Bridge 50 to Foxton locks (Leicester Arm - Grand Union Canal)

The sun was shining and it was already really warm as we set off from our mooring.  It had been really peaceful and quiet there and you get the sun most of the day so have made a note of it in our book so we can stop there another time.

Foxton Locks

We set off along the canal, there were several boats coming the other way but it wasn’t really that busy.  Under several bridges and 4 miles later we were at the top of Foxton locks.  We initially moored this side of bridge 60 but saw that the moorings the other side were better so we moved there.

We decided to stay here today and have a look around and then go down the locks tomorrow morning.

Looking down the Inclined Plane

In addition to the locks at Foxton there is also one of the engineering wonders of the canal network, it is called the Inclined Plane and was the brainchild of engineer Gordon Cale Thomas.  His steam driven boat lift would allow 2 boats at the top of the canal to be loaded into a water filled tank and be lowered 75 feet down a 1 in 4 gradient to the canal below, simultaneously raising 2 boats in the opposite direction.  A steam driven winch pulling an endless cable was used to start the caissons moving.  The process of lowering and raising the boats took 12 minutes, cutting the time from 70 minutes taken to pass through the locks and also saving huge amounts of water.   

Inclined Plane

The lift worked very well for the next 10 years, but mechanical problems and high running costs soon made the plane a white elephant and the lift was closed in 1911 and finally dismantled in 1928 and sold off for scrap.

We had a look around this engineering feat and it was really interesting to see the remains of it and amazing to think that all those years ago someone invented that and it worked.

Pub at bottom of locks

We walked down the locks, which were busy with boats and lots of people everywhere, mainly families visiting the locks.  We had a walk along the canal to see what the moorings were like at the bottom of the locks, then walked back and had a drink in the pub on the canal.

Statue on towpath

We walked back up the locks and there is a café at the top of the locks which was selling locally made ice-cream so we had one and it was delicious.

We went back to the boat and chilled out for a bit, then later on in the afternoon we went for another walk down the locks, it was much quieter then as most of the sightseers had gone home.

On the towpath near where we are moored is a statue of a towing horse and the chap who used to guide him along.  We tried to get them to give us a pull, but they weren't having any of it!!

We are staying here tonight, then off down the locks tomorrow, so looking forward to that.

Moored at the top of Foxton Locks

Bridge 33 to Bridge 50 (Leicester Arm - Grand Union Canal)

We had a fairly late start again and set off about 10ish, the canal was very quiet and we only saw a couple of boats.  The canal is still quite wibbly wobbly so Kev negotiated the bends very well and today we were lucky as we didn’t meet any boats on those bits.

Passing the Welford Arm

Soon we were at the junction with the Welford Arm, we went on past there as we are going to do that on the way back.  Past North Kilworth Wharf where there were quite a lot of boats moored, but plenty of room to pass.

Going through Wooded Section

We went through a nice wooded section, large trees both sides of the canal and then we were at Husbands Bosworth tunnel.  The tunnel is 1,166yds long and was opened in 1813.

Approaching Husbands Bosworth Tunnel

Coming out of the Tunnel

We chugged into the tunnel and there was a boat coming the other way, we went safely past him and we didn’t meet any more.  There was one boat in front of us and one behind.  This tunnel was quite dry and so Kev didn’t need his waterproofs today.  Before we knew it, we were coming out of the tunnel and started looking for somewhere to moor as we wanted to walk up to the village of Husbands Bosworth but there was no suitable places to moor so we chugged on.

Lovely reflection of original red brick bridge

We tried a couple of times to get into the side but we didn’t have any luck as we were scraping against rocks, so we went on through Bridge 50 and moored up not far past there where there was a few other boats moored.  We got into the side okay and it was opposite farm land, so nice and open.

We will just chill out here for the rest of the day and chug on tomorrow to Foxton where the staircase locks await us.

Moored at Bridge 50

Crick to Bridge 33 (Leicester Arm - Grand Union Canal)

 

We are chugging off today but had a fairly late start.  We stopped for water by The Moorings restaurant, then set off up the canal.  This stretch is very winky wonky so we wound our way up this part.  On one of the narrow bits, we met a hire boat going full speed, but Kev saw them and stopped, they ended up stuck in the bank, while we chugged on by, that will teach them perhaps they will slow down next time!

We are going about 7 miles today, wow a long way for us, but there are no locks, so will only take a couple of hours or so.  We had a few spots of rain, but it soon cleared away and brightened up and was warm but rather windy.  The forecast was for rain this morning, but luckily it didn’t materialise.

Wild flowers on the canal

Going under the A14

We went under the A14 and moored up just past bridge 33 in a nice sunny spot in the middle of nowhere opposite corn fields.  

We will stay here tonight then chugging on tomorrow.  I went for a walk along the towpath to the next bridge and there were lots of wild flowers growing on the canal, they are in full bloom at the moment and very pretty.

