Boat hire—Grand Union Canal - Trent to Foxton
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THE first part of the Grand Union Canal from the Trent through Leicester is the Leicester Section, with this most northern part taking advantage of the Soar from its meeting with the Trent at Trent Lock to Leicester, with many canalised sections.
There is of course a flow, which in times of heavy rain can be quite fierce, but as quickly as it can rise it can also fall, not being such a long river, and should pose no problem for the holiday maker, in its main being a placid river.
Difficult to move
The locks are broad on this Leicester section, with some gates quite difficult to move, needing a lot of effort, paddle gear too is sometimes stiff. Being a river, mooring on the whole is limited to its canalised sections, where often rings are provided.
The Soar though is a very pleasant river to cruise, with both wooded banks and open views, though care has to be taken at the many blind bends, and being a river the sometimes fierce bywashes at locks can be somewhat disconcerting for the beginner hirer though with a little common sense they can usually be avoided.
Shopping limited
Supermarket shopping however is limited to Loughborough, though the villages by the river do have their own sometimes sparse shopping facilities, often no more than a short walk away.
There are a couple of small shops by the waterway by the 'straight mile' (pictured) in Leicester itself. With many boatyards and marinas at its lower reaches, there are plenty of boater facilities along the waterway.
Though there are bollards along most of the straight mile, we have never seen any boats moored there during the numerous times we have gone through.
A recent problem however has been the rapid growth of Pennywort, which can spread virtually across the river, leaving small channels, as well as choking up the locks. This of course gets itself wrapped around the stern shaft and propeller.
In Leicester the waterway leaves the Soar and becomes a normal canal as it passes its centre, with once again plenty of moorings by its side.
Vandal activity
It has long been accepted that the waterway through Leicester is a hive of vandal activity, which is why you will meet very few boats, and rarely any boats moored overnight anywhere through the city.
Knowledgeable hire boaters going South either moor overnight at Birstall, or those wanting the countryside, by the attractive lakes just beforehand, and those heading North invariably moor at Kilby Bridge (pictured) where there are facilities. It is then a matter of a very early start and getting through the city. Around Aylestone is pretty bad, with often the large amount of empty beer cans in the lock giving some idea of the activity.
Secure moorings
Secure moorings were built in the centre of the city by the university off-side, as seen in Alan Tilbury's picture, but a handy footbridge over the moorings, useful for dropping objects, was not taken into consideration, so they seem to be rarely used, except for the end away from the bridge.
Even through many paddles are locked, vandals still seem to manage to open them with the result being a flooded towpath below locks and often a near empty pound above.
Many boaters, ourselves included, will not venture through Leicester at a weekend under any circumstances. But it must be mentioned that there is now a ranger who patrols the area on a motorbike. It is a great pity about the vandal activity, for there is some most interesting cruising through Leicester, with delightful lengths of waterway including Aylestone Park (pictured) but the mass of empty beer cans shows its other side.
Attractive farmland
After the city it is a matter of working the often heavy broad lock gates for mile after mile. It is attractive remote farmland though, but with few facilities except for the odd marina. Boaters should take little notice of distant shops listed in boating guides in this area, for many of them are now closed, as unlucky boaters (ourselves included) have discovered to their dismay after a long tramp.
This area of the Grand Union Canal from the Trent to Foxton really needs a fairly strong crew, and one capable of undertaking the distance to safety through Leicester and its many locks.
From the Trent to Foxton is 43 miles with 43 broad locks and a single tunnel.
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