Completed in 1815 the intention was to use the Arm as a
connection between the Grand Union Canal and the River Thames at Abingdon
- and thus create a possible route through to the Kennet and Avon Canal and
Wilts and Berks Canal. These plans were argued over for around 17 years before
the Arm was started - one of the biggest issues was the scarcity of water and as
the Arm would have required water from another source i.e. The Thames (Aylesbury
lies in a hollow) this
through connection never did happen. The Arm drops a total of 95 feet on it's
way to Aylesbury with most of it's 16 narrow 7 feet locks situated at the Marsworth
end. The Arm was used commercially for transport of grain, timber, coal and
building materials until the 1960s.The first locks are right at the start of the Canal as you leave Marsworth Basin - these two locks are staircase locks where the middle gate joins the top and bottom locks - this type of lock is unique on the Grand Union Canal's Southern Waterway.
Although the Waterways Authorities are often shown as encouraging various
leisure activities on their canals the fact is that the Arm's towpath is in a
pretty poor condition in various places. We last walked the towpath in February
2008 and there were really poor areas with bank collapse and deep mud filled
holes. In at least two locations the bank had collapsed sufficiently to cause
the canal to leak across the towpath into adjacent field ditches. Walking was
pretty difficult to say the least and for cyclists it was really hazardous. The
Arm is very popular with fishermen - you can of course fish all the year round
on the canal - and at least the towpath is generally wide enough to give
everyone room for their pursuits. For narrowboats the canal is quite straight in
direction and generally wide enough for passing although it is very silted in
some places with reeds protruding well out into the stream.There are turning points at Marsworth, another at Bridge 9 and one at the Arm's end in Aylesbury (this latter turnpoint is quite congested due to quite a few moored canal boats).
