More To Enjoy

Foxton is set in the heart of beautiful South Leicestershire - a rural area with plenty of attractions to make the perfect day out.

Why not combine a visit to the locks with a tour around the local area? Here are some of the best places to go nearby.

Market Harborough

Market Harborough is a busy market town mid-way between Leicester and Northampton. Built on a medieval planned street-grid over 800 years ago, both Charles I and Cromwell made it their base. The town has less of a rural feel than nearby Foxton. The pedestrianised centre features all the usual names in high street shopping as well as stylish boutiques and specialist shops and is overlooked by the graceful church tower. Just beyond the old Market House, Welland Park offers peaceful green respite from the commercial buzz with a paved riverside walk threading through the lawns and flowebeds.

Harborough Museum

Council Offices, Adam & Eve Street, Market Harborough, LE16 7AG, Leicestershire

The Harborough Museum gives visitors a fascinating insight into the way people used to live their lives in Market Harborough. The collections within the museum feature displays about local industry and show what working lives were like for people. There is an interesting photographic and historical archive. See how the children entertained themselves, with toys dating back to the 17th century.

Rockingham Castle

Rockingham, Market Harborough, Leicestershire LE16 8TH. Tel: 01536 770240. E-mail

Built by William the Conqueror, Rockingham Castle overlooks the picturesque village from which it gets its name. For 450 years, the castle was a royal fortress, protecting royalty from King John to Henry V. Today, the castle and its extensive 12 acres of garden are open to the public to discover its history and hidden treasures. Enjoy the panoramic views and visit superbly furnished rooms from throughout the castle's life.

Wistow Maize Maze

Fleckney Road, Wistow, Leicestershire LE8 0QF

A fun day out for all the family, it is easy to understand why Wistow Maize Maze was the winner of Leicestershire's "Best Visitor Attraction" in 2004 - over 15,000 people visited it in the 8 weeks it was open. To find their way around the maze, visitors need to follow the quiz trail and collect clues. This year's maze design is in the shape of Nelson's ship HMS Victory to celebrate the Battle of Trafalgar's bicentenary and last year it was a space rocket and the planet Saturn. High bridges and viewing towers mean that visitors can appreciate the countryside surrounding them.

If shopping and a nice cup of tea are more your thing, the Wistow Rural Centre opposite the maze offers visitors shops, tearooms, garden centre and model village. A map of the maze is available, for those who would prefer this so they can make a quick exit out of the maze.

Stanford Hall

Lutterworth, Leicestershire LE17 6DH. Tel: 01788 860250. E-mail

Built in the 1690s, Stanford Hall has been occupied by the Cave family ever since. It was built on the site of the Old Manor House, which Sir Roger Cave ordered to be pulled down and the current hall built. The hall is full of fascinating rooms for visitors to discover. The library holds over 5,000 books and manuscripts, the oldest dating back to 1150. Portraits and exquisite furniture can be found in the drawing rooms and the stables, unusually, play host to a motor cycle museum. A walk around the gardens can not be missed on a trip to Stanford Hall with its Rose Garden and Old Forge and peaceful Nature Trail.

Frank Haynes Gallery

50 Station Road, Great Bowden, Market Harborough, Leicestershire LE16 7HN

Opened in 1987, the Frank Haynes Gallery showcases regional paintings, drawings and ceramics. Haynes himself is a potter and visitors are able to buy his domestic ware, which are produced in the workshop on site. Every April, the gallery plays host to a an exhibition "The Human Figure in Art", with photography, ceramics and sculpture on show.