Long-term moorings in Market Harborough

Moorings in Market Harborough are at Union Wharf, the canal basin at the end of the Market Harborough Arm of the Grand Union Canal Leicester Line. The basin is about half a mile from the centre of the Leicestershire town, and the Canal & River Trust runs the long-term sites here and at Foxton, where the arm begins.

Moorings in Market Harborough

• Market Harborough Basin (Canal & River Trust): 10 leisure and two residential moorings on pontoons in Union Wharf, with electricity, water and pump out. There is no dedicated parking.
• Market Harborough Towpath (Canal & River Trust): leisure moorings on the towpath near the end of the arm, about 200 metres from the basin's services. There is no parking at the site.
• Foxton Bottom Basin (Canal & River Trust): 12 leisure moorings where the arm meets the Leicester Line, about four miles from the town, with electricity, water and one parking permit per mooring.
• Foxton Village (Canal & River Trust): leisure moorings for up to five boats along about 130 metres of towpath, a short walk from Foxton Locks. No parking.
• Debdale Wharf Marina (Debdale Wharf Marina Ltd): a marina and boatyard on the Leicester Line about 20 minutes' cruising from Foxton Locks, listed by The Yacht Harbour Association with 240 berths, a hoist and fuel.

On the water

• The arm: just under six miles from Foxton to Union Wharf with no locks. It is a Canal & River Trust waterway, so every boat needs a Trust licence, which requires a Boat Safety Scheme certificate or exemption.
• Foxton Locks: the flight of ten staircase locks at Foxton carries the Leicester Line south towards Norton Junction. Book in with the lock keeper before entering. A passage takes about 45 minutes on average.
• Lock hours: in winter, from 25 October 2026 to 27 March 2027, the flight opens at 9.30am with the last boat in at 2.30pm. Before that date it opens at 8am with the last boat in at 5pm.
• Boat size: the Trust gives a maximum beam of 2.12m (6ft 11in) between Foxton and Norton Junction, so only narrowboats pass the flight. Towards Leicester the limit is 3.05m (10ft) as far as Kings Lock.

In summer the wait at Foxton Locks can run to several hours, so allow time when heading south. Foxton has its own guide, which covers the locks and the village in more detail.