Pleasant Canal Walk in Leicestershire on August 3rd 2012

Well our last walk of the week, and sister Sue has it planned.  We are going to Foxton Locks in Leicestershire, for a reasonably short walk on our way to Peterborough for a couple of nights before returning home.

Foxton Locks is the largest flight of staircase locks on the English canal system with two 'staircases' of five locks.  They are located on the Leicester line of the Grand Union Canal, 5km west of Market Harborough close to the nearby village of Foxton..

Today the weather looking promising though yet again heavy rain is forecasted, we park the car at Foxton Country Park and walk to the locks passing the pub where we will eat later on.

This is where our walk will begin and finish, there are a few barges waiting to go up the locks, and some looking impressive.

We are going to walk along the canal for quite a distance which is completely different from what we usually do. We are first heading along to Debdale Wharf Farm, so after a short time we leave the canal side and head through Foxton before going through a golden field of wheat. 

We then pass through a gate and end up back along the canal side.  Going along the canal is peaceful, the mixture of wild flowers is pretty and lots of Dragon and Damsel flies.

At Debdale Wharf there is a marina full of different barges and narrow boats, although I'm not sure what the difference is??  Any boat enthusiasts out there who can fill me in? :)

At this point, the sky has turned really black and the heavens open!  We quickley get on the waterproofs which stay on for a while as these heavy showers keep coming.  We continue around, following the tow path for a distance before leaving to head on the road for awhile until we reach the village Saddington.  Looks like a peaceful village with some nice houses.  

We then turn off and head down a track towards Manor Farm which looks like a new farm to me.  Turning down the road for a while until we reach a path that goes alongside Saddington reservoir.  We are back on a bridal way and it looks quite boggy.  Sue decides she was not going that way and crosses over a grassy area which turns out to be more of a bog, yes she gets mucky!! ;)

From here we walk up hill towards Smeeton Hill (once again we need to go through wheat fields) where there is a bench where we can sit and have a break, on our way up the hill.  

^^Come on Alistair, you can do it!!^^

We see a red kite is flying around (pictured below).  Alistair always attracts the wildlife! :P

Reaching the Bench we have coffee, crisps and nuts etc and watch sheep being moved on by a sheepdog.  Roy informs us we have come 5.5 miles, and Sue says half way. Okay we thought it was a 6 mile walk, gather its NOT!!  ;)

After a while we head down the hill towards Gumley, going through a field of bales we decide to have a competition to see who could move one the furthest, what a laugh! I won :)

Fun over we continue up hill and through a cow field.

At Gumley we end up on the road and follow it for about a mile passing Laughton before arriving back on the tow path. Roy's ankle has given way so Steve swaps his sticks for Roy's rucksack, and trots off with a grin on his face.

We still have about 2 miles to go but it is a nicer walk going along the canal than by road.  We pass more barges, a family of swans and her young.

As we walk along we count down the bridges we go through until we at last reach the locks and the end of our walk is near.

Tired but all still smiling.



Don't do it Alistair!

Our next stop is the Foxton Locks Inn for a drink and tea, we are all feeling rather hungry!!!

                              

                                     

After tea we went to watch some barges going up the locks, it was the first time I've seen it apart from on tv so it was interesting.



Well that was our last walk of the week, we have walked today 13.7 miles., Now its time to head for Peterborough for the weekend. Roy and I congratulate ourselves we have walked over 60 miles this week!  :)