Grand Union Canal (Leicester Section - River Soar Navigation)
The Grand Union Canal (Leicester Section - River Soar Navigation) is a small river and is part of the Grand Union Canal (Leicester Section).
It runs for 27 miles and 4¾ furlongs through 21 locks from River Soar Junction (where it joins the Grand Union Canal (Leicester Section - Leicestershire and Northamptonshire Union Canal)) to Trent Junction (where it joins the River Trent (Western End) and the Grand Union Canal (Erewash Canal)).
The maximum dimensions for a boat to be able to travel on the waterway are 72 feet long and 14 feet wide. The maximum headroom is 7 feet and 6 inches. The maximum draught is not known.
It has junctions with the Melton Mowbray Navigation at River Wreake Junction and with the Grand Union Canal (Leicester Section - Loughborough Branch) at Loughborough Branch Junction.
The navigational authority for this waterway is Canal & River TrustRelevant publications — Waterway Maps:
- Grand Union Canal - Stoke Bruerne to Leicester with the River Soar and the Erewash Canal
- Waterway Routes 01M - England and Wales Map
- Waterway Routes 86M - East Midlands (Leicester) Ring Map (Downloadable)
- Waterway Routes 50M - Grand Union Canal (All) Map (Downloadable)
- Waterway Routes 49M - Grand Union Canal (Leicester) Map (Downloadable)
Relevant publications — Waterway Guides:
| River Soar Junction Junction of GU Leicester Section and River Soar Navigation |
|||
| Great Central Railway Bridge Now the Great Central Way - Route No 6 of the Sustrans National Cycleway |
½ furlongs | 0 locks | |
| Footbridge No 105D Footbridge over stream that feeds directly into canal |
1¼ furlongs | 0 locks | |
| Freestone Bridge No 106 Aylestone on east bank |
1¼ furlongs | 0 locks | |
| Parsons Bridge No 107 | 3¾ furlongs | 0 locks | |
| Aylestone Mill Lock No 39 | 6¼ furlongs | 0 locks | |
| Aylestone Mill Bridge No 108 | 6¾ furlongs | 1 lock | |
| Aylestone Road Arm | 1 mile | 1 lock | |
| Aylestone Gasometer Pipe Bridge | 1 mile and 2 furlongs | 1 lock | |
| St Marys Mill Lock No 40 | 1 mile and 3¾ furlongs | 1 lock | |
| Branch of the Soar Junction Near to the railway bridge on Leicester to Burton Mineral Line |
1 mile and 4¾ furlongs | 2 locks | |
| Echo Railway Bridge Built in the 1840's as the Leicester to Burton Mineral Line. Popular with generations of youth as a diving board in hot weather. |
1 mile and 5¼ furlongs | 2 locks | |
| Leicester City Football Club | 1 mile and 5¾ furlongs | 2 locks | |
| Freeman's Lock No 41 | 1 mile and 6¼ furlongs | 2 locks | |
| Upperton Road Bridge Arm Exit of the Old River Soar |
1 mile and 7¾ furlongs | 3 locks | |
| Upperton Road Bridge | 2 miles and ½ furlongs | 3 locks | |
| Swan Bridge The new Swan Bridge 1998 is paired with Walnut Street Bridge (Upperton Road Bridge) to create a roundabout. |
2 miles and ¾ furlongs | 3 locks | |
| Mill Lane Bridge No 110 | 2 miles and 2¼ furlongs | 3 locks | |
| Newarke Bridge No 111 | 2 miles and 3½ furlongs | 3 locks | |
| Leicester Visitor Moorings | 2 miles and 4 furlongs | 3 locks | |
| Castle Gardens Pedestrian Bridge | 2 miles and 4½ furlongs | 3 locks | |
| West Bridge (Leicester) | 2 miles and 5 furlongs | 3 locks | |
| West Bridge No 2 | 2 miles and 5 furlongs | 3 locks | |
| Richard III Towpath Bridge No 1A and return of the Old River Soar |
2 miles and 6¼ furlongs | 3 locks | |
| Friars Mill Visitor Moorings | 2 miles and 6¾ furlongs | 3 locks | |
