Foxton Locks to Fleckney (Leicester Arm - Grand Union Canal)

Passing under Pat's Bridge

The sun was shining this morning as we set off along the canal and under Pat’s Bridge, they have even named a bridge after Pat and Patrick, two of the three P’s!! and on past Debdale Marina where the three P’s moor their boat when they are not travelling around the network.

After the Marina the canal is very narrow with tall reeds both sides of the canal and there was a sign on the towpath saying this area is a site of Special Scientific interest.  We went on along here, luckily the canal was very quiet and we didn’t meet any boats.

Approaching Saddington Tunnel

In Saddington Tunnel

Soon we were approaching Saddington Tunnel.  The tunnel is 880yds long and was completed in 1797, after great difficulties owing to its being built crooked.  It said in our Nicholson Guide that bats live in the tunnel, but I don’t think they do anymore as we didn’t see any.

Coming out into daylight

We were about half way in when we passed a boat coming the other way and then there was another boat behind him which was really noisy then we realised it was a CRT work boat, we safely passed them and then out into the day light we went.

We went under Bridge 73 and moored just after.

Footpath to Fleckney

Fleckney Village

The village of Fleckney is just a 10 minute walk away on a footpath through the fields.  We walked up there after lunch and it is quite a big village with a lot of houses and a pub, a newsagent, a chemist, a Chinese takeaway, a post office, a co-op and a butchers (which unfortunately is shut on a Monday), so a good place to stop if you need any of these.  We had a walk around and looked in the library where they had a small museum and a mosaic garden.

We walked back down to the canal and along the towpath to the top of Kibworth Top Lock to see what the locks were like as we will be going down them tomorrow.

There is a house by the lock selling coal similar to the home fire ovals we normally use.  The sign said £10 for a 25kg bag which is cheap, so we spoke to the chap and he said that it had now gone up to £11 a bag which is still good.  So when we come back down past there next week, we will probably stop and get a few bags.

We walked back to the boat and chilled out for the rest of the day.  It is really peaceful and quiet where we are moored, no roads just a few dog walkers.  We are staying here tonight then tackling the five locks tomorrow.

Moored at Fleckney