The village of Gayton sits high on the hillside and is located within half a mile of the Grand Union Canal ,the main canal running North-South from Birmingham to London. The village name is indelibly linked with the nearby canal (or “cut” as it is referred to by boaters) giving its name to the important junction known as “Gayton Junction” ,where the Northampton Arm leads to the River Nene and hence to the Wash.

This section of the originally named Grand Junction Canal from Weedon to Blisworth was opened in the late summer of l796, Blisworth becoming a busy inland port whilst waiting for the opening of the tunnel in l805. The Arm itself, 4.5 miles long falling 33.5 metres (109 feet) through 17 locks to join the River Nene at South Bridge, was opened on 1st May, l815. However, recognising the commercial potential of this short link between Gayton and the Nene, a tramway had already been built using equipment from the no-longer needed Blisworth Hill tramway following the opening of the Blisworth Tunnel. For more information on the Blisworth Canal and Tunnel, see Blisworth Canal Partnership.

There is now a Marina off Gayton Junction that is situated on the Northampton Arm of the Grand Union canal close to its junction with the mainline, together with a local Boatyard and Marine Services on Gayton Junction itself providing visiting boaters a range of services .

It is no exaggeration to state that Gayton is a household name throughout the canal world. Gayton Junction is a nationally known location!

A number of the local walks that start and finish in Gayton utilise the canal towpaths of both the main Grand Union Canal and the Northampton Arm.