Body

Grand Union Canal - Leicester Section

Pubs & Restaurants

Location What's there Comments Date

Crick, Wheatsheaf Pub Good food, Adnams, Greene King and a local brewery. November 2004 (CH)

Welford canal terminus, Wharf Inn Pub Beer garden is much nicer than inside the pub. Serves food all day (unless they're too busy to serve you, as happened to us !). Beer is good, food is OK - it's the only pub left in Welford so they've got a monopoly and seem happy to exploit it. August 2004 (CA)

Good beer and nice chicken curry November 2004 (CH)

Market Harborough Pubs, restaurants Plenty of decent pubs, including a Wetherspoons as you walk into town. Turn left at the traffic lights in the centre of town for a selection of Indian restarants. Note that the pub at the canal basin is hellish ! August 2004 (CA)

Shopping & Facilities

Crick Co-op in village stays open until 8pm (4pm on Sunday). April 2004 (CR)

North Kilworth, Bridge 45 Chandlers North Kilworth Narrowboats - Friendly chandlers selling useful boating equipment, open 7 days August 2004 (CA)

Market Harborough Shops There's a newsagent across the road from the canal basin selling milk, bread and other basics. In town there's a couple of supermarkets, a traditional market (Tue, Fri, Sat) and plenty of other shops. August 2004 (CA)

Good & Bad Moorings

Bridge 33 The mooring by bridge 33 would be one to remember for future trips. Very peaceful, no local traffic and just a faint hum of motorway noise. April 2004 (CR)

Welford Arm (terminus) Do arrive at the moorings by late afternoon as the public moorings (right at the end of the arm) are limited. June 2004 (EF)

There's visitor moorings right at the end where you can wind even though there's no winding point shown in Nicholsons. There's also other moorings about 5 minutes walk from the terminus. August 2004 (CA)

Market Harborough

There's plenty of visitor moorings on the towpath just outside the canal basin - turn in the basin. It's a 10 minute downhill walk into town. During the daytime Leicester bound bus service 61 (15 & 45 minutes past each hour) will take you back from town to the canal basin. August 2004 (CA)

Navigation Notes

Watford Staircase locks

Went down the Watford Staircase before breakfast. Glad we did go early as there was soon quite a queue both top and bottom. June 2004 (EF)

Locks are only open when lock keeper is on duty - they work about a 9 hour day from 8.00am so get there before about 3.30pm mid week to be fairly sure of getting through them. The locks have inter connecting side ponds and lifting the RED paddle before the WHITE paddle always takes advantage of this water saving feature (in both directions) - locky will explain all. August 2004 (CA)

Foxton Locks Same procedure as for Watford locks however it's more dramatic at Foxton as there are two banks of 5 staircase locks with a gap in the middle with space for a single boat to operate contra flow. If you're lucky you'll join a flotilla of boats and not be delayed. Miss that flotilla and you could be stuck for 3 hours until the next convoy in your direction can set off. Not a bad idea to arrive at tea time and be at the front of the queue for the following day as it's a nice spot to moor (Top and Bottom). August 2004 (CA)

Location	What's there	Comments	Date
Crick, Wheatsheaf	Pub	Good food, Adnams, Greene King and a local brewery.	November 2004 (CH)
Welford canal terminus, Wharf Inn	Pub	Beer garden is much nicer than inside the pub. Serves food all day (unless they're too busy to serve you, as happened to us !). Beer is good, food is OK - it's the only pub left in Welford so they've got a monopoly and seem happy to exploit it.	August 2004 (CA)
Welford canal terminus, Wharf Inn	Pub	Good beer and nice chicken curry	November 2004 (CH)
Market Harborough	Pubs, restaurants	Plenty of decent pubs, including a Wetherspoons as you walk into town. Turn left at the traffic lights in the centre of town for a selection of Indian restarants. Note that the pub at the canal basin is hellish !	August 2004 (CA)
Shopping & Facilities
Crick		Co-op in village stays open until 8pm (4pm on Sunday).	April 2004 (CR)
North Kilworth, Bridge 45	Chandlers	North Kilworth Narrowboats - Friendly chandlers selling useful boating equipment, open 7 days	August 2004 (CA)
Market Harborough	Shops	There's a newsagent across the road from the canal basin selling milk, bread and other basics. In town there's a couple of supermarkets, a traditional market (Tue, Fri, Sat) and plenty of other shops.	August 2004 (CA)
Good & Bad Moorings
Bridge 33		The mooring by bridge 33 would be one to remember for future trips. Very peaceful, no local traffic and just a faint hum of motorway noise.	April 2004 (CR)
Welford Arm (terminus)		Do arrive at the moorings by late afternoon as the public moorings (right at the end of the arm) are limited.	June 2004 (EF)
Welford Arm (terminus)		There's visitor moorings right at the end where you can wind even though there's no winding point shown in Nicholsons. There's also other moorings about 5 minutes walk from the terminus.	August 2004 (CA)
Market Harborough		There's plenty of visitor moorings on the towpath just outside the canal basin - turn in the basin. It's a 10 minute downhill walk into town. During the daytime Leicester bound bus service 61 (15 & 45 minutes past each hour) will take you back from town to the canal basin.	August 2004 (CA)
Navigation Notes
Watford Staircase locks		Went down the Watford Staircase before breakfast. Glad we did go early as there was soon quite a queue both top and bottom.	June 2004 (EF)
Watford Staircase locks		Locks are only open when lock keeper is on duty - they work about a 9 hour day from 8.00am so get there before about 3.30pm mid week to be fairly sure of getting through them. The locks have inter connecting side ponds and lifting the RED paddle before the WHITE paddle always takes advantage of this water saving feature (in both directions) - locky will explain all.	August 2004 (CA)
Foxton Locks		Same procedure as for Watford locks however it's more dramatic at Foxton as there are two banks of 5 staircase locks with a gap in the middle with space for a single boat to operate contra flow. If you're lucky you'll join a flotilla of boats and not be delayed. Miss that flotilla and you could be stuck for 3 hours until the next convoy in your direction can set off. Not a bad idea to arrive at tea time and be at the front of the queue for the following day as it's a nice spot to moor (Top and Bottom).	August 2004 (CA)