Foxton Locks set for programme of summer holiday activities
The Canal and River Trust has announced its programme of summer holiday activities taking place at Foxton Locks.
The Grade II listed site near Market Harborough is hosting activities ranging from wildlife walks to pond dipping over the next month.
The Canal and River Trust are encouraging the public to visit the site and take part in the activities this summer, despite challenges with water supply to some parts of the Grand Union Canal Leicester Line.
Wildlife walk and craft events are due to be held at the site on August 2, 9, 16, 19 and 23, with craft sessions where woodland suncatchers will be created scheduled for July 30 and August 13.
There are two introductions to lichen workshops on August 5 and September 2, while the summer holiday activity programme concludes with a pond dipping event on August 12.
Activities start at £5, and tickets can be booked via the trust’s Eventbrite page here.
Foxton Locks, which is set across 34 acres of green space, is the UK’s longest and steepest flight of staircase locks and welcomes more than 400,000 visitors per year.
Volunteering leader for The Canal and River Trust, Emily Davis, said: “Foxton Locks is a fantastic place to spend time outdoors during the summer and there’s always something to see or do, whether that be joining an activity, exploring the museum, getting closer to nature with one of our trails or enjoying a relaxing lunch in one of the waterside pubs or cafes.
"We’re really excited about our summer events programme, and our volunteers are looking forward to helping people connect with nature, local history and the waterways.”
The Canal and River Trust says it is keen to stress that the Foxton Locks and the Market Harborough arm of the canal are still open to boats and visitors.
This is despite boat passages being temporarily suspended through locks between Kings Lock, near Aylestone and Kibworth.
A Canal and River Trust spokesperson said: “With the region experiencing the longest unbroken spell of no recorded rainfall this century we’re seeing challenges with water supply to some parts of the Grand Union Canal Leicester Line.
“As a result, we’re temporarily suspending boat passage through locks between Kings Lock, near Aylestone, and Kibworth until water supply recovers.
“We apologise for the disruption and thank boaters for their patience during this time.
“The Met Office is not forecasting any meaningful rain and our charity is doing all we can to save water.
“We’re working hard to preserve supplies in our reservoirs’, ensuring water is available to the right places on the network to meet demand.
“Our teams are out every day managing water levels, helping boaters in the affected area get to where they need to be, and closely monitoring any impacts on wildlife.
“The situation with low flows can be exacerbated because of lock misuse, plus the ageing nature of the canal network, where water naturally seeps away from the canal.
“We're targeting water-saving repairs and maintenance this summer to reduce leakage and better manage water flow as part of our year-round effort to care for these 200-year-old-waterways.
“The towpath in this area, along with the canalside attractions and businesses, remain fully open for people to use and enjoy.”