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 withthe River Trent at Soar Mouth to Kings Lock, and on the

Grand Union (Leicester Section) from Kings Lock to NortonJunction, including the Market Harborough Arm and the

Welford Arm.

Issue No. 11 Leicestershire Branch 2011

The Carillon in Queens Park, Loughborough

The National Space Centre, Leicester

Mountsorrel Lock

Moorings at Castle Park Gardens, Leicester

The Old Grammar School, once the market, in Market Harborough

Looking down Foxton Locks, with the Inclined Plane Museumhoused in the old engine room and boiler house on the right

St James Church, Normanton-on-Soar

‘Frank the Plank’ sundial in Market Harborough Basin,unveiled in 2000

The Leicester Line

from the junction with theRiver Trent at Soar Mouth toNorton Junction, including theMarket Harborough andWelford Arms.

Extensive rural moorings, walks round lakes, nature reserves, birdhides.

Moorings north of Junction. Water point just before Junction. Sanitarystation, water point, refuse at Buckby Top Lock.

Flight has staircase locks. Water above and below locks. Elsan, w.c., refuseby top lock. Winding hole near Bottom Lock

LOCALITY INFORMATION

Trent Junction

Redhill Marina

2 pubs, tea room. Elsan, water above Trent Lock.

Upstream of Flood Lock. Services. Limited road access.

Kegworth Marine downstream of Flood Lock. Day boat hire, slipway,diesel, gas, boat building, boat painter (Andy Cain). Village withamenities approx. 1 mile from Flood Lock and bridge. Pubs, chip shop,Chinese take-away, etc. Picnic tables beside lock. Good moorings aboveKegworth Deep Lock. Otter pub half mile above Deep Lock (limitedmoorings, no towpath access.) East Midlands Boat Services Boatyard,slipway, diesel, etc.

Moorings (flood protected) above lock and at Rose & Crown pub (food).

Pretty village. Soar Boating Club (Sat. night visitors welcome). Non-towpath moorings at Plough pub (food).

Elsan by lock. Water, rubbish above lock.

Albion pub, towpath moorings by pub and south of Chain Bridge, also atLoughborough Wharf (Elsan, water) - access to amenities (See backpage). Swan in the Rushes pub (food) opposite. Basin.

Rural moorings. Below Pillings Lock - Services, cafe at Pillings Marina.

Clubhouse, touring caravan park, some services.

Moorings above lock.

Moorings outside pub (food). Off-licence and garage nearby (1/2 mile).

Off-line marina, diesel, temporary moorings.

Landing stage south of stone bridge (Thurcaston Road) for Belgrave Hall.

Ornate bridges on Mile Straight, industrial architecture. Pontoon mooringsin Castle Park Gardens. Small Sainsburys & Tescos across footbridge.

Kegworth

Zouch

Normanton-on-Soar

Bishop Meadow Lock

Loughborough

Meadow Lane Bridge

Miller’s Bridge

Barrow-upon-Soar

Meadow Farm Marina

Mountsorre l

Si leby

Cossington Lock

Junction Lock

Syston

Hope & Anchor

Watermead Country

Thurmaston

Raynsway Marina

Birstall

Leicester (North)

Belgrave Lock

Lime Kiln Lock

North Lock

Leicester (Central)

Boat Inn, Marston’s real ale, food. Moorings outside (access to road toTaylor’s Bell Foundry).

Moorings above lock, nearby pubs, amenities in village. Sanitarystation, water, refuse disposal opposite Navigation pub and others.

Moorings above and below lock, walk to village (1/2 mile). All facilitiesat Sileby Mill Boatyard. (boat hire, diesel, pump-out, gas, chandlery, etc).

Boatyard facilities at Old Junction Boatyard.

Moorings above lock. Waterside Inn at lock (food except Sun.night).Budgens Supermarket (15 mins.) Stonehurst Farm Shop, village shops.

Good moorings above and below lock. Village amenities, garage. MGMBoats 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 shop, takeaways.

Turn onto the river above the lock to moor for National Space Centre andMuseum of Technology. See back for more information on Leicester.Moorings above lock for shops (incl. many Asian shops and renownedIndian restaurants). Access to Abbey Park. Access to shops, etc. in the Frog Island area.

LOCALITY INFORMATION

Leicester (South)

Aylestone

Moorings below lock. Access to Fosse Retail Park

Moorings between the lock and Bridge 100

County Arms pub closed.

Moorings above lock.

Moorings opp. BW Yard. Sanitary station, rubbish, DIY pump-out (cardfrom Navigation Inn), showers, water. Food at pub. No shops near.

Moorings between these bridges.

No shops or pub in village.

At Mkt. Harborough enter Basin for water, showers, wc, Elsan, or towind. Visitor moorings and water points before Basin. About half a mileto town (See Back for more information).

P.O., pub, 2 shops. Water point and refuse disposal north of Bridge 19

Blue Bank Lock

Gee’s Lock

Blaby

Crow Mil ls

Double Rail Lock

Kilby Bridge

Bridge 86 - Bridge 87

Newton Harcourt

Wistow Park

Fleckney

Saddington

Debdale

Foxton

Market HarboroughArm

Husband’s Bosworth

North Kilworth

Welford Arm

Yelvertoft

Crick

Watford

Bridge 6

Welton

Norton Junction

Moorings at Bridge 73. Fair walk over fields to pub, shops, takeaway.

