It's better by water!

Published: Wednesday, 20 January 2021

HERE'S a picture of the Grand Union summit towpath just south of Bulbourne Junction yesterday.

SummitPathJan21AllHe telling—it's better by water and reporting that the water cascades down the bank from the fields above.

Blocked for years

Those big brown pipes were supposed to drain the water but they have been blocked for years and in any case they only empty on to the towpath not into the canal!

Years ago, British Waterways dug a long trench from Bulbourne to Marshcroft Lane with similar pipes under the towpath and into the summit pound, the pipes are still there but the trench has filled in with debris, leaves etc.

A mess

It's a mess. Interestingly the towpath from the road bridge as far as those steps is also marked as Public Footpath 58 so perhaps it's the local council's responsibility?

The steps are dangerous and the handrail broken. There is a metal barrier in the foreground that has been there a long while. 

Rather than repair

Perhaps originally to block the dangerous steps and divert walkers rather than repair?