Attractions and Places To See around Great Bowden - Top 20

Great Bowden is rich in history. You can visit the prominent St Peter and St Paul Church, which dates back to the early 13th century and features a 15th-century "Doom Painting." The village also boasts historic village greens, the Great Bowden Hall (a Victorian mansion), and the Great Bowden Old School, established in 1839. The pub The Shoulder of Mutton is partly a 17th-century building, and Bishops House was originally a 1901 Hunting Lodge.

Absolutely! A top family-friendly destination is Foxton Locks, a man-made monument featuring an impressive staircase of ten canal locks. It offers 34 acres of natural green space for nature spotting, two pubs, two cafés, a museum, and opportunities for day boat hire. The site also includes the remains of a unique Inclined Boat Lift, which is a Scheduled Ancient Monument.

You can enjoy pleasant country footpaths and easy walks along the Grand Union Canal towpath. A popular option is the Kelmarsh Tunnels, which are part of the Brampton Valley Way, a 14-mile trail following a former railway line. For cycling, the National Cycle Route 6 passes through the area, offering a route from Northampton to Market Harborough.

Great Bowden lies on the edge of the picturesque Welland Valley, offering undulating countryside. The Grand Union Canal provides scenic walks and views. You can also explore the Great Bowden Borrowpit (also known as Great Bowden Brick Pit), a 2.4-hectare Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) known for its distinctive marsh flora and tall fen plant community.

Yes, the Great Bowden Borrowpit is a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) with unique marsh flora. Additionally, the 34 acres of natural green spaces at Foxton Locks are ideal for spotting wildlife such as herons, swans, swallows, and kingfishers.

Beyond walking and cycling, the area around Great Bowden offers various outdoor activities. You can find numerous routes for mountain biking and gravel biking. For specific routes and guides, explore options like MTB Trails around Great Bowden, Gravel biking around Great Bowden, and Cycling around Great Bowden.

Great Bowden has local amenities including Welton's Post Office and Bowden Stores for coffee. For pubs, you can visit The Shoulder of Mutton or The Red Lion in the village. Near Foxton Locks, there are two pubs and two cafés, including the Top Lock Cottage café and Foxton Locks Inn, offering hot and cold drinks, snacks, and meals.

The Grand Union Canal, constructed in 1809, played a vital role in Great Bowden's economic life by providing transport and fuel. Today, its towpath offers popular routes for walks, and the canal itself is a picturesque feature of the landscape. The Foxton Locks Basin marks a significant convergence point of the canal's Leicester line and the Market Harborough arm.

Yes, the area offers pleasant country footpaths. A popular circular walk from Great Bowden village visits Bowden Hall before connecting with the Grand Union Canal, leading towards Market Harborough's canal wharf. Many other village walks explore the surrounding undulating countryside.

The Brampton Valley Way is a 14-mile trail that follows the course of the former Market Harborough to Northampton railway. It includes the notable Kelmarsh Tunnels. You can access sections of this trail from areas near Great Bowden, offering opportunities for walking and cycling. Be aware that the former "up" line tunnel at Kelmarsh is unlit and requires lights for passage.

