Hello and welcome back to my blog 😊.

We are having a lovely spell of weather but it can be slightly too hot for walking. I decided to get out early and found myself by the Grantham Canal early doors. Surprisingly, it was quite misty this morning.

I enjoyed an 8.5-mile circular walk from The Duck pub at Woolsthorpe to Denton Reservoir then on to Harlaxton to re-join the canal for the return leg.

Looking up the canal at lock 18 the mist was rising across the water. A walk along this canal is like entering another world and it’s my happy place.

I headed along the towpath passing the workboat ‘Mudlark’ – a dredger and aptly named.

The water is crystal clear in the canal and I could see small fish swimming between the weed. The birds were twittering in the trees.

I was soon arriving at Denton Wharf – a place where small boats can be launched into the canal via the slipway.

Here I left the towpath crossing over the humpback bridge and walked along track and road to reach Denton Reservoir – one of two reservoirs built specifically to supply water to the canal.

I took a walk around the reservoir – it was so peaceful, with not a soul around.

A Heron stood on a log in the water looking for its breakfast.

I left the reservoir and took a path across fields, passing one in particular that had lovely purple flowers growing. A visual feast.

I reached Harlaxton bridge where I re-joined the towpath.

The section of canal from Harlaxton to Denton is shaded by the trees so I enjoyed being out of the sun for a while. I passed two swans with their eight cygnets – always special to see.

Finding a bench in the shade I took a break enjoying my scotch egg. The towpath is in good condition so easy to walk along it.

Just past lock 18 I detoured and took the Sustrans cycle path, once the route of the Ironstone railway, to lock 15.

Arriving at lock 15 I re-joined the canal and walked along the half-mile pound back to my car, passing the Grantham Canal Society depot along the way.

It had been an absolutely perfect walk on a beautiful summer morning. I’d loved it.

Happy Walking 😊🚶