Market Harborough to Leighton Buzzard
Dates: 21 August till 28 August (7 nights)
The meandering Leicester summit contrasts with the wider mainline of the Grand Union canal on this cruise.
From Market Harborough we make a short journey to the foot of Foxton locks, where we head up the famous staircase. On we travel across the isolated and totally rural summit of the canal: we may divert to Welford if time permits. Two short tunnels bring us to Watford locks and we descend into the famous Watford Gap. We emerge at Norton junction and descend the locks at Long Buckby and Whilton. Here the canal, motorway and railway as well as the Roman Watling Street all funnel together, but as soon as we are through the locks we enter tranquillity once again as we cruise on through the leafy Brockhall Park.
We wind our way onward through Weedon, Nether Hayford and Bugbrooke before reaching Gayton junction. Here the canal branches off to the Fens via Northampton, but we continue to the little village of Blisworth – which heralds the cutting and tunnel of the same name. When we emerge from the lengthy 200-year-old tunnel, we are in a wooded cutting that leads to the lovely village of Stoke Bruerne, famous for its canal museum. We shall pause here to give you time to enjoy the museum and its surroundings.
More locks here are followed by a lengthy stretch without any locks as we pass Cosgrove and then Milton Keynes (which is best seen from the canal). After the lonely lock at Fenny Stratford and the famous Three Locks at Soulbury, we cruise through a tree-lined section to arrive at Leighton Buzzard.
Already booked on this cruise? Buy your DVDs, Maps and Guides specific to this from Waterway Routes.
Back to Cruises
