Welford

 We haven't had any internet or phone signal for the past few days, so this is a bit of a catch-up.

On Saturday we had a late start and went up Foxton Locks at lunchtime. We'd timed it right as there was no queue, although the volunteer lockie told us it had been very busy earlier.

Although it was nice and sunny the wind was bitter and there weren't many people about.

 There are lots of events planned at Foxton in the coming weeks.

I'd forgotten to put the cratch down when we went into the locks and as this lock gate leaked so badly the bow got quite wet.

We moored for the night just before Husbands Bosworth tunnel and went walkabout into the village.

There's not much there apart from a church and The Bell Inn. We sat outside in the smoking "garden" as we had Chico with us. I couldn't see into the pub as their windows were so dirty it was amazing they let any light through!

On Sunday we had a lovely sunny cruise to Welford and were treated to plenty of aerial entertainment courtesy of the local Gliding Centre at Husbands Bosworth.

We turned down the Welford Arm and I worked my first lock for almost 12 months. It felt really good to be properly active again, I get really bored just steering all the time.

We moored up and went into the village with the aim of having Sunday lunch in The Elizabethan pub, but it's closed down. The blackboards outside advertised pole dancing at Christmas which seems a bit unusual to say the least for a small village pub!

Postman Pat was a tree stump sculpture beside the bus-stop.

As we hadn't managed lunch at The Elizabethan we settled for a roast in The Wharf. I hadn't fancied eating in there as last time we had a really mediocre meal, but this time it was actually quite good.

Roger was really taken with this motorbike which was parked outside. He got talking to the owner who had built the bike himself.  Apparently he has "several" bikes which he qualified by also telling us he "earns good money". He didn't tell us what he does for a living though, but he did look like a banker/accountant/solicitor type.

To walk off the lunch we took Chico for a long walk round the two reservoirs that feed the canal. On the left of the dam is the Sulby and on the right is the Welford reservoir.

The reservoirs are home to a private fishing club.  Look at the size of those carp!!!!

On the far side of the reservoir is a large house with a flock of really cute brown sheep. We got talking to a man who lives there and he said the flock is a bit inbred as they started with 10 sheep and now have over 50.

The boys were really cute but I reckon they need a haircut.

Foxton

Shortly after I'd posted the last blog about the ducklings, the mother took them for their first swimming lesson, not that they needed any instruction. They just jumped over the edge and went for it. Now I can see where the expression "like ducks to water" came from.

Market Harborough is a very affluent area but that hasn't stopped this cruiser being used for target practise, maybe from a BB gun or air rifle.

There are some fantastic houses alongside the canal.

I particularly liked this bungalow as the garden was full of primroses and bluebells.

We had an audience as we passed this field.

Even the moorhens have started nesting

It was such a beautiful day that we only cruised as far as Foxton Village where we moored up and went for a walk.

We've never stopped here before which is a shame as Foxton is a beautiful village. Most of the houses are very grand, this was one of the smaller ones.

This Magnolia tree was stunning

Roger had somewhere in mind for a quiet pint in a beer garden but unfortunately the Black Horse was closed

so we continued walking over the hill to Foxton Locks and did a bit of "gongoozling" (watching boats)

The cafe beside the top lock was open and I can highly recommend the morrello cherry ice-cream!

 
Over the past couple of weeks the fields have turned yellow as the rapeseed crop ripens. It may look beautiful but it plays havoc with my hayfever!

Foxton

It was time to move again today so after filling up with water, which took ages as the water pressure was very low, we set off back up the Market Harborough arm and moored at the bottom of Foxton Locks.

These are a pair of staircase locks with 5 locks in each staircase and because there is no real passing place, other than in the small pound in the middle, you have to notify the lock keeper when you arrive. We only had a short 30 minute wait and then followed a hire boat up the locks. It was a bit of a weird feeling being back in narrow locks after having been in wide ones for so long andChico was a bit scared at first but soon settled, Charlie just accepted it all and enjoyed being made a fuss of by the people watching.

Because I don’t like heights I steered the boat through the locks and Roger did the work. Last time we came up these locks I started off doing the work but we had to swap after the first lock as my bottle went when I walked across the bridge over the lock. The 10 locks take you 75ft up the hill and the trip takes about 45 minutes.  They're in very good condition considering they were originally built in 1810.

half way up

view from the top lock

After all his hard work Roger fancied a pint so we walked back down the locks to The Foxton Locks Inn which wasn’t built last time we were here. We sat in the beer garden watching the boats and had a couple of pints of Old Speckled Hen.

We’re now moored just round the bend after the top lock, right opposite a statue of a boy guiding a boat pony and just past the disabled moorings with their distinctive bollards.