The Market Harborough Canal Arm and a Walk Along It.

A circular walk in Leicestershire along the Market Harborough Canal Arm and then back across country and also along the Leicester Canal.

About The Market Harborough Arm. The five mile long Market Harborough Canal Arm leaves the Leicester Line (canal) 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 roadbridge	Lock keeper's cottage next to Toplock	Channel on the left goes to the inclined plane (top)	The old engine house at Foxton Locks	Foxton Lock 14 looking down the flight	Foxton Locks looking up the flight
View looking up the Staircase Locks at Foxton	View down the inclined plane at Foxton	Canal Bridge 61	Rainbow Bridge - bridge 62	Foxton Canal Junction - Leicester Line	Feeder arm bridge
Swing Bridge on the Market Harborough Arm	Canal Swing Bridge	Market Harborough Arm	Site of a missing canal bridge	Blackhorse Bridge 3	Blackhorse Bridge no.3

You can divert off the canal at Bridge 3 to take a look at Foxton's nice old church (St Andrew's) - also a little way 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.

Really beautiful trees and countryside	Swingbridge 4	Swing Bridge	Swingbridge 4	Clarkes Bridge - 5	Clarkes Bridge no5
Stepbridge 6	Stepbridge 6	A canal syphon and Johnson's Bridge 7	Johnsons Bridge 7	Views along the canal Arm	The really beautiful Market Harborough Canal Arm
Gallows Hill Bridge is there somewhere...	Gallows Hill Bridge	Gallow Hill Bridge 8 and it's pipebridge	Site of a canal wharf	Beautiful views along the Arm.	Sedgeley's Bridge - 9
Sedgeley's Bridge - 9	Bowden Hall Bridge 10	Beautiful pipe at Bridge 10	Warehouses (well they were once)	Bowden Hall Bridge no.10	Canal side warehouses
The views around this area were fantastic	Saunts Bridge 11	Lovely old Saunts Bridge	Saunts Bridge	Uncle Tom's Bridge 12	Uncle Tom's Bridge

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 no.13	Turnover Bridge 13	Step Bridge 14	Wooden Stepbridge 14	Nearly into Market Harborough	Market Harborough Canal Basin
Union Wharf	Union Wharf in Market Harborough	Union Wharf	Route is marked with orange posts	Lubenham - All Saints Church	Lovely old railway bridge by the church

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	The old stables at Tower House in Lubenham	Old stables - now converted for use by people instead of horses	Far side of Lubenham - path is marked with orange marker-posts.	Site of dis-used camp - take the left hand path just after here

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 Locks.

We have picked out a few Books about England - Churches, Canals and Rivers as well as walks in England and English Nature. The Nicholsons Waterways Guides are a "must take" for anyone going on a Canal Barge or Narrowboat holiday (as well as anyone visiting the canals) as they are packed with really useful information. If the development and history of our Canals is of particular interest consider the Anatomy of Canals series - really good reading!. (The relevant Nicholoson Guide covering The Market Harborough Arm is BOOK 3.)