Market Harborough

Here I am Rune

Distance 5.8 miles

Total 4741 Locks  313 Tunnels

Running total mileage 7,062.5 miles

Whilst in the area decided to take a trip along the Market Harborough Arm for a couple of days. It is quite a pleasant piece of canal although it wanders a bit. Having arrived in Market Harborough basin I’ve also booked another swim for tomorrow at the leisure centre, but since that is a mile and a half away, I get extra exercise walking there.

The plan is to get the weekend shop on Friday and then head back towards Foxton ready to go up the flight on either Saturday or Sunday.

 

Foxton

Here I am Rune

Distance 4.5 miles

Total 4741 Locks  314 Tunnels

Running total mileage 7,061.2 miles

A pleasant day’s cruise from Fleckney down here to Foxton, a few more boats on the move than we saw yesterday, but still not very many for around a Bank Holiday time. The bit of canal between Fleckney and Debdale was a bit twisty and shallow, or at least it seemed that way having spent the summer on rivers!

Not sure what current plans are, either to go up the Market Harborough arm for a couple of days, or head on up the Foxton Flight, we’ll decide tomorrow.

 

Fleckney

Here I am Rune

Distance 5.2 miles

Total 4741 Locks  313 Tunnels

Running total mileage 7,056.7 miles

Had a longer stay at Kilby Bridge than normal, 5 days although well within the limit of 14 days. Gave us the opportunity of a meal out with Sister in Law and of course stocked up with the weekend shop. It’s been harder work coming down this section. Some of the lock could do with re-balancing the balance beams as it is almost impossible to keep the gates shut at they swing open on their own. On several now we have let water out of the lock to secure the gates. The trouble is that if you don’t, and the bottom gate is invariably leaking badly, in these times of water shortage, you start to drain the pounds. We had that issue at one of the locks where the pound was already low and by the time I’d reached the lock there wasn’t enough water for me to get into it, so we had to run some water down from the pound above.

We have moored once again at the location we have previously stopped overnight on this section, it is a quiet, rural area and very pleasant. Tomorrow we should be in Foxton. The surprise today however was, since it was Bank Holiday Monday, was just how few boats we have met on the move, just 2 between Kilby Bridge and here.