| Evans Weir Footbridge | 2 miles and 7½ furlongs | 3 locks | |
| Soar Lane Bridge No 3 | 3 miles and ¼ furlongs | 3 locks | |
| Footbridge over Disused Basin and Former Mill Race | 3 miles and 1¼ furlongs | 3 locks | |
| North Lock No 42 | 3 miles and 2 furlongs | 3 locks | |
| Frog Island Bridge No 5 also known as Northgate Road Bridge |
3 miles and 2¼ furlongs | 4 locks | |
| Abbey Lane Bridge No 6 | 3 miles and 3¾ furlongs | 4 locks | |
| Friday Street Bridge No 7 | 3 miles and 4¾ furlongs | 4 locks | |
| Charter Street Pipe Bridge | 3 miles and 6½ furlongs | 4 locks | |
| Morningside Arena Footbridge | 3 miles and 6½ furlongs | 4 locks | |
| Disused Wharf near Memory Lane Wharf | 3 miles and 6¾ furlongs | 4 locks | |
| Memory Lane Wharf | 3 miles and 7¼ furlongs | 4 locks | |
| Limekiln Lock No 43 | 3 miles and 7½ furlongs | 4 locks | |
| Belgrave Circle Arm (disused) | 4 miles | 5 locks | |
| Abbey Park Road Bridge No 9 | 4 miles and ¼ furlongs | 5 locks | |
| Wolsey Chimneys | 4 miles and 3¾ furlongs | 5 locks | |
| Swan's Nest Bridge No 10 | 4 miles and 5 furlongs | 5 locks | |
| Belgrave Lock No 44 | 4 miles and 5¼ furlongs | 5 locks | |
| Holden Street Bridge No 11 | 4 miles and 6½ furlongs | 6 locks | |
| Thurcaston Footbridge | 5 miles and 1¾ furlongs | 6 locks | |
| Thurcaston Old Bridge No 12 | 5 miles and 1¾ furlongs | 6 locks | |
| Entrance to Riverside Lakes | 5 miles and 2¾ furlongs | 6 locks | |
| New Bridge No 13 | 5 miles and 3¼ furlongs | 6 locks | |
| Watermead Way Bridge No 14 (A563) | 5 miles and 7¾ furlongs | 6 locks | |
| Birstall Lock Winding Hole | 6 miles and 4¼ furlongs | 6 locks | |
| Birstall Lock No 45 | 6 miles and 4¾ furlongs | 6 locks | |
| Birstall Lock Turnover Bridge | 6 miles and 4¾ furlongs | 7 locks | |
| White Horse Lane Junction River Soar returns bypassing the Lock |
6 miles and 5¼ furlongs | 7 locks | |
| Riverside Junction River Soar returns bypassing the Lock |
6 miles and 5½ furlongs | 7 locks | |
| Leicester Marina Entrance | 7 miles and 3¼ furlongs | 7 locks | |
| Thurmaston Lock Arm | 7 miles and 4½ furlongs | 7 locks | |
| Thurmaston Lock No 46 Thurmaston on east bank |
7 miles and 4¾ furlongs | 7 locks | |
| Thurmaston Lock Footbridge No 16 | 7 miles and 5 furlongs | 8 locks | |
| MGM Boats Winding Hole | 7 miles and 5¼ furlongs | 8 locks | |
| MGM Boats, Thurmaston | 7 miles and 6 furlongs | 8 locks | |
| Johnson's Bridge No 17 | 7 miles and 7½ furlongs | 8 locks | |
| Site of Former Conveyor Bridges No 18 | 8 miles and 4½ furlongs | 8 locks | |
| Hope and Anchor Bridge No 19 | 8 miles and 6½ furlongs | 8 locks | |
| Syston Road Bridge No 19A | 8 miles and 7¾ furlongs | 8 locks | |
| Hill's Bridge No 20 | 9 miles and 1¾ furlongs | 8 locks | |
| Old Junction Boatyard (Syston) Entrance to Marina |
9 miles and 2½ furlongs | 8 locks | |
| River Wreake Junction | 9 miles and 2¾ furlongs | 8 locks | |
| Junction Lock Weir River Wreake exits to bypass the Lock |
9 miles and 5¼ furlongs | 8 locks | |
| Junction Lock No 47 | 9 miles and 6 furlongs | 8 locks | |
| Wreake Outlet by Junction Lock No 47 River Wreake returns bypassing the Lock |
9 miles and 7½ furlongs | 9 locks | |
| Wreake Mouth The River Wreake, as a tributary, joins the River Soar. |
10 miles and 2¾ furlongs | 9 locks | |
| Cossington Weir and former Mill Stream The weir exit / mill stream has a footbridge over it. |
10 miles and 3 furlongs | 9 locks | |
| Cossington Lock No 48 | 10 miles and 3½ furlongs | 9 locks | |
