict. In its heyday it took agricultural produce and
livestock out of Aylesbury and delivered building materials, timber and coal in return.
Now fully restored, it poses a dilemma for the narrowboat user. The Aylesbury Arm is one
of the quietest and most rural canals in the country, a charming find within easy reach of Lon-
don, yet it has 16 locks on the descent to Aylesbury and 32 locks for the 20km return trip on
this dead-end canal.
The Aylesbury Arm leaves the main line at Marsworth Junction, 300m north-west of the
Lower Icknield Way.
The first eight locks form the Marsworth Flight. They average 200m apart. The first pair
come as a staircase. Many of the locks have houses alongside; not with traditional lock keep-
er's cottage styling but their locations cannot be accidental in this rural landscape.
The line is almost due west across Buckinghamshire although sections of Hertfordshire are
intersected in the early part of the route.
The fourth lock, which has a wall of periwinkle at its lower end, swings the canal on to
the straight line it is to follow for the next 3km. Looking back, the line points to the tower
of Marsworth church. Several of the fields thus far have held horses but the land is now pre-
dominantly laid down to crops.
As the last of the eight locks is approached at Wilstone, the only canalside community,
the pristine fields of bright-yellow oilseed rape give way suddenly to an apparently ploughed
