Bridge 45 Leicester Arm to Market Harborough
Thursday 22nd August
After filling up with diesel at Kilworth Wharf, which was
about 100 yards from our moorings, we carried on another six miles to the top
of Foxton Locks. We were here on our first year of cruising, back in 2007 and,
once we had arrived here I recognised the place.
Wifey can sometimes explain to me until she’s blue in the
face, but it doesn’t always sink in until we arrive, just what the place looks
like.
Somewhere, amongst all our photos, we have some of this
popular tourist spot, but I’m hanged if I know where they are. It may well be
that, since they were taken on Sheila’s old camera, they were lost when the
card failed. Not to worry though, because we’ll be out taking more photos later
today.
Yesterday was very warm and sunny here, so we decided on a
pub lunch. At the bottom of these 10 locks; two sets of five staircase locks;
are two pubs, The Foxton Locks and the Bridge 61, and this is the one we chose,
simply because it’s the smaller and was less crowded at the time. A roast pork
baguette and two pints of Stella went down rather well.
Having enjoyed our boozy repast, we then had to climb the
hill back to the boat, which entailed passing an ice cream parlour, which we
did not. Instead, we sat munching and licking two beautiful cornets.
Along with the 10 locks, there is also a boating museum and
an Inclined Plane. This contraption, which was built in 1900, was constructed
in order to reduce the 70 minutes journey time through the locks, down to about
12 minutes. This amazing alternative to the locks has two caissons, which can
carry two narrow boats or one wide beam each, and they run on rails operated by
a steam driven winch. Sadly the plane was deemed to be too expensive to run and
the planned widening of the locks didn’t happen either, so we’re still stuck
with over an hour to get through the locks, which is something we will have to
do tomorrow. Fortunately we have some volunteer lock keepers in attendance; so
much of the work is taken up for us.
We now have an opportunity to get our heating serviced and
once we are down the locks, we’ll carry on to Debdale Wharf to see what they
can do. We’re pretty sure the unit needs a new burner and, if this is the case,
the engineer there may have to order it in. Meanwhile, we’ll turn around from
there and go on to Market Harborough, returning to Debdale early next week.
Of course, since we have no plans for going on to Leicester,
we’ll return to Foxton and climb the locks. We then plan on making our way to
Stone, in Staffordshire, where we’ll meet up with Alan and Chris, sometime in
early October. We do try to meet up with them at least once whilst they are
here. No doubt they’ll be trotting off to some exotic place for the rest of our
winter.
Friday 23rd August
Yesterday we hemmed and hawed as to whether to go down the
locks, but laziness won out and we stayed put. Later in the day we walked down
the locks and took some photos, to replace those we lost a few years back.
Today will be lots of fun, because we now have those locks
to contend with, along with a visit to Debdale Wharf for the heating, and then
it’s onward and upward to Market Harborough for some much needed shopping.
So, an early start today. Even though we can’t go down the
locks until 8 am at the earliest, we would like to be first boat through and we
know that there’s another boat, moored on the Disabled Boat moorings, just
waiting to get ahead of the pack. Hopefully we can fox them, ho ho.
Saturday 24th August
Ho, ho indeed, we did manage to be first down the locks
yesterday, the lock keeper arrived on time and it took just 45 minutes to pass
through all 10 locks. Once at the bottom we made our way directly to Debdale
Wharf, for repairs to our heater system.
Engineer Steve immediately removed the heater for cleaning
explaining that, it was in very rare circumstances that he would consider it
necessary to replace it. Indeed, he said that any engineer worth his salt would
simply clean around the burner itself. So, at the end of that little session we
were charged just over £50, rather than the £200+ that we expected. Joy of
joys!!
Debdale Wharf marina is fairly small, miles off the beaten
track, only about 100 miles from Harlow and sits at the end of a lane; very
much like Pillings Lock. We took a walk around the marina and asked for and
received a financial breakdown of fees, for wintering over, which compare
favourably with those of Mercia.
The downside to going there is quite minimal. For example,
being at the end of a narrow lane and with no main roads nearby, it’s unlikely
we’ll be able to catch a bus into town. In fact, it’s dead certainty that we
won’t. However, Market Harborough is only about three miles away, so, only in
the starkest of weather would we be unable to drive out of the place.
From our wee pooch’s point of view; she hates those wooden
walkways at Mercia; the pontoons are galvanised steel with large holes in, so
she is not going to be forever putting a foot through. Also, the galvanised
walkways allow for the snow to fall through and into the water, thus making
walking easier. The manager showed us a sample of the thick rubber sheeting,
also with big holes in that he plans on ordering for the pontoons. This stuff is
about 10-15mm thick and will do a better job of ensuring steady walking,
especially in icy conditions.
Anyway, having done all the necessary at Debdale we made our
way to Market Harborough. This time we managed to find a space at the visitor
moorings and, after a well-deserved cup of coffee, we went in search of a newspaper
but, as with several times on our journey this year, the local shop had closed
and was up for sale. So, Wifey being the smart arse that she is said, “there’s
a garage down here somewhere, let’s see if they have one”. But, as you would
expect by now, no such garage existed, instead we walked into town and, by the
time we got back to the boat I was completely shattered. Hey, I’m not as young
as I used to was!!
Today; yes, you’ve guessed it; we’ll be walking into town
again, this time for some much needed shopping. Our doggie is in desperate need
of some Co-op food pouches, something we have been unable to find recently.
Most Co-op shops usually stock them, but not the ones we’ve been to lately. The
store in MH is quite a big one, so we might be lucky. The pouches, as opposed
to the 150gm tubs, are much looser and contain more gravy and our Rusty devours
them with relish. I can actually hear her grunting whilst she eats. Honestly,
you would think she hadn’t been fed for a week.
Talking of our pooch, during the day she pesters to go out
about once an hour and always answers the call of nature. She’s the same in the
evenings, pestering and wandering about like a lost sheep. Night times however,
except on those rare occasions when she suffers a tummy upset, she sleeps all
night through. Indeed, I’ve already given Wifey her early morning cuppa and she’s
still asleep under the table. That’s almost nine hours without a pee!
Tomorrow we’ll head back towards Foxton, stopping on the way
near a different pub. Meanwhile, as it’s the weekend and I’ve typed almost six
pages, I’ll wish you all a great weekend.
Dave, Sheila and Rusty.
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