2024/06/17 - Circular from Foxton Locks

 Monday 17th June 

I collected Maureen at 9.30 and drove out to Foxton Locks on a lovely warm morning! We parked at the top car park.

We walked down the path close to the museum,

and followed the towpath north across Bridge 61 until we passed Debdale Wharf Marina. 

We continued to a footbridge where a footpath leads south, Debdale Grange Farm. We took the opportunity to eat a scone and have a drink. 

 We followed the field edge rather than the footpath route, all slightly uphill, as this was clearer.

The foxgloves are tall this year!

When we reached Debdale Lane we turned right and walked for a short distance. Before reaching a road junction we took a footpath to our right (roughly south). Again we followed field edges, as the path through the field was unclear. Easy enough to find the gate and footbridge,

which took us through a field of cows who showed very little interest in us.

Through some farm buildings where the footpath appears to have been slightly rerouted round the edge of the field, rather than across, but it soon enough joined the Leicestershire Round path and we crossed Footbridge (bridge 63) over the GU Canal, turned right and were very quickly back at Rainbow Bridge and the Bridge 61 pub for coffee and a sandwich.

Just over 5 miles by the time we arrived back at the car park to be greeted by a few drops of rain.

Boat names - Trent Weaver, Tacet, Moon Dancer,  Hazelwise, Chatsworth

Stroll from Foxton Locks top car park, Debdale Wharf and a bit along GU Canal

 Sunday 6th August 2023, with Harry and Jack Parry. Three miles or so.

Walk down to the bottom of the flight of locks, pause for a sandwich or soup at the Bridge 61 pub/shop, cross the Rainbow Bridge (Bridge 62)   turn left and head towards Leicester on the towpath. Continue as far as you wish, then return.

Lots of dragonflies today, plenty of yellow water lilies, and a family swans, mum, dad and two ‘teenagers’ swimming in strict formation.

At the top of the locks

Purple loosestrife

Boat trips

A few ducks and boats at the bottom of the locks

Jack proceeding along the towpath

Look closely - the windmill at Kibworth Harcourt is almost centre back.

Bridge 61 itself

Saddington - Smeeton - Debdale round

With Maureen, Barry and Gordon. 8.5 miles approx.  Three and a half hours including pauses. Weather sunny and warm. 


We started from Saddington, and walked along the Smeeton Road to Bridge 72. I intended to take a footpath for part of the way, but we didn't notice it as we passed it.  Then along the canal and over Saddington Tunnel, 

North western end of Saddington Tunnel

descending to the tow path on the left of the canal.  We left the tow path at Fleckney Bridge, where we used the two hand gates and crossed the bridge, taking the path through Mill Field Wood at right angles to the canal here. 

By the Mill Field Wood millenium stone

Past the MM stone and across the fields to the Kibworth-Saddington Road, and over into the mud and gravel track which becomes Mill Lane just before entering Smeeton Westerby. 
We turned right into the village centre, then left at Debdale Lane.  We followed this past Bridge Farm and Bridge 67 cookery school. 

This ad was on an old container-cum-shed near the cookery school. I googled and it seems it has now gone out of production to the chagrin of many cooks.

 Through a farm gate and we followed the track uphill until we reached the canal. Just before the gate and stile we found an inviting patch of shade for a snack and water break.


At the canal we turned left toward Foxton, passing the large narrowboat yard at Debdale Wharf, under a couple of bridges. 

Fine display in a boat garden.

 We crossed the first footbridge over the canal.  We took the path along the right-hand edge of the field, and across another, past some farm buildings and uphill thorugh a field where they may or may not have been a bull - there was certainly a herd of creamy and white cows, along with a lone horse.


The path led uphill with Gumley Wood on our left, across rolling countryside - the hilliest and most scenic part of the walk was saved until the later stages.  We crossed the small road from Gumley to Debdale, a little way short of the junction. A brief walk through thistle and butterfly country cut off a corner, and we crossed the road from Gumley to Smeeton.

Thistle and butterfly country

The path is a track between two hedges, then turns right to follow the edges of fields, clearly marked and climbing gradually, until, just before Smeeton Gorse, the Leicestershire Round path from Gumley joins our path. A short steep climb over grass leads to the highest point, with good views and a strategically placed bench.  (To the right of this is HIll Farm, Smeeton Hill, according to the map.) We followed the Leicestershire Round path along the 'ridge' then downhill , crossing two footbridges and going through a number of stiles before climbing to Saddington where we emerged along an enclosed path into the village, directly opposite the well-hidden footpath sign I missed at the start of the walk.


Map and details