Market Harborough Canal - England

The Market Harborough Canal Arm in England.

A walk along The Market Harborough Canal Arm towpath from Foxton to Market Harborough and returning across countryside partly along the Leicester Section.

About The Market Harborough Canal Arm.

The five mile long Market Harborough Canal Arm leaves the Leicester canal Section at the bottom of Foxton Locks and wanders through the countryside to arrive at Market Harborough - and we do mean "wanders" - it follows the contours and is nearly as bendy as the older Oxford Canal. There are some lovely bridges along the Market Harborough Arm however the canal does not have any locks. The towpath all the way is in excellent condition and fine for walkers and cyclists. Rather than walk there and back along the canal it is possible to go across country to make a really nice circular walk - which includes a brief visit into Lubenham to see it's church and some very old buildings.
Completed in 1809 the original idea was to continue the Arm from Market Harborough on through to Northampton - it never happened.
The following walk goes from Foxton Lock-keepers cottage on the Leicester Canal on down the lock-flight then heads of along the Arm to Market Harborough - returning back across country to Foxton. There is just a little bit of hill climbing around Lubenham and its a total walking distance of around 10 miles.
From the Gumley Road car park a path takes you the short distance down to the Leicester Canal at bridge 60 - cross the bridge onto the towpath and turn right towards the Foxton Lock Flight and Foxton Toplock. Obviously you may well spend some time wandering around the Foxton Inclined plane area but once ready for the walk go to the bottom of the lock flight and the canal junction - the Leicester Canal goes off half left and the Arm goes off to the right - you need to be on the Arm's far towpath and you can get to this by crossing over Rainbow bridge (62). There is nothing complicated about this walk to Market Harborough - just a case of enjoying the lovely countryside and enjoying the old bridges and buildings you pass on the way.
Gumley Road - Bridge 60 which is above Foxton Lock Flight
Gumley Roadbridge no.60
Foxton Top Lock and the Lock Keeper's Cottage
Foxton Locks Cottage at Toplock
The feeder arm to the inclined plane - top level - Foxton Locks
Foxton Locks Upper Arm
Now a museum this was originally the engine house and pumphouse
Foxton Locks engine/pumphouse
part of the staircase locks at Foxton - Lock 14
Foxton Locks - Lock no.14
View of the part of Foxton Lock Flight and staircase locks
Staircase locks at Foxton
Staircase Locks at Foxton
Foxton Locks Flight
Foxton Inclined Plane at Foxton Locks
Site of Inclined Plane - Foxton Locks
Foxton Locks - Bridge no.61
Bridge 61 Foxton
Rainbow Bridge at Foxton
Foxton Locks - Bridge 62 - Rainbow Bridge
Foxton Locks - canal junction
Foxton Locks - junction
Foxton Locks - Feeder Arm Bridge
Feeder Arm Bridge at Foxton
Swingbridge at Foxton
Foxton Locks - Swingbridge
Foxton Locks - canal junction area and a swingbridge
Junction and the swingbridge
Leicestershire and the start of the Market Harborough Canal Arm
The Market Harborough Arm
Probable site of a missing bridge on the Market Harborough Arm
missing bridge on the canal arm?
Market Harborough Arm - Blackhorse Bridge - no.3
Blackhorse Bridge 3
Blackhorse Bridge - the Market Harborough Canal Arm
Blackhorse Bridge
Foxton's St. Andrews Church
St. Andrews
Beautiful Market Harborough Canal Arm on it's way to Market Harborough
Market Harborough Canal Arm Towpath

You can divert off the canal at Bridge 3 to take a look at Foxton's nice old church of St. Andrew's (photo above) - also a little further along the towpath just past Bridge 8 (Gallows Hill bridge) remember to look back from where the canal bends to the right for an excellent view of warehouses and also a nice high brick chimney.
When you reach Bowden Hall Bridge it's worth just popping up to the road where there are some really nice old buildings/warehouses as well as the Hall itself. The canal does bend around quite a lot and manages to make a quite tight twist just after Bridge 14 (Wooden Stepbridge) as it gets more into Market Harborough. Just after this really tight bend on the canal and where it straightens up take note of a footpath on the right - you will use this later.

