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. 12 2013
Leicestershire Branch
LOCALITY
INFORMATION
Trent Junction Redhill Marina Kegworth
2 pubs, tea room. Elsan, water above Trent Lock.
Zouch Normanton-on-Soar
Moorings (flood protected) above lock and at Rose & Crown pub
Bishop Meadow Lock Loughborough
Rubbish disposal above lock. Water point.
Meadow Lane Bridge 39
Boat Inn, Marston’s real ale, food. Moorings outside (access to road to Taylor’s Bell Foundry).
Pillings Flood Lock
Rural moorings. Below Pillings Flood Lock - Services, restaurant/bar at Pillings Flood Lock.
Barrow-upon-Soar
Moorings above lock, nearby pubs, amenities in village. Sanitary station, water, refuse disposal opposite Navigation pub. Others nearby.
Meadow Farm Marina Mountsorrel
Clubhouse, touring caravan park.
Sileby
Moorings above and below lock, walk to village (1/2 mile). All facilities at Sileby Mill Boatyard. (day boat hire, diesel, pump-out, gas, chandlery, etc).
Cossington Lock Junction Lock
Moorings above lock. Co-op: Walk along road uphill away from lock.
Syston Hope & Anchor Watermead Country Park Thurmaston
Boatyard facilities at Old Junction Boatyard. Outboard specialist.
Raynsway Marina Birstall
Off-line marina, diesel, temporary moorings.
Leicester (North) Belgrave Lock
Landing stage south of stone bridge (Thurcaston Road) for Belgrave Hall.
Lime Kiln Lock
Moorings above lock for shops (incl. many Asian shops and renowned Indian restaurants). Access to Abbey Park.
North Lock Leicester (Central)
Access to shops, etc. in the Frog Island area.
Upstream of Flood Lock. Services. Limited road access. Kegworth Marine downstream of Flood Lock. Day boat hire, slipway, diesel, gas, boat painter. Village with amenities, pubs, chip shop, Chinese take-away, etc., approx. 1 mile from Flood Lock and bridge. 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. Pretty village. Soar Boating Club (Sat. night visitors welcome). Non-towpath moorings at Plough pub (food). 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.
Moorings above lock. Waterside Inn at lock (food except Sun.night). Budgens Supermarket (15 mins.) Stonehurst Family Farm Shop, village shops (Co-op, chemist, etc.) Railway Inn, food (moorings south of 1860 Bridge).
Excellent rural moorings above lock, within easy walking distance of the junction with the River Wreake (Melton & Oakham Navigations). Moorings outside pub (food). Garage and shop nearby (approx. 1/2 mile). 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. Moorings above and below lock. Good amenities in village (short walk). White Horse pub below lock, Everards (food). Chip shops, take-aways. Access over footbridge for National Space Centre and Museum of Technology. See back for more information on Leicester.
Ornate bridges on Mile Straight, industrial architecture. Pontoon moorings in Castle Park Gardens. Tescos across footbridge.
INFORMATION
LOCALITY Leicester (South)
Walks in Aylestone Meadows nature reserve, between St. Mary’s Mill and King’s Locks. Aldi waterside near Bridge 107.
Aylestone
Moorings below King’s Lock. Tea-room on lockside (limited opening). Village amenities (Take-aways, P.O, etc) near Bridge 106.
Blue Bank Lock Gee’s Lock Blaby Crow Mills
Moorings below lock. Access to Fosse Retail Park.
Double Rail Lock Kilby Bridge
Moorings above lock.
Bridge 86 - Bridge 87 Newton Harcourt Wistow Park
Moorings between these bridges.
Fleckney Saddington Debdale Foxton
Moorings at Bridge 73. Fair walk over fields to pub, shops, takeaway.
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).
Husband’s Bosworth North Kilworth
Moorings at Honey Pot Bridge (No 46). Half mile to village, garage, 2 shops, pub.
Welford Arm
Village short walk from end of Arm, garage, P.O./ shop. Boatyard, dry-dock, 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. Good Main Line moorings just south of junction.
Yelvertoft Crick
P.O., pub, 2 shops. Water point and refuse disposal north of Bridge 19.
Watford
Flight has staircase locks. Elsan, w.c., refuse by top lock. Water points above and below locks. Winding hole near Bottom Lock.
Bridge 6
Thai Restaurant. Moorings available opposite. Motorway service area adjacent to canal.
Welton Norton Junction
All boatyard facilities at Weltonfields Narrowboats, by Bridge 2.
Moorings between the lock and Bridge 100. County Arms pub closed. Easy walk to town centre. Moorings for access to South Wigston (shops, banks, launderette (via Canal Street). Picnic site.
Moorings opp. CRT Yard. Sanitary station, rubbish, DIY pump-out, showers, water. Food at pub. No shops near.
No shops or pub in village. Moorings south of High Bridge. Wistow Rural Centre (garden centre, cafe, crafts, etc.) via footpath from High Bridge, No. 79. Old church.
Access to village from Bridge 72. Pub but no shops. Saddington Reservoir nearby. Marina, diesel, boatyard facilities, boatbuilding. 2 staircases of 5 locks each. CRT 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 (Shop behind Black Horse Pub - limited hours). Foxton Boat Services shop at Bottom Lock (Provisions, giftware, chandlery, refreshments). Cafe at Top Lock.
Limited moorings. Boatyard (slipway, repairs, diesel, pump-out). Pub, P.O., shops and garage in village.
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 near restaurant. Pleasant walk from footbridge north of marina to Cracks Hill, with good views over canal.
Moorings north of Junction. Water point just before Junction. Sanitary station, water point, refuse at Buckby Top Lock.
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, full range of shops 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 by prior arrangement. Visit the museum (Usually open Tues. - Thurs. 10.00 a.m. - 12 noon, 2.00 - 4.00 p.m. Phone 01509 212241 to confirm before visiting - Ask for Mary). The Great Central Railway (Phone 01509 632323) 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, War Memorial Museum (Access via spiral staircase). 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/CRT key) non-towpath 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). 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 CRT Office at Fazeley (03030 404040), 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/CRT key needed to work some locks between Aylestone 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 Canal & River Trust, ring CRT Fazeley Office on 03030 404040. If you have a problem which would require the attention of the CRT Patrol Officer, contact Steve Cropper on 07710 175412 if you have any concerns. Between Kilby Bridge and Norton Junction the contact for Canal 7 River Trust is the Milton Keynes Office on 03030 404040. 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 facility at Loughborough Urgent Care Centre, Hospital Way (off Epinal Way) LE11 5JY, 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 0300 303 1573). 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, email: IWA Leics. Branch
leicestershire@waterways.org.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.
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