Tring Reservoirs and the Aylesbury and Wendover Arms

Tring Reservoirs attract a wealth of plants, insects, bats, fish and large populations of breeding, wintering and migrating birds. This walk, the longest of three walks around the reservoirs, takes you around all four reservoirs as well as part of the Aylesbury Arm and the entire six miles of the Wendover Arm. Stroll at your leisure and enjoy the wildlife and views.

Starting at the car park follow the towpath of the Grand Union canal away from the Marsworth flight of locks until the fork with the Aylesbury Arm. Take this Arm by forking left and continue along here until Bridge no. 4 where you should come up onto Tring Road.

Follow Tring Road to the junction with Lower Icknield Way and take a right onto this Way to reach the Wilstone car park. From here follow the side of Wilstone Reservoir around two sides until you reach the disused section of the Wendover Arm. Follow this briefly before cutting off right to bring you to the end of the now navigable section.

Walk along the towpath of the Wendover Arm all the way to its junction with the Grand Union canal, at the top of Marsworth Locks. Turn left following the Grand Union towpath and the flight down the hill until you get back to the car park where you started.

Getting there

Parking: Parking for the reservoirs is available at Startop's End car park, off the B489 Lower Icknield Way, Marsworth. There is a smaller car park at Wilstone Reservoir, off the same road.

Public transport: By boat - Visitor moorings are available on the canal above and below the Marsworth flight of locks. By train - North London Railways operate trains between London (Euston) and Northampton stopping at Tring (an attractive 30-minute canal walk from the reservoirs). For information telephone 01923 245001. By bus - Regular bus services operate between Tring, Aylesbury and Marsworth stopping at Marsworth Village. For information telephone Herts Travel line on 01992 556765. By car - The reservoirs are five minutes' drive from Tring and less than 20 minutes' drive from Berkhamsted, Aylesbury, Leighton Buzzard and Wendover.