Welcome to the Leicester Line Published by the Inland Waterways Association, Leicestershire Branch, this is a basic guide to the main features to be found on the River Soar, from its junction with the River Trent at Soar Mouth to Kings Lock, and on the Grand Union (Leicester Section) from Kings Lock to Norton Junction, including the Market Harborough Arm and the Welford Arm.
Issue No. 11
Leicestershire Branch
2011
The Leicester Line from the junction with the River Trent at Soar Mouth to Norton Junction, including the Market Harborough and Welford Arms.
St James Church, Normanton-on-Soar
The Carillon in Queens Park, Loughborough
Mountsorrel Lock
Moorings at Castle Park Gardens, Leicester
The National Space Centre, Leicester
Looking down Foxton Locks, with the Inclined Plane Museum housed in the old engine room and boiler house on the right
The Old Grammar School, once the market, in Market Harborough
‘Frank the Plank’ sundial in Market Harborough Basin, unveiled in 2000
LOCALITY Trent Junction
INFORMATION
LOCALITY
INFORMATION
2 pubs, tea room. Elsan, water above Trent Lock.
Leicester (South)
Redhill Marina
Upstream of Flood Lock. Services. Limited road access.
Aylestone
Kegworth
Kegworth Marine downstream of Flood Lock. Day boat hire, slipway, diesel, gas, boat building, boat painter (Andy Cain). Village with amenities approx. 1 mile from Flood Lock and bridge. Pubs, chip shop, Chinese take-away, etc. Picnic tables beside lock. Good moorings above Kegworth Deep Lock. Otter pub half mile above Deep Lock (limited moorings, no towpath access.) East Midlands Boat Services Boatyard, slipway, diesel, etc.
Blue Bank Lock
Walks in Aylestone Meadows nature reserve, between St. Mary’s Mill and King’s Locks Moorings below King’s Lock. Tea-room on lockside (limited opening). Village amenities near Bridge 106. Moorings below lock. Access to Fosse Retail Park
Gee’s Lock
Moorings between the lock and Bridge 100
Blaby
County Arms pub closed.
Cro w M i l l s
Zouch
Moorings (flood protected) above lock and at Rose & Crown pub (food).
Double Rail Lock
Moorings for access to South Wigston (shops, banks, launderette (via Canal Street). Picnic site. Moorings above lock.
Normanton-on-Soar
Pretty village. Soar Boating Club (Sat. night visitors welcome). Nontowpath moorings at Plough pub (food).
Kilby Bridge
Moorings opp. BW Yard. Sanitary station, rubbish, DIY pump-out (card from Navigation Inn), showers, water. Food at pub. No shops near.
Bishop Meadow Lock
Elsan by lock. Water, rubbish above lock.
Bridge 86 - Bridge 87
Moorings between these bridges.
Loughborough
Albion pub, towpath moorings by pub and south of Chain Bridge, also at Loughborough Wharf (Elsan, water) - access to amenities (See back page). Swan in the Rushes pub (food) opposite. Basin.
Newton Harcourt
No shops or pub in village.
Wistow Park
Meadow Lane Bridge
Boat Inn, Marston’s real ale, food. Moorings outside (access to road to Taylor’s Bell Foundry).
Fleckney
Moorings south of High Bridge. Wistow Rural Centre (garden centre, cafe, crafts, etc.) via footpath from High Bridge, No. 79 Old church. Moorings at Bridge 73. Fair walk over fields to pub, shops, takeaway.
Miller’s Bridge
Rural moorings. Below Pillings Lock - Services, cafe at Pillings Marina.
Saddington
Barrow-upon-Soar
Moorings above lock, nearby pubs, amenities in village. Sanitary station, water, refuse disposal opposite Navigation pub and others.
Debdale
Meadow Farm Marina
Clubhouse, touring caravan park, some services.
