Foxton Locks

Boat leaving Foxton Bottom Lock

Densie in the 6th Foxton Lock

View from the top of Foxton Locks

Today we ascended Foxton Locks, one of the major attractions of the wterways, where 10 locks arranged as 2 5-lock staircases rise a total 75 feet to the highest level on the Leicester Branch of the Grand Union.  Unlike the rest of the Grand Union Foxton Locks and the smaller flight at Watford (as in "Watford Gap", not the area of London) are narrow and so present a barrier preventing wide boats travelling between the Northern and Southern canals other than by crossing the Wash.

After arriving at Foxton at 10:40 we visited the small shop at the base of the locks to see if we could find some groceries as we are running low in supplies, but all they had of interest was bread and eggs.  We then moved the boat onto the water point where we refilled our domestic tank.

After a further 20 minute wait for a boat to descend the lower staircase the lock keeper was gave us permission to enter the bottom lock. The flight is controlled by volunteer lock keepers as a novice boater without experience of staircase locks could have difficulty.  We reached the top lock in only 50 minutes thanks to the assistance of the volunteers.

As it had started to rain we moored up for the day at the first opportunity at 13:00.

3 hours, 10 locks, 1.81 miles