Foxton Locks Canal
Foxton Locks Canal
Distance: 0.5 miles
Walk: 15 mins
sat nav: LE16 7RA
Explore Foxton Locks, a historic canal marvel in Leicestershire, offering picturesque landscapes, canal heritage, boat trips, and a glimpse into 19th-century engineering brilliance.
How do you lift a fully loaded narrowboat up a 75ft hill? Engineers of the past 200 years have come up with not one but two ingenious solutions at Foxton and, together, they offer a day out like no other.
There are flights of locks all over the nation’s canal network but there’s nowhere quite like Foxton Locks – the longest and steepest staircase of locks in the country. Ten locks back-breakingly carved by hand through the Leicestershire countryside.
An innovative boat lift, or inclined plane, was built next to the locks to carry boats up and down the steep hill in giant bathtubs, or caissons, of water. Expensive to operate, and under increasing competition from the railways, it was mothballed after just 11 years but today visitors can stand on the remains and find out more about how it worked in the nearby museum.
Two centuries ago Foxton would have bustled with the sights, sounds and smells of a working waterway but today it offers a peaceful escape where you can almost feel life slowing down. There’s a friendlier feel too, where people passing on the towpath say hello and there’s always a smiling lock keeper on-hand for a chat.
Maybe you’ll enjoy a spot of ‘gongoozling’, the art of watching the beautifully painted narrowboats make their way through the locks. With around 5,000 boats passing through each year, Foxton is the perfect place to try it.
Visit Foxton Locks Canal
Trident Art Gallery
Trident is a family run gallery nestled in the exclusive shopping area of stoneygate shops on the outskirts of Leicester city centre, sometimes referred to as Leicester’s “little Chelsea”, a hive of exclusive, upmarket boutiques, restaurants, beauty salons, top of the range audio and visual equipment and shops selling unique pieces of art, design, jewelry and furniture. Trident Galleries is in partnership with one of the country’s leading fine art publishers, Washington Green.
Miles: 18
Melton Mowbray Christmas Lights
A wide range variety of Victorian Christmas stalls selling unique gifts and local produce perfect for Christmas shopping. Light switch on takes place roughly 6:45pm with special guests
Miles: 23
Rutland County Show
The Rutland County Show is one of the oldest shows in the country and has a very traditional feel with livestock classes, equine showing, heavy horses, show jumping and main ring entertainment as well as a host of other show attractions.
Miles: 20
Armourgeddon
If you’ve ever dreamed of commanding 17 tons of armoured steel, Armourgeddon is your ultimate destination for tank driving and combat. Nowhere else in the world can you take the controls of a real FV432 tank, navigating rugged terrain across 16 acres, and then up the stakes with a world-exclusive Tank Paintball Battle. Perfect for families, friends, or solo adventurers, Armourgeddon delivers an unforgettable mix of exhilaration, combat, and fun.
Miles: 8
Foxton Locks Canal is 0.5 miles from Foxton Locks Lodges
Webpage Disclaimer
The information contained in this page is for general information purposes only. The information is provided by Foxton Locks Lodges and whilst we endeavour to keep the information up-to-date and correct, we make no representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, about the completeness, accuracy, reliability, suitability or availability with respect to the page or the information, products, services, or related graphics contained on the page for any purpose. Any reliance you place on such information is therefore strictly at your own risk.
In no event will we be liable for any loss or damage including without limitation, indirect or consequential loss or damage, or any loss or damage whatsoever arising from loss of data or profits arising out of, or in connection with, the use of this page.
Through this page you are able to link to other websites which are not under the control of Foxton Locks Lodges. We have no control over the nature, content and availability of those sites. The inclusion of any links does not necessarily imply a recommendation or endorse the views expressed within them.
Every effort is made to keep the page up and running smoothly. However, Foxton Locks Lodges takes no responsibility for, and will not be liable for, the page being temporarily unavailable due to technical issues beyond our control. All images used are for visual representation only and remain the legal property of their copyright owners.