Foxton
Mountsorre l
Moorings above lock. Waterside Inn at lock (food except Sun.night). Budgens Supermarket (15 mins.) Stonehurst Farm Shop, village shops. Moorings above and below lock, walk to village (1/2 mile). All facilities at Sileby Mill Boatyard. (boat hire, diesel, pump-out, gas, chandlery, etc). Moorings above lock.
2 staircases of 5 locks each. BW Elsan below locks. Foxton Locks pub and Bridge 61 pub near bottom lock. Museum mid-way up flight. Site of Foxton Inclined Plane, undergoing works. Water points above and below locks. Pubs in village (no shops). Foxton Boat Services shop at Bottom Lock (Provisions, giftware, chandlery, refreshments). Cafe at Top Lock.
Market Harborough Arm
At Mkt. Harborough enter Basin for water, showers, wc, Elsan, or to wind. Visitor moorings and water points before Basin. About half a mile to town (See Back for more information). Moorings at Honey Pot Bridge (No 46). Half mile to village, garage, 2 shops, pub. Limited moorings opposite boatyard (slipway, repairs, diesel, pump-out). Pub, P.O., shops and garage in village. Village short walk from end of Arm, garage, P.O./ shop. Boatyard, drydock, repairs, etc. Pub at Wharf (food). Winding hole on bend above lock, or by dry-dock at terminus. Water point, Elsan. Attractive walks round canal reservoirs.
Sileby Cossington Lock
Access to village from Bridge 72. Pub but no shops. Saddington Reservoir nearby. Marina, diesel, boatyard facilities, boatbuilding.
Junction Lock
Excellent rural moorings above lock, within easy walking distance of the junction with the River Wreake (Melton & Oakham Navigations).
Syston
Boatyard facilities at Old Junction Boatyard.
Husband’s Bosworth
Hope & Anchor
Moorings outside pub (food). Off-licence and garage nearby (1/2 mile).
North Kilworth
Watermead Country
Extensive rural moorings, walks round lakes, nature reserves, bird hides. Good moorings above and below lock. Village amenities, garage. MGM Boats Ltd below lock, Elsan, water, bespoke fit-outs, slipway. Off-line marina, diesel, temporary moorings.
Welford Arm Yelvertoft
P.O., pub, 2 shops. Water point and refuse disposal north of Bridge 19
Birstall
Moorings above and below lock. Good amenities in village (short walk). White Horse pub below lock, Everards (food). Chip shop, takeaways.
Crick
Leicester (North)
Landing stage south of stone bridge (Thurcaston Road) for Belgrave Hall.
Diesel, pump-out, gas, solid fuel at Crick Marina. Walk up road to village, P.O., Co-op, pubs.The Moorings Restaurant by Bridge 12. Water point and Elsan beside restaurant. Pleasant walk from footbridge north of marina to Cracks Hill, with good views over canal.
Belgrave Lock
Turn onto the river above the lock to moor for National Space Centre and Museum of Technology. See back for more information on Leicester. Moorings above lock for shops (incl. many Asian shops and renowned Indian restaurants). Access to Abbey Park. Access to shops, etc. in the Frog Island area.
Watford Welton
Flight has staircase locks. Water above and below locks. Elsan, w.c., refuse by top lock. Winding hole near Bottom Lock Thai Restaurant. Moorings for patrons, also opposite. Motorway service area adjacent to canal. All boatyard facilities at Weltonfields Narrowboats, by Bridge 2.
Ornate bridges on Mile Straight, industrial architecture. Pontoon moorings in Castle Park Gardens. Small Sainsburys & Tescos across footbridge.
Norton Junction
Moorings north of Junction. Water point just before Junction. Sanitary station, water point, refuse at Buckby Top Lock.