Marina, diesel, boatyard facilities, boatbuilding.

Moorings at Honey Pot Bridge (No 46). Half mile to village, garage, 2shops, pub.

Diesel, pump-out, gas, solid fuel at Crick Marina. Walk up road tovillage, P.O., Co-op, pubs.The Moorings Restaurant by Bridge 12. Waterpoint and Elsan beside restaurant. Pleasant walk from footbridge north ofmarina to Cracks Hill, with good views over canal.

Thai Restaurant. Moorings for patrons, also opposite. Motorway servicearea adjacent to canal.All boatyard facilities at Weltonfields Narrowboats, by Bridge 2.

Walks in Aylestone Meadows nature reserve, between St. Mary’s Mill andKing’s LocksMoorings below King’s Lock. Tea-room on lockside (limited opening).Village amenities near Bridge 106.

Moorings for access to South Wigston (shops, banks, launderette (viaCanal Street). Picnic site.

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 Reservoirnearby.

Village short walk from end of Arm, garage, P.O./ shop. Boatyard, dry-dock, repairs, etc. Pub at Wharf (food). Winding hole on bend abovelock, or by dry-dock at terminus. Water point, Elsan. Attractive walksround canal reservoirs.

Excellent rural moorings above lock, within easy walking distance ofthe junction with the River Wreake (Melton & Oakham Navigations).

2 staircases of 5 locks each. BW Elsan below locks. Foxton Locks puband Bridge 61 pub near bottom lock. Museum mid-way up flight. Site ofFoxton Inclined Plane, undergoing works. Water points above and belowlocks. Pubs in village (no shops). Foxton Boat Services shop at BottomLock (Provisions, giftware, chandlery, refreshments). Cafe at Top Lock.

Limited moorings opposite boatyard (slipway, repairs, diesel, pump-out).Pub, P.O., shops and garage in village.

LoughboroughIf you moor just south of Chain bridge, you are only a short walk along the road beside the arm to Loughboroughtown centre, or you can moor on the pontoons in Loughborough Basin. There is an excellent street market onThursdays and Saturdays, 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 and visit the museum(Usually open Tues. - Fri. 10.00 a.m. - 4.30 p.m. Phone 01509 233414)The Great Central Railway (Phone 01509 230726) allows you to wallow in the nostalgia of steam, both at thestation/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. Thebells 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.

LeicesterThe city of Leicester reflects the diversity of its population with a variety of shops, restaurants and pubs andtheatres. 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 key) non-towpath side pontoons at Castle Gardens, alongside Leicester Castle. Close by is The Guildhall and NewarkeHouses Museum, which has a feature on Daniel Lambert, England’s largest man. Roman remains are nearby atthe Jewry Wall.

Market HarboroughThe town centre is about 15 minutes walk from the canal basin (Turn right onto Leicester Road, by the Union Pub- currently closed). A good town trail leaflet (as well as trails for Foxton, Kibworth and Newton Harcourt) isavailable from Tourist Information in the Council Offices (which also house the Museum) behind St DionysiusChurch, near the Old Grammar School, built in 1614 to house the market.

Navigational NoteWater levels on the River Soar can fluctuate rapidly during rainy periods, sometimes making it unsafe to moveyour boat. Please pay heed to water level indicator boards to be found at several locks, and observe the indicatorlights at Redhill Flood Lock, Bishop Meadow Lock and Barrow-upon-Soar Lock, and upstream of Pillings Weirand upstream of Normanton Church. If you are in any doubt, contact the BW Office at Fazeley (01827 252000),who will be able to offer advice. Be aware when passing through Bishop Meadow Lock that this lock is slightlyshorter than the rest, so water often flows over the top gates.

BW key needed to work some locks between Ayleston and Kilby Bridge.

ContactsIf you come across a problem (e.g. broken paddle) between Soar Mouth and Kilby Bridge which you considershould be reported to British waterways, ring BW Fazeley Office on 01827 252000. If you have a problem whichwould require the attention of the BW Patrol Officer, contact Steve Cropper on 07710 175412 if you have anyconcerns. Between Kilby Bridge and Norton Junction the contact for British Waterways is the Milton KeynesOffice on 01908 302500. For non-emergencies out of hours ring 0800 4799947. Within Leicester City, the SeniorRiverside 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 Centre Loughborough (in Pinfold Gate, off Leicester Road) for non-serious injuries. Ifin doubt, phone 01509 553998 before visiting the Centre. A full hospital service is available at Leicester RoyalInfirmary (Phone 0116 258 5121). 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 onFreefone 0800 80 70 60.

Any Comments/Feedback to:IWA Leics. Branch Social Secretary, Beryl McDowall, Narrowboat “Wasp”, Off Barons Way, Mountsorrel, Leics., LE12 7EA

e-mail beryl@nbwasp.co.ukWhilst 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.