Floating Down Foxton and Holed up in Harborough.

Once again a lovely quiet night and up, at the normal time, doing normal preparations before leaving at the normal time

Very quickly we were at Welford Junction and headed left, port, to Foxton.

I do hope this tree stays rooted until we are passed and heading back to Crick. It looks like it would cause a fair bit of a delay once it came down as the off side won't be too easy to get to.

We haven't been so many tunnels in a trip for ages. Husbands Bosworth was dry, save a couple of drips, and once again, like Crick Tunnel we were 'Billy No Mates'. The tunnel marks the boundary between the Avon to the south and the Soar to the north. It was opened in 1813 so the dates above the north portal above must be the dates of major restorations.

There were spots on the canal that looked at first as if they were iced over, but obviously it wasn't, it was just the amount of blossom from the May/Hawthorn in the water.

At the Laughton Hills these cattle were all facing the same way. I believe that sheep do this, on a hill, too. The reason is, experts say, is that they all stick together to reduce the threat from predators. They also say that facing the same way reduces face to face conflict between the herd members. It seems to me more logical to every member of the herd to look outwards and they would then see oncoming threats. I will monitor this as we go along, if I remember?

There were a couple of boats waiting at the top of Foxton Locks, but we were able to tag on to the water point and by the time Helen had goner and checked us in and bought us an ice cream we were heading down the 10 locks in two pairs of 5 staircase locks.

Helen, still eating her ice cream, was  getting reacquainted with the 'red before white' rhyme as these locks have side pounds that save half a lock full of water each time.

The locks were replaced with an inclined plane that opened in 1900. They were never really economic as the railways had captured much of the trade that would have used them. They were closed at night so upsetting the fly boats schedule and making them use the old locks anyway. The last use of the inclined plane was in 1910.

It is interesting to see that the upper staircase of five locks all have a stamped brick with the date of 1909, a year before the plane closed, meaning they were getting ready for the closure well before. I do love a date stamped brick.

Looking up after the first staircase  you can clearly see the fall of the ridge. The locks take you down 75 ft, but it seems more.

The bottom staircase all have a stone insert of 1930 indicating when they were refurbished.

we got to the bottom in around an hour and turned right down the Harborough Arm. Helen managed the manual bridge by the pub, but was stymied by the one by the village. It is manual with a key operation to open the gates etc. She couldn't get it moving. I jumped off to help her get it started but by the time I got back to the boat to drive through it had stopped. I thought there was just enough space for me to get through. But a white van with burly scaffolders pulled up, with no shirts on, and came to Helen's assistance, and we were through. At Gallows Hill Bridge is the rendering works that appears to be closed now. It was started by a Market Harborough tallow chandler to render carcasses to make manure and tallow.  They went bust in 1872 and Symington's a grocer from Market Harborough bought them. You may remember Symington's soup powders etc. They had the business until 1909 when Charles Massey bought them to compliment several other plants they owned. In 1920 it became part of a seven company business called British Glues and Chemicals. By 2003 it belonged to J. G. Pears and when we came passed it was till working and stank! That is the reason it is in the middle of nowhere. There was a fire in 2010, but I'm not sure if or when it closed.

The flag iris is coming out. It is nice to see as they flowers don't seem to last that long.

We went up to the basin and there were no mooring on the 'official' place so we winded and headed back out. We found a bank mooring a little way out of town, with more sun. Annoyingly a little late two boats headed outwards. Mind you I think our spot is nicer anyway. The towpath has been upgraded so it isn't a bad spot at all. And by cutting the through the houses I think it may be actually quicker to walk into town too.

On Abbey Street is the nOld district Council fire station built in 1903, with additions in 1912 and 1920. A really lovely building and saved so well, despite it being a Chinese restaurant now.

On the other side of Abbey Street is the Market Harborough Ambulance Station. I love the tile work and the design is called Queen Anne Revival. It was erected in 1924. I heard recently that it was only in 1974 that the ambulance service came under the control of central government!

We walked into town and had a couple of pints at the Beerhouse micro pub. They do plenty of cider too. I liked the look of a tiramisu stout but looked and saw the is was 12.5% and cost £15 a pint. I set my sights a little lower, but may go back and have a 1/3rd pint tomorrow. We then went for our tea on the way back at the Sugar Loaf, a Weatherspoon's on the main road. It hit the spot just right.