Market Harborough - whats the low down?

[Boatman Al]

Hi all

 

Ive just had a job come up in market harborough region, which would mean me commuting by car for about 4 hours a day for near on 3 weeks. Im considering taking my boat down from shardlow and staying in the town for the duration. I was wondering what its like to moor there? Obviously i would need an elsan point and water and space to turn, probably once a week until i leave. Ive read some threads on here that suggest the hire company are dominating the basin in what would seem an underhanded way.

 

Its going to be massively convenient for me to be based there for a couple of weeks so any advice or tips about the basin, where to moor, services, security would be great. Id love to take my dog with me but want to be sure the boat is safe for her during the day to be alone.

 

Thanks in advance

Alex

[john6767]

There ie elsan disposal in the basin at Market Harborough and at the bottom of Foxton. There is mooring on the approach to the basin in Market Harborough, but possibly that is 48hr, I can't remember. There is also mooring around Foxton, it is not far by car from there.

[Midnight Rider]

Never had any problems using the services in the basin & plenty of room to wind.

 

Iv'e stayed on the hire boat moorings once (for a fee)although I guess that there won't be much spare space out of season.

 

Nice place to moor & the shops in the town centre are not too far away.

[Jo_]

One side of the basin seemed to be private boats booking in for a few weeks or longer. We were there 3 weeks ago and one guy moored permanently (a lockie on Foxton) and another was just there for a couple of weeks. Hookups and water. And walk around to elsan. Plenty of water points on the moorings leading into the basin and some lovely moorings on the run between Foxton and MH (albeit no services of course!)

[ditchcrawler]

You can pay for a morning in the basin if you want to with electricity and car parking. Otherwise good moorings near the Black Horse pub and there is another pub the other side of the canal. Are you planning on taking your car as well, or just the boat? Shortest walk into MH other than the basin is by the foot bridge which I think is 14 day moorings.

[koukouvagia]

 

Iv'e stayed on the hire boat moorings once (for a fee)although I guess that there won't be much spare space out of season.

 

 

You'll probably be hemmed in with hire boats, but it's a good palce to moor.

 

 

When we stayed there I phoned Debbie Samson - Tel: 01858 432123 to book a mooring. She manages the site and was very helpful, but we did have to wait until the hire boats were shuffled around.

[the grinch]

plenty of moorings as said between Foxton and Harborough, services though only at either end, the other pub in the village is the shoulder of mutton, beow the locks are the locks inn and the bridge 61 (the better of the 2! I would say that though as i'm biased!)

 

dont forget that North Kilworth is only a short drive to town as is Kibworth and Welford so if you don't mind a 10-15 minute drive then you'll have loads of decent mooring sites.

[Jo_]

That photograph of the basin must be from a year ago or more ... the canal holiday boats are all in a different livery now - sort of sky blue and under the http://www.canalboatclub.com/ branding. And it's also an Alvechurch base.

[Boatman Al]

So i called the basin and they inform me that are a hire boat company and do not allow visitors to moor in the basin. So it looks like ill have to live on the towpath for a couple of weeks. Whats the towpath like down there? Is security an issue? Would my dog be ok during the day left onboard?

[ditchcrawler]

So i called the basin and they inform me that are a hire boat company and do not allow visitors to moor in the basin. So it looks like ill have to live on the towpath for a couple of weeks. Whats the towpath like down there? Is security an issue? Would my dog be ok during the day left onboard?

Strange, I know several people who have stayed there, some for several months. I wonder if there are two different organisations there, I will try to find out for you.

[Tuscan]

Debdale marina is a friendly place just a few miles from Market Harborough, if you are taking a car and security is a issue for you, they may have space.

[Boatman Al]

Ill have no car and will be commuting via busses from the town centre, so the basin really is ideal, but having spoke to Union Wharf who were a very straight "no we cant help you" then it got to be a towpath mooring. which is fine with me, just wondered if anyone moored around there often or knew the towpath?

[the grinch]

the canal runs away from the road at the basin in a semi circle and then passes under the road at the top of the town there is also a small footbridge that takes you up to the old road (now a layby)so even if you moor away from the basin its only a 10 minute walk to town, then you have the glue factory bridge where the canal once again goes under the road (bus ride to town or kibworth/leicester in the other direction)then there is Foxton village (limited buses)and foxton locks (no buses ½mile walk to the top of the hill where the foxton services will pick you up on request)

 

P.S. the real experts are Keith and Jo Lodge on Hadar

[ditchcrawler]

the canal runs away from the road at the basin in a semi circle and then passes under the road at the top of the town there is also a small footbridge that takes you up to the old road (now a layby)so even if you moor away from the basin its only a 10 minute walk to town, then you have the glue factory bridge where the canal once again goes under the road (bus ride to town or kibworth/leicester in the other direction)then there is Foxton village (limited buses)and foxton locks (no buses ½mile walk to the top of the hill where the foxton services will pick you up on request)

 

P.S. the real experts are Keith and Jo Lodge on Hadar

I just read a posting elsewhere that said there is a hourly bus service from Foxton village into MH

[Magic Potion]

timetable

[Tuscan]

I just read a posting elsewhere that said there is a hourly bus service from Foxton village into MH

 

 

You can moor fairly close to the basin it can be shallow at the side, I can't comment on security, i would rather be out of town By the Glue factory bridge , walk down to Great Bowden a lovely village about 1-2 miles from Market Harborough with a bus service. Or bottom of Foxton Locks where there will be other boats (well patrolled) and walk to Foxton Village.