Moored at Bridge 133

Our Stay at Crick

Saturday 8^th and Sunday 9^th August

We decided to stay in Crick for a couple of days.  On Saturday we walked up to the village, past the Co-op and walked to the other end of the village where the church is. There is also a pub this end of the village called The Royal Oak which apparently had been shut for a few weeks but had been taken over by new people and had a refit and was back open again, so we decided to go in for a drink, it was done out very nice, but it was very chaotic, the two people serving didn’t seem to know where anything was and they had hardly any glasses, etc.

We went and sat in the garden which was nice and the chap came out and we had a chat with him.  We asked if they would be doing food and he didn’t seem to know, he said well not sure yet probably even if its only paninis! It was nicely done out but I don’t think we would go in there again as they didn’t seem to know what they wanted to be, either a drinking pub but the décor was too posh for that or a food pub, not sure if they will do very well seeing as there are already three established pubs in the village doing okay.

We carried on down the road over the bypass and then saw a footpath on our right, so we went down there and it took us to Crick Jubilee Wood.  It is an area of about 12 acres and has a nature trail, picnic areas and benches. The Parish Council bought three connecting fields which sit under Cracks Hill and decided to convert the fields into woodland to mark the Diamond Jubilee.  Around 7,000 trees have been planted.

It is a really lovely place, we walked through there and it brought us back to the canal at Bridge 13, so we walked back up the canal to the boat.

Sunday we decided to do the walk again but this time started off walking down the towpath to Bridge 13 and walked around a different bit which was up a bit of a hill but there was a seat at the top and the view was lovely.  We walked around the wood and ended up in the village again, went to the co-op for a few supplies, then back to the boat.

We went for Sunday lunch at The Moorings bar/restaurant on the canal and it was lovely.  They do a two course lunch for £12.95.  For the main course there was a choice of three roast meats, beef, pulled pork and lamb and you could have just one, two or three meats, so Kev and I had pulled pork and lamb and it came with roast potatoes, a Yorkshire pudding and vegetables.  It was really good, one of the best Sunday lunches we have had for a while.

We sat outside on the canal while we ate our lunch, which was really nice as it was warm and sunny and a few boats went by.

We are moving on tomorrow, just up the canal to a middle of nowhere spot.

The Moorings Bar/Restaurant

Norton Junction to Crick (Leicester Arm - Grand Union Canal)

We are moving on today, so set off about 10am up the canal which was a bit winky wonky in places and also rather shallow, we went up on the side a couple of times when passing boats.  

In bottom lock of the Watford Flight

In Watford flight staircase

We went past the Watford Gap Services, it backs onto the canal and soon we were at the Watford locks.  These are 3 single locks and a staircase of four locks.  You have to book in the with the lock keeper when you get there, so I went off up the locks to find him, he said there were two boats coming down and there was one going up in front of us, so when the first boat came down, we could come up the first lock so that is what we did, then into the second lock and the lock keeper came and explained how to work the staircase.  There are two sets of paddles, one is coloured red and the other white, the boat goes into the first lock, shut the gates then open the red paddles which fills the lock from the pound at the side of the locks, then open the white paddles and that empties the next lock back into the pound, very clever, then when both locks are the same level, open the gate and the boat goes into the next lock on the staircase and that’s how you go up and down, easy!

At the top of the Watford Flight

We worked our way up the flight and soon we were in the top lock.  There was a boat that had come through the first lock at the top but then had to wait to go down the staircase till us and the other two boats behind us had come up, he wasn’t best pleased, but the lock keeper is in charge and not him so you have to do as you are told!

Going into Crick Tunnel

Approaching the end of Crick Tunnel

Emerging into the sunshine

The locks were really good to go up, it’s the first time we have done this flight.  We chugged on along the canal under the M1 motorway and soon enough we were approaching Crick tunnel.  This tunnel is 1528 yds long and was opened in 1814.  It does not have a towpath and so originally boats were “legged” through, but fortunately as we have an engine and it didn’t break down, we didn’t have to leg it through!  Two boats can pass in this tunnel, but today we only met one coming through the other way.  Some tunnels are very drippy and wet but we didn’t think this was one of them as the first part is very dry, but when we came to the last part of the tunnel it got very wet, I was okay as I was inside but poor Kev was rather damp when we came out!!  Luckily the sun was shining so he could soon dry out!  

We were now in Crick so we looked out for a place to moor.  We came under Bridge 11 and there was a space on the end, so we got in there.  I walked down the towpath to see if there were any moorings further down, but it was rather full so we stayed where we were.

We chilled out for a bit, then we walked up into Crick village where there is a village shop/post office and further down the street a Co-op, there are also a couple of pubs.

Right on the canal is a pub/restaurant called The Moorings, so we stopped by there on our way back and had a drink sitting by the canal.

We are staying here tomorrow, so will go and have a look around Crick Marina and we saw a sign for a garden centre so will also have a wander around there.

Moored at Crick