| Cossington Lane Bridge No 21 Road Bridge between Rothley and Cossington, 1 mile to either |
10 miles and 3¾ furlongs | 10 locks | |
| Cossington Lane Pipe Bridge | 10 miles and 4 furlongs | 10 locks | |
| Cossington Mill Stream Junction River Soar returns bypassing the Lock |
10 miles and 4½ furlongs | 10 locks | |
| Loughborough Road Winding Hole | 10 miles and 5 furlongs | 10 locks | |
| Sileby Pipe Bridge | 11 miles and 5¾ furlongs | 10 locks | |
| Sileby Mill Lock No 49 | 11 miles and 6½ furlongs | 10 locks | |
| Sileby Mill Lock Footbridge | 11 miles and 6½ furlongs | 11 locks | |
| Sileby Mill | 11 miles and 6¾ furlongs | 11 locks | |
| Sileby Mill Mooring Basin Sileby Marine Services |
11 miles and 7½ furlongs | 11 locks | |
| Sileby Changline Bridge No 23 | 11 miles and 7½ furlongs | 11 locks | |
| Weir upstream from Mountsorrel Lock No 50 Towpath bridge No 23C |
12 miles and 3½ furlongs | 11 locks | |
| A6 Road Bridge No 23B Between Mountsorrel and Sileby |
12 miles and 4¼ furlongs | 11 locks | |
| Mountsorrel Lock Junction River Soar exits to bypass the Lock |
12 miles and 6 furlongs | 11 locks | |
| Mountsorrel Lock No 50 Travel south on the Sileby Road to Mountsorrel village |
12 miles and 6 furlongs | 11 locks | |
| Sileby Road Bridge No 24 | 12 miles and 6¼ furlongs | 12 locks | |
| Soar Outlet by Mountsorrel Lock | 12 miles and 6¾ furlongs | 12 locks | |
| Mountsorrel Quay | 12 miles and 7¼ furlongs | 12 locks | |
| Mountsorrel Railway Bridge Also known as 1860 Bridge |
12 miles and 7½ furlongs | 12 locks | |
| Mountsorrel Staithe | 13 miles and ½ furlongs | 12 locks | |
| North End Changeline Bridge No 26 | 13 miles and 1 furlong | 12 locks | |
| Mountsorrel A6 Bridge No 27 | 13 miles and 3½ furlongs | 12 locks | |
| Broome Island Island Campsite |
13 miles and 5¼ furlongs | 12 locks | |
| Meadow Farm Junction Access to Meadow Farm Marina along a tributary which enters here. |
13 miles and 6 furlongs | 12 locks | |
| Meadow Farm Marina Barrow upon Soar |
13 miles and 6¾ furlongs | 12 locks | |
| Barrow Weir River Soar exits to bypass the Lock |
14 miles and 3 furlongs | 12 locks | |
| Barrow Boating | 14 miles and 3½ furlongs | 12 locks | |
| Barrow upon Soar Bridge No 28 Barrow upon Soar village a quarter of a mile north |
14 miles and 4 furlongs | 12 locks | |
| Barrow Deep Lock No 51 | 14 miles and 6¾ furlongs | 12 locks | |
| Barrow Lock Bridge No 29 | 14 miles and 6¾ furlongs | 13 locks | |
| Barrow upon Soar Junction River Soar returns bypassing the Lock |
14 miles and 7¼ furlongs | 13 locks | |
| Barrow Road Bridge No 30 | 14 miles and 7½ furlongs | 13 locks | |
| Pilling's Flood Gate | 15 miles and 4¾ furlongs | 13 locks | |
| Pilling's Flood Lock No 52 | 15 miles and 5½ furlongs | 13 locks | |
| Pillings Lock Marina | 15 miles and 6½ furlongs | 14 locks | |
| Pilling's Flood Lock Winding Hole | 15 miles and 7 furlongs | 14 locks | |
| Top Bridge No 32 | 16 miles and ¼ furlongs | 14 locks | |
| Woodthorpe Bridge No 33 | 16 miles and 2¼ furlongs | 14 locks | |
| Miller's Bridge No 34 | 16 miles and 5½ furlongs | 14 locks | |
| Moor Lane Bridge No 35 | 17 miles and 1½ furlongs | 14 locks | |
| Little Moor Lane Bridge No 36 | 17 miles and 3¼ furlongs | 14 locks | |
| Great Central Railway Bridge (disused) | 17 miles and 5 furlongs | 14 locks | |
| Loughborough CRT Visitor Moorings | 17 miles and 5¾ furlongs | 14 locks | |
| Nottingham Road Bridge No 38 | 17 miles and 6¼ furlongs | 14 locks | |