Swingbridge no4 - Market Harborough Arm
Swingbridge no.4
Market Harborough Canal Arm - Swingbridge no4
Swingbridge 4
Market Harborough Arm - Swingbridge
Swingbridge 4
Clarkes Bridge no.5 on the Market Harborough Arm
Clarkes Bridge 5
Clarkes Bridge - the Market Harborough Arm
Clarkes Bridge no.5
stepbridge 6 on the Market Harborough Arm
Foxton Stepbridge 6
Foxton Stepbridge 6- the Market Harborough Canal Arm
Foxton Stepbridge no.6
Market Harborough Arm - Johnsons Bridge no.7
Johnsons Bridge 7
Market Harborough Canal Arm - Johnsons Bridge 7
Johnsons Bridge
On the way to Market Harborough on it's canal arm
Market Harborough Canal Arm
Market Harborough Canal Arm - lovely countryside
Market Harborough Arm
well hidden Gallows Hill Bridge on the Market Harborough Arm
Gallows Hill Bridge just visible
Gallows Hill Bridge no8- the Market Harborough Canal Arm
Gallows Hill Bridge no.8
Market Harborough Arm pipe and Gallows Hill Bridge
Gallows Hill Bridge and Pipe
probable site of a small wharf on the Market Harborough Canal Arm
Site of a wharf
The beautiful Canal Arm to Market Harborough
Market Harborough Arm
Market Harborough Canal Arm - Sedgeleys Bridge no.9
Sedgeleys Bridge no.9
Sedgeleys Bridge, Market Harborough Arm
Sedgeleys Bridge
Market Harborough Arm - Bowden Hall Bridge 10
Bowden Hall Bridge 10
pipebridge on the Market Harborough Arm
Excellent pipebridge
area around Bowden Hall by the Canal Arm near Market Harborough
Bowden Hall canal area
Bowden Hall Bridge no.10 on the Market Harborough Arm
Bowden Hall Bridge
Market Harborough Arm old warehouses
Old warehouses
walking the Market Harborough Arm and approaching Saunts Bridge
Approaching Saunts Bridge 11
Market Harborough Arm - Saunts Bridge no.11
Saunts Bridge 11
Market Harborough - Saunts Bridge- the Market Harborough Canal Arm
Saunts Bridge 11
Saunts Bridge no.11 on the Market Harborough Arm in the Autumn
Saunts Bridge
Market Harborough Arm - Uncle Tom's Bridge 12
Uncle Tom's Bridge 12
On the Canal Arm near Market Harborough - Uncle Tom's Bridge no.12
Uncle Tom's Bridge
Market Harborough Arm - Bridge 13 - Turnover Bridge
Turnover Bridge 13

The canal basin at Market Harborough is really nice - all the warehouses and old buildings have been renovated and are now being used as a mixture of flats, small shops and so on - there is quite a bit of seating and it is a great spot especially if the sun is out.

Turnover Bridge 13 on the Market Harborough Arm
Turnover Bridge
Wooden Stepbridge 14 on the Market Harborough Arm
stepbridge no.14
just outside of Market Harborough - canal stepbridge no.14- the Market Harborough Canal Arm
Market Harborough Arm - Step bridge
Market Harborough Arm near the town itself
Approaching Market Harborough
Market Harborough's Union Wharf- the Market Harborough Canal Arm
Union Wharf Basin
Market Harborough Canal Arm - the Basin and end of the Arm
End of the Market Harborough Arm
Union Wharf, Market Harborough
Union Wharf
The Canal Arm Basin at Market Harborough
Market Harborough Arm basin
On the way back to Foxton from Market Harborough across the fields
Foxton - Market Harborough
Lubenham's and All Saints Church
All Saints Church at Lubenham

Close to the church at Lubenham there is a nice old brick built railway bridge The walk continues by returning back along the Market Harborugh Arm and then taking the previously noted path leaving the towpath between fences on the left which quickly brings you onto Logan Crescent. Turn right then take the next right onto Knoll Street which you follow to the bottom of the hill. Turn left along Gardiner Street and follow the road along looking out for a signposted footpath on the right which goes between a brick wall and fence. This brings you onto Brookfield Road, turn right and shortly turn left into Hill Gardens then go right along The Pastures at the top of which you will find the start of a footpath. Follow the path alongside houses and then to a field - go almost straight ahead across the field aiming for a single oak tree and a marker post - from here there are orange marker posts showing the route.

Lubenham - The Tower House
Tower House at Lubenham
Several of the stables at the Tower House in Lubenham
Old stables at Lubenham
Lubenham - ex-stables by the Tower House
Tower House - Stables
field walks heading back to Foxton from Lubenham in Leicestershire
Heading across fields to Foxton
Site of a dis-used military camp (?) on the way back to Foxton
military site? now disused

Continue across the next field to a road - turn right and cross the road - very shortly take a path leaving on the left. This marked path crosses fields and eventually joins a small road on the edge of Lubenham. Turn left and follow the road round to the church. Walk through the churchyard and out onto Rushes Lane at the far side - turn right and then stay on this lane as it passes several old buildings and eventually reaches a main road. Cross the main road onto the road opposite (The Green) and then go left and looking out for and taking a footpath on the right. Follow the footpath and when it splits take the left fork - continue across the fields and eventually through a small wooded area to reach Foxton Road by a small farm. Cross the road and take the footpath opposite. This path crosses fields and arrives at Holme's Farm. The path continues across several small fields but when we walk it these were all enclosed with electric fences - far easier to go right along the track and then shortly take the track on the left. Just before reaching the pond go right across fields and follow the marker posts - when you come to a clump of trees (marked on the map as the site of a dis-used camp) in a dip the path splits - take the left fork and then continue across more fields to eventually arrive back at the Leicester canal by Bridge 60 at the top of Foxton Staircase Locks.

 

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