It was a pleasant day as we prepared to set off, with just half a mile to go before our first stop.
We were pleased that when we arrived at
Foxton Top Lock there was no other boat waiting to go down. As the narrow locks are arranged in two sets of five staircases it is only possible to enter the top lock once the flight is clear of other boats. Hence the need to check in with the lock keeper. Christine was informed that we would be able to descend after the two boats, currently near the middle of the flight, had exited.
Although we had a bit of a wait there was time to walk down the flight to take a look - at this stage there were very few onlookers but by the time we set off once more numbers had begun to swell quite a bit. Foxton is very much a 'promoted' destination by CaRT and one of their busiest sites, both for boats and for gongoozlers.
Just after we went through the first lock a family (mother, gran and two small boys) started to take a keen interest and we were able to engage Henry and George in working all of the locks to the bottom. Indeed, we offered them the chance to opt out after the first section but, no, the lads were very keen to do as many as possible! Their mum was pleased to see them involved especially as she said that the older one is very much into mechanical things and was thrilled to take part. Towards the bottom, more visitors arrived and we had to make sure that our team were not overwhelmed by larger children!
At the bottom of the flight we bade farewell to our helpers and turned thew boat right at the junction, towards Market Harborough. The first swing bridge did not need to be opened as it is broken at present and left permanently open to boats.
At the other swing bridge, Mike opened it (it is manual but has a control box to release the barriers once the standard Watermate key is inserted) and allowed Christine to bring our boat through.
A couple of day boats arrived in the opposite direction. Although they offered to close the bridge, Mike had to explain that it does not work like that - he needed his key back and, anyway, the operation is from the non-towpath side.
The people aboard the day boats were clearly out to have an enjoyable time even if their steering was somewhat uncertain. Before Mike could close the bridge, two more day boats with roe of the same party came around the bend and passed through. It seems that it was a celebration of both a birthday and a wedding.
We were heading to Union Wharf, at the end of the arm, in the hope that we might find a (paid for) space to moor for a couple of nights. Since we are not yet on a timetable it was an opportunity to take some time out on an electric hook-up and not worry about disturbing nearby boats by running the engine (even if we all have to o it sooner or later!)
On the way we passed Gallows Hill Bridge. After coming under the bridge we had to negotiate an obvious narrows that seemingly once had some other structure. Although it was about the right length, it did not have the sings that it was once a lock so its origin remained, for the moment, a mystery. Later we looked at Old OS maps and found that the present bridge is the line of a very early road improvement, built alongside the original road for about four hundred metres. It is on the earliest we could find, dated 1885. The earlier bridge remained on the next edition but by 1928 had been demolished.
The site by the bridge was long used as a Bone Mill - presumably the tall brick chimney dates from this time. However, the site has now grown is is used for the processing of waste meat products to produce animal feeds. A necessarily smelly job, it seems from local newspaper reports that for some time there have been on-going battles between the operators, the local authority and residents about whether the plant complies with all existing regulations about nuisance! We could not smell anything today and certainly nothing like that from many a farm that uses its slurry on its fields!
At Bowden Hall Bridge another large brick building stands next to the road. Although from this angle it looks rather workmanlike, it formed part of Great Bowden Hall, a complex of buildings that was converted into dwellings in 1998.
Nearing the outskirts of Market Harborough and just after passing under Turnover Bridge we saw signs warning that the towpath was closed at the next bridge. Our photo from 2015 shows this as a footbridge in a sleepy part of the canal, close to a wide but sharp bend.
Now the place is a busy construction site - it looks as if the footbridge is being replaced by a substantial road bridge to access a large adjacent development on the fields below. Although there are several large housing developments around the wont, we have not yet discovered anything about this site.
Before long we arrived at Union Wharf and quickly established that we could have a hook-up mooring - but would have to wait for an hour or so before the hire boat on that pontoon left for its next excursion. Time for lunch.
Later we moved to the proper pontoon once the new hirers had been properly instructed in how to operate the oat and were set off on their voyage.
In the afternoon we walked into town for the first part of our shopping. It is a little walk and we realised that we might want to take the lugging back to the boat 'at twice' - or even thrice! We would certainly leave the fresh food until tomorrow.
It is certainly appears to be a thriving and prosperous town with a good variety of shops. Mike managed to find some new bootlaces Mountain Warehouse - just in time as his existing ones were failing rapidly and the boots themselves were of that brand. In a two-for-one promotion so he now has a spare set as well.
We headed towards St Mary's Centre, the newer part of the shopping area, mainly to visit Sainsbury at the far end.
We knew that the River Welland passes through the town and had not really noticed it on previous visits. It was somewhat of a disappointment to discover what is little more than an uncomfortable ditch with very little water running through it. It will get bigger further downstream!
6.3 Miles - 10 Locks
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