Foxton (socialising again!)

Stuart and Cheryl invited us over for dinner on Wednesday and Stuart kindly offered to pick us up. We set off on the seven mile trip to Foxton (where we could meet Stuart) mid morning as we wanted to get in some good reading time after mooring for the day and before we went out.   

As we set off I noticed John and Jane on narrowboat Ichthus (yes, John’s a retired vicar) were behind us.  This was good as we had five locks to go up and it’s always easier sharing the water and the work with another couple.  We had moored alongside John and Jane on the pontoons in Leicester so had already got to know them.   After ascending the locks we moored up for lunch and they went ahead.  After lunch we went through the ½ mile long Saddington tunnel – it felt like a long time since we had been in a tunnel.  Here you can just see the light at the end of it.

It was quite narrow when we got out but at least we hadn’t been dripped on in the tunnel – sometimes quite a lot of water escapes through the roof and you need to wear waterproofs.  We have seen people using umbrellas but I think that is dangerous in a tunnel.

This is a feeder from the Saddington reservoir.  This continually tops up the canal - as long as the reservoir doesn't start drying out!

Much of the last few miles was a designated SSSI…

…and the mooring spots that had been cut out of the reed beds were rather secluded so we noted this for our next trip along here.

Karen told this couple that she was jealous they still had summer flowers on the go.

This is approaching Foxton junction where we turned left up the Market Harborough arm.  To the right the Grand Union Leicester section continues south to its junction with the Grand Union main line near Braunston.  

As we turned left we saw another junction – left through a swing bridge or right under a bridge; neither bridges were marked on our map as it was so old. We ended up going through the swing bridge.

We soon reached Foxton itself and moored up just past this road swing bridge where Karen had to lower and raise the traffic barriers manually rather than with the normal automatic system of traffic lights and electronic barriers.

Stuart picked us up as planned and we had a great evening catching up with him and Cheryl in their delightful old cottage.  This is their view out of the back of the house.

Here are the five locks we went up today.

Crane's lock

Pywell's lock

Taylor's Turnover lock

Kibworth Second lock

Kibworth Top lock