| Meadow Lane Bridge No 39 | 18 miles | 14 locks | |
| Boat Inn (Loughborough) | 18 miles and ¼ furlongs | 14 locks | |
| Chain Bridge No 39B | 18 miles and 4 furlongs | 14 locks | |
| Loughborough Branch Junction | 18 miles and 4 furlongs | 14 locks | |
| Aqueduct by Belton Road Bridge | 18 miles and 5¼ furlongs | 14 locks | |
| Belton Road Bridge No 40 With accompanying pipe bridge |
18 miles and 5¼ furlongs | 14 locks | |
| Loughborough Lock No 53 | 18 miles and 6½ furlongs | 14 locks | |
| Belton Road West Extension Bridge No 40A | 18 miles and 7½ furlongs | 15 locks | |
| Swingbridge Road Bridge No 41 | 19 miles and ¾ furlongs | 15 locks | |
| Bishop Meadow Lock No 54 | 19 miles and 3¾ furlongs | 15 locks | |
| Bishops Meadow Bridge No 42 | 19 miles and 6 furlongs | 16 locks | |
| Bishops Meadow Junction River Soar returns bypassing the Lock |
19 miles and 7 furlongs | 16 locks | |
| Saint James Church, Normanton-on-Soar | 20 miles and 5¼ furlongs | 16 locks | |
| Normanton-on-Soar Wharf | 20 miles and 5½ furlongs | 16 locks | |
| Soar Boat Club | 21 miles | 16 locks | |
| Zouch Road Flood Gate | 21 miles and 2½ furlongs | 16 locks | |
| Zouch Road Weir River Soar exits to bypass the Lock |
21 miles and 3 furlongs | 16 locks | |
| Zouch Road Bridge No 43 Mooring between here and Zouch Lock. Public house by canal. |
21 miles and 3 furlongs | 16 locks | |
| Rose & Crown Inn | 21 miles and 3¾ furlongs | 16 locks | |
| Footbridge over Zouch Cut No 44 | 21 miles and 5¼ furlongs | 16 locks | |
| Zouch Lock No 55 | 21 miles and 6¼ furlongs | 16 locks | |
| Zouch Lock Junction River Soar returns bypassing the Lock. This arm is navigable, but mooring is very restricted. |
21 miles and 7 furlongs | 17 locks | |
| The Otter PH | 23 miles and 3½ furlongs | 17 locks | |
| London Road Marina (southern entrance) | 23 miles and 4¾ furlongs | 17 locks | |
| London Road Marina (northern entrance) | 23 miles and 5¾ furlongs | 17 locks | |
| Kegworth New Lock Weir River Soar exits to bypass the Lock |
24 miles and ¾ furlongs | 17 locks | |
| Kegworth New Lock No 56 | 24 miles and 3¼ furlongs | 17 locks | |
| Kegworth New Lock Junction River Soar returns bypassing the Lock |
24 miles and 3½ furlongs | 18 locks | |
| Station Road Arm No exit at other end of arm |
24 miles and 5¾ furlongs | 18 locks | |
| Kegworth Road Bridge No 45 | 24 miles and 6¼ furlongs | 18 locks | |
| Kegworth Flood Lock No 57 Known also as Kegworth Shallow Lock |
24 miles and 6¾ furlongs | 18 locks | |
| Kegworth Flood Lock Junction No access to arm |
24 miles and 7½ furlongs | 19 locks | |
| Kingstone Road Wharf | 24 miles and 7¾ furlongs | 19 locks | |
| Ratcliffe Weir River Soar exits to bypass the Lock |
25 miles and 7 furlongs | 19 locks | |
| Ratcliffe Weir and Manor Farm | 25 miles and 7½ furlongs | 19 locks | |
| Ratcliffe Weir Road Bridge | 26 miles | 19 locks | |
| Ratcliffe Lock No 58 The current lock replaces an older lock which is still pretty much intact, albeit buried, parallel to the new lock. |
26 miles and 1½ furlongs | 19 locks | |
| Ratcliffe Lock Junction River Soar returns bypassing the Lock |
26 miles and 1¾ furlongs | 20 locks | |
| Redhill Marine Ltd | 26 miles and 4¼ furlongs | 20 locks | |
| Boat Hoods Marina | 26 miles and 6½ furlongs | 20 locks | |
| Redhill Lock Weir No access at this end. River Soar exits to bypass the Lock. |
26 miles and 7½ furlongs | 20 locks | |
