Foxton Locks and Market Harborough.

Wednesday 22nd June, 2016 in Market Harborough.
It was a dry day and, seizing the chance to be first down the Foxton flight of locks, we decided to forego breakfast and set off. We were the first boat down and we were lucky enough to have the help of Andy, a friendly C&RT chap, down the first flight of five locks. It's a daunting prospect at the top lock because it appears that you are approaching the edge of a cliff, as you can see nothing but the horizon in front of you!

After the first set of five staircase locks, there is a passing place before the second set of five staircase locks. At this half-way point, we passed a boat coming up.

Then another C&RT chap called Dave helped us down the second set of five locks. So, we were down in record time and coming out of the bottom lock in less than forty-five minutes. Good thing that we had gone early, as boats behind us were told that they would have to wait at least an hour to start.

Our reward was breakfast at the café by the top lock; so, after mooring MM up, we walked all the way back up the slope to the top again.

At Foxton, there was once a famous "inclined plane" with two massive counterbalanced 230 ton caissons that ran up and down a 30deg slope on rail tracks. It was opened in 1900 but closed in 1911 due to lack of trade (the railways were cornering the market by this time) and because the rails kept breaking under the weight. It must have been a spectacular sight.

There is now a museum in what used to be the boiler house, but unfortunately today it was closed due to "staff illness". Anyway, we walked down the inclined plane, which is all that is left of the original lift, which was sold for scrap for a paltry £250 in the 1920s. Unbelievable.
They have a very clever "app" that lets you watch the caissons work as you point the screen at the slope. Having looked at it once, we had to show all the other people there!

We paid a brief visit to the shop by the bottom lock (to buy duck food), where our canine friends are well catered for.

Around mid-day, we set off down the short arm to Market Harborough. The waterway was very quiet and overgrown with tall reeds on either side for much of the way.
The wharf basin at the end of the arm is a perfect place to moor for the night. There is a small charge, but it does include the "electric".

The town centre is a mile away but we were glad that we had taken the trouble to walk in. It proved to be a delightful market town with a lovely atmosphere and some fine old buildings including this wonderful old grammar school.

It also had a Waitrose and a Clarks shop having a sale (only two pairs acquired!) so R needed his Costa to build up his strength to carry the "few bits" back to MM!

After dinner, we watched a tern performing remarkable aerobatics before diving vertically down into the water. On about his fifth attempt, he came up triumphantly with a silver fish in his bill.
Today: 10 locks, 5 miles and 3.8 hours.
Trip: 110 miles, 59 locks and 88.8 hours.