Thurmaston Raynsway Marina
Lime Kiln Lock North Lock Leicester (Central)
Bridge 6
Loughborough If you moor just south of Chain bridge, you are only a short walk along the road beside the arm to Loughborough town centre, or you can moor on the pontoons in Loughborough Basin. There is an excellent street market on Thursdays and Saturdays, and many places of interest within walking distance. These include: Taylor’s Bell Foundry, the world’s largest bell foundry, where you can have a guided tour and visit the museum (Usually open Tues. - Fri. 10.00 a.m. - 4.30 p.m. Phone 01509 233414) The Great Central Railway (Phone 01509 230726) allows you to wallow in the nostalgia of steam, both at the station/engine sheds and on a train journey on “Britain’s only Main Line Steam Railway.” If you don’t mind heights, there are good views over the town from the top of the Carillon in Queens Park. The bells are played on the open days (Thursdays at 1.00 p.m. and Sundays 3.30 p.m. only). There is an Information Centre in Town Hall Square. Leicester The city of Leicester reflects the diversity of its population with a variety of shops, restaurants and pubs and theatres. It also boasts Europe’s largest covered market, open six days a week, and several shopping malls. Access to the city centre is available from towpath moorings on the Mile Straight, and from secure (BW key) nontowpath side pontoons at Castle Gardens, alongside Leicester Castle. Close by is The Guildhall and Newarke Houses Museum, which has a feature on Daniel Lambert, England’s largest man. Roman remains are nearby at the Jewry Wall. Market Harborough The town centre is about 15 minutes walk from the canal basin (Turn right onto Leicester Road, by the Union Pub - currently closed). A good town trail leaflet (as well as trails for Foxton, Kibworth and Newton Harcourt) is available from Tourist Information in the Council Offices (which also house the Museum) behind St Dionysius Church, near the Old Grammar School, built in 1614 to house the market. Navigational Note Water levels on the River Soar can fluctuate rapidly during rainy periods, sometimes making it unsafe to move your boat. Please pay heed to water level indicator boards to be found at several locks, and observe the indicator lights at Redhill Flood Lock, Bishop Meadow Lock and Barrow-upon-Soar Lock, and upstream of Pillings Weir and upstream of Normanton Church. If you are in any doubt, contact the BW Office at Fazeley (01827 252000), who will be able to offer advice. Be aware when passing through Bishop Meadow Lock that this lock is slightly shorter than the rest, so water often flows over the top gates. BW key needed to work some locks between Ayleston and Kilby Bridge. Contacts If you come across a problem (e.g. broken paddle) between Soar Mouth and Kilby Bridge which you consider should be reported to British waterways, ring BW Fazeley Office on 01827 252000. If you have a problem which would require the attention of the BW Patrol Officer, contact Steve Cropper on 07710 175412 if you have any concerns. Between Kilby Bridge and Norton Junction the contact for British Waterways is the Milton Keynes Office on 01908 302500. For non-emergencies out of hours ring 0800 4799947. Within Leicester City, the Senior Riverside Officer, Adrian Lane, can be contacted on 07831 141879 (Or email leicester.riverside@leicester.gov.uk (non-emergency). The City Council is keen to ensure that boating visitors enjoy their trip through the City. Leicestershire Police can be contacted on 0116 2222222. There is an NHS Walk In Centre Loughborough (in Pinfold Gate, off Leicester Road) for non-serious injuries. If in doubt, phone 01509 553998 before visiting the Centre. A full hospital service is available at Leicester Royal Infirmary (Phone 0116 258 5121). In cases of emergency, phone 999 (or 112 from a mobile), and ask for the relevant service. For a problem concerning wildlife, ring the RSPCA on 0870 5555999. To report pollution, damage or danger to the natural environment and wildlife call the Environment Agency on Freefone 0800 80 70 60. Any Comments/Feedback to: IWA Leics. Branch Social Secretary, Beryl McDowall, Narrowboat “Wasp”, Off Barons Way, Mountsorrel, Leics., LE12 7EA
e-mail beryl@nbwasp.co.uk Whilst every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information in this leaflet, the compilers cannot be held responsible for any inaccuracies or changs which may have occurred since the leaflet was published.