Opening in 1801, the canal was used to export agricultural produce and other products to London and brought a lot of trade to the town, such as coal, stone, bricks. Importing coal meant that Buckingham had street lights for the first time.


The Buckingham Arm of the Grand Junction Canal was 9¼ miles long and took 8 months to complete. Once the railway was built the competition put the Canal at risk, and silt build-up meant it was disused from 1931 before being finally abandoned in the 1960’s. It is now being restored by Buckingham Canal Society and has become a nature haven with rare butterflies and dragonflies seen here. Following the path will take you towards a larger nature reserve.

With thanks to Josh Nesden, winner of the Buckingham Calendar competition 2020 for the beautiful image of the Canal.

Image of the Kestrel by Andreas Trepte – Own work, CC BY-SA 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons