The ‘Needs to Know’
Distance: 3.75 miles (6.03km)
Time to walk: With a bit of path searching, roughly 1.5 hours
Difficulty: Pretty much all off road & a few slight hills, but nothing to be concerned about
Parking: A linear walk, parking is available in The Navigation car park
Public toilets: Pubs in Stoke Bruerne at the start, or the Blisworth ones at the end
Map of the route:
Stage 7 of the Round is a short one along paths that we’ve walked before. It’s also through some of our nicest countryside. It’s likely that you won’t see another soul on this stretch
So…
Let’s Walk!
1. Stage 7 starts on the road bridge over the Grand Union Canal. Facing the busy centre turn left & walk down & past The Boat Inn…
2. As the road starts to climb turn left up Church Lane
There’s some classy gardeners in this village
3. Before arriving at the church, look for a signpost besides a bench which leads down a rather overgrown, narrow path…
…opening up into a large field that’s used as an overflow carpark for the village
4. Keep to the left-hand edge of the field passing the church
The Church of St Mary the Virgin was built mainly in the 14th & 15th centuries. Walk to the top left corner to exit the field
5. Once out the path is much clearer so follow it & pass through the gate…
…where we’re now out of the village limits & heading towards Shutlanger
6. On reaching the road cross straight over & keep the fence on the left through the next field
Look out for a bit of quirkiness in this field under the large tree. We walked here a few years ago & came across this small vegetable plot in the middle of a corn crop!
7. At the bottom of this field pass through the gap in the corner & through the gate into the next one 
Walk straight down the next one & cross the bridge into a meadow
8. Walk up the right hedge this time looking for a path that goes diagonally right about halfway up the hill through the gate below
The outskirts of Shutlanger’s now ahead so keep right to the final gate out of this stretch of fields
On the right here once stood a great medieval house called the Monastery. It actually wasn’t one, just a house. The property on the right carries on the name
9. On reaching the road turn left & walk down to the crossroads…
Sounds interesting
…turning right into Bakers Lane. If you fancy a refreshment break keep straight on for 100 yards as we can recommend The Plough
10. Follow Bakers Lane up the hill to the junction with the High Street…
…where we turn left passing the Reading Room
At the T-junction turn right up the lane to exit Shutlanger
11. Next stop then is Blisworth. Follow the narrow lane up the hill for roughly 10 minutes looking for a barn & footpath sign on the right…
The path keeps to the hedge on the left & then passes through a gap into another one…
12. Same again to the end of the next field to arrive at a crossroads of paths. To the left is one that we walked a couple of years ago as part of a Shutlanger walk. Today we need to turn right…
Over to the left’s a view of Northampton & the Lift Tower
But don’t look at it for too long as, after roughly 60 yards we need to turn left through the gap
13. We can now just make out Blisworth in the distance…
Initially the path runs through the open field until it picks up a lane which, even on a day like today, was very muddy
Keep to the left of one final open field before exiting through a gate
14. This next stretch into the village is quite delightful as the path follows a brook as it winds its way through the edge of the fields…
Our route is actually following the Blisworth Tunnel & across to the right you can see the ventilation towers
At 3,076 yards the tunnel is the third-longest navigable canal tunnel on the UK canal network. Work began in 1793, but errors by contractor left a wiggle in the tunnel, & after three years work it collapsed due to quicksand, claiming the lives of 14 men. It was then decided to begin again with a new tunnel
In March 1805, the tunnel was finally opened & until the 1870s travel through the tunnel was only achieved by men lying on their backs pushing the boats with their feet (legging). From 1871 steam tugs were used to pull boats through, & extra ventilation shafts were installed
Due to changes in the shape of the tunnel over time, the tunnel became unnavigable. There was some major rebuilding of the tunnel in the 1980s, with sections lined with pre-cast concrete rings. It was also used to test out the materials that were later used on the Channel Tunnel. One of the unused rings is on display just outside the south entrance
15. Pass through two more gates to arrive at a T-junction. Turn left & follow the right side of the field looking for another gate on the right…
On the right now is the canal in a deep cutting as it’s just exited the tunnel
16. The path bends round with the canal & we pass through a gate & climb up to the road bridge
And…welcome to Blisworth & the end of Stage 7
This was an easy stroll, which was most welcome after the trials & tribulations of Stage 6. Next it’s on past Gayton to Bugbrooke
Go Walk!