Discover Braunston

Braunston is a destination for travellers who want to combine waterways, historic structures and walks through a diverse landscape. The Grand Union Canal and the Oxford Canal meet at Braunston. This connection provides an ideal starting point for discovering Braunston on foot or from the water.

Canals, locks and paths

The self-guided Braunston Village & Canal Circular Heritage Walk leads from the village centre to the Grand Union Canal and then along the towpath. The Braunston flight has six locks, most of which are passed on this circular walk. Anyone looking for a route with visible traces of canal transport can include the locks and towpath in their day plan.

Braunston Marina also tells the story of the development of the waterways. Its reservoirs were built by the Grand Junction Co. from 1806 onwards; the marina also has two dry docks and reservoirs. A footbridge salvaged from the Buckingham Branch in 1962 carries the towpath over the waterway connection there. The towpath in Braunston is open daily, so it can be planned as a separate part of a day during your stay.

No boating experience is required for a trip on the Ouzel II from Union Canal Carriers, as full instruction is provided. This allows you to experience the canal landscape from another perspective without needing any prior knowledge.

Tunnel, church and canal history

Braunston Tunnel opened in 1796 and is 2,042 yards long. It is lined with locally made bricks. Alongside the footpath over the hill above Braunston Tunnel are three round brick ventilation shafts. Together, the tunnel, brickwork and ventilation shafts make the canal’s engineering history particularly tangible.

All Saints' Church is also part of the area’s historical story. It stands on a site where three stone churches have served the parish of Braunston since Norman times. Braunston Stop House is a Grade II listed building and was originally a toll house for commercial boats travelling between the Grand Junction Canal and the Oxford Canal. Today, its Canal & River Trust welcome station provides information about the surrounding area and support from volunteers.

Walks with different points of interest

Several circular walks lead into the surrounding area from Braunston Marina. The Wolfhampcote – Puddlebanks & Braunston Turn circular walk is considered a short walk through local history. The Ashby St Ledgers by the Jurassic Way circular walk is considered a relatively easy, hilly walk along the Jurassic Way. For a longer outing, there is the return route Up the locks & over the tunnel to the New Inn at Norton Junction: it is approximately 10 miles long and runs mainly along the towpath.

The Tree Trail in Braunston is a 1.5-mile walking route featuring more than 20 trees. Visitors interested in history can also explore the earthworks of the deserted medieval village of Braunstonbury. They are extensive and very well preserved; the site includes an area surrounded by a moat and a large manorial fishpond. The medieval ridge-and-furrow pattern can still be seen in many fields around Braunston today.

Details in High Street and the surrounding area

The present-day buildings in High Street reveal many features of historical interest. Several houses show traces of bricked-up doors and windows. Tudor House dates from the late 15th century. At Braunston Turn, a pair of cast-iron bridges also commemorates the year 1834, when it was completed.

The right accommodation for your travel plans

When looking for holiday accommodation in Braunston, it is worth deciding first what kind of daily rhythm you want. Short walks, the towpath and the structures around the canals favour a stay filled with many smaller discoveries. Anyone planning a longer route can take the approximately 10-mile return walk or the hilly route along the Jurassic Way into account. Families with different interests can also alternate between waterways, local history and exploring the landscape. This allows you to choose accommodation not according to a general recommendation, but in a way that suits the experiences you want to include in Braunston.

Further places for orientation: Gretton, Northampton, Maidwell, Woodford, Hellidon, Brigstock, Collyweston and Oundle.

For the broader travel overview: Northamptonshire.