| Redhill Lock No 59 Used as a flood lock so both sets of gates may be open. Bridge (No 47) is over the middle of the lock. |
27 miles | 20 locks | |
| Redhill Lock Junction Arm is navigable around to other end |
27 miles and ½ furlongs | 21 locks | |
| Soar Mouth Red buoys protect Thrumpton Weir |
27 miles and 3¼ furlongs | 21 locks | |
| Trent Junction Junction of River Trent, Grand Union Leicester Section and Erewash Canals |
27 miles and 4¾ furlongs | 21 locks |
- Grand Union Canal Walk — associated with Grand Union Canal
- An illustrated walk along the Grand Union Canal from London to Birmingham
- Broome Island Website — associated with Broome Island
- Broome Island FAQs — associated with Broome Island
- Mountsorrel Staithe — associated with Mountsorrel Staithe
- Home of the Leicester Riders, Britain's oldest professional Basketball Club — associated with Morningside Arena Footbridge
- Basketball Team
- The Otter Country Pub & Restaurant in Derbyshire — associated with The Otter PH
- country pub in Derbyshire features seasonal food, cask ale and is dog friendly. Find directions, opening hours & menus for The Otter here.
- Pillings Lock Marina, Narrowboat Marina, Loughborough, Leicestershire — associated with Pillings Lock Marina
- Piilings Lock Marina. Modern Narrowboat marina located in Quorn, Loughborough, Leicestershire.
Wikipedia has a page about Grand Union Canal
The Grand Union Canal in England is part of the British canal system. Its main line starts in London and ends in Birmingham, stretching for 137 miles (220 km) with 166 locks. It has arms to places including Leicester, Slough, Aylesbury, Wendover and Northampton.
The Grand Union Canal was also the original name for part of what is now part of the Leicester Line of the modern Grand Union: this latter is now generally referred to as the Old Grand Union Canal to avoid ambiguity.
Other Wikipedia pages that might relate to Grand Union Canal
[Grand Union Canal (old)]
The Grand Union Canal was a canal in England from Foxton, Leicestershire on the Leicestershire and Northamptonshire Union Canal to Norton Junction, close
[Shropshire Union Canal]
The Shropshire Union Canal, nicknamed the "Shroppie", is a navigable canal in England. The Llangollen and Montgomery canals are the modern names of branches
[Regent's Canal]
Regent's Canal is a canal across an area just north of central London, England. It provides a link from the Paddington Arm of the Grand Union Canal, 550 yards
[Oxford Canal]
integrated with the Grand Union Canal—combined for 5 miles (8 km) close to the villages of Braunston and Napton-on-the-Hill, a canal which soon after construction
[Grand Junction Canal]
In 1927 the canal was bought by the Regent's Canal Company and, since 1 January 1929, has formed the southern half of the Grand Union Main Line from
[List of canals of the United Kingdom]
country's waterways via the Great Ouse. Grand Union Canal (Slough Branch): Extending Slough Arm of the Grand Union Canal south to join the River Thames. Maidenhead
[Little Venice]
England, around the junction of the Paddington Arm of the Grand Union Canal, the Regent's Canal, and the entrance to Paddington Basin. The junction forms
[Paddington]
start-point of an improved Harrow Road and an arm of the Grand Junction Canal (Grand Union Canal); these remain. In the 19th century the part of the parish
[Lengthsman]
Active teams operate on the Slough Arm of the Grand Union Canal and the southern reaches of the Grand Union Canal. Croxley Green on the Herts Berks borders