The canal section from Maydown, through Locks 3 to Lock 8 at Milltown, are topographically interesting as the canal shares a gorge with the Blackwater River, albeit at a higher level than this. The industrial heritage remains of the canal are hit and miss with less at the eastern end of this section than the western end. There is also a historical mill complex midway and another (formerly the Benburb Valley Heritage Centre but since closed) at Milltown adjacent to Lock 8.
On my visit in September 2024, there has been a land slide on part of the walking path west of Blackstokes Bridge. It is to be hoped that the relevant local authority in the area don't treat this in the way that Wicklow County Council have handled coastal erosion on the Bray Head Cliff Path (i.e., by closing it to the public).