Foxton Locks

Today we decided to take a trip to Foxton Locks. Foxton Locks is home to two amazing feats of engineering in the heart of the Leicestershire countryside. The Grade II listed locks on the Leicester Line of the Grand Union Canal are over 200 years old. They demonstrate how 19th century canal engineers solved the problem of getting boats up and down a steep hill. This impressive flight of ten locks are the longest set of staircase locks in Britain. It takes an average of 45 minutes for boats to travel the entire flight and on a busy day as many as 40 boats can make the trip. The lock keepers will be busy directing the traffic, making use of the passing pond in the middle of the flight. Alongside the locks you can see the side ponds which provide reserves of water for the locks and prevent wastage. These ponds are a haven for local wildlife, including ducks, heron and water vole.

To find out more about how the locks operate, make sure you pay a visit to The BoilerHouse. Behind the Boiler House you will see the evidence of another amazing feat of engineering. A fine example of Grand Victorian industrial engineering – the inclined plane boat lift.





Designed at a time when canals were the mass transport system for England it was to help improve the capacity of the canal network. The Lift could take 2 boats at a time to the top of the hill in 12 minutes. Unfortunately with the coming of the railways the increased traffic on the canal never materialised and the lift became un economical to run. It was mothballed in 1911, but still maintained in working orders. It was eventually sold for scrap in 1928. The full story is told in The Boiler House. At the base of the locks is a canal-side shop and two pubs; Bridge 61 and Foxton Locks Inn. The locks and surrounding area are open and accessible to the public all year round. The network of footpaths and towpaths provide ideal walking and cycling opportunities with a choice of many routes.