You are here:
Wildlife along the Grand Union Canal Leicester Line
The peaceful Welford Arm is rich in flora and fauna and runs close to the site of the battle of Naseby.
Though a busy tourist attraction, Foxton Locks is also a wildlife hotspot. The side-ponds, which are not used for navigation but supply water to boaters using the locks, are popular with herons and have extensive reedbeds. Another good spot for rare species is the partly dried-up arm which formerly connected the canal to the top of the Inclined Plane boat lift.
Saddington Reservoir, a short distance south-west of Saddington village, was built to supply the canal with water. It is now an immensely valuable wildlife habitat, with sightings ranging from dragonflies and damselflies to the famous 'purple heron' once spotted here.
