A Visit to Sapperton Tunnel

On Sunday I headed back to Kemble to search for the Sapperton Tunnel. At three and a half kilometres in length, Sapperton Tunnel is still the third longest canal tunnel in England. The canal is at present disused although there are aspirations to oneday reopen this historic waterway that links two of England’s great rivers. After an hours walk through some open fields I finally found my way to the tunnel entrance (I forgot my map so had to navigate from memory). After lunching at the Tunnel House Inn I had a quick look inside the tunnel entrance. The water was freezing and the walls were covered in slime mould. A set of heavy rusting gates block the tunnel a few meters inside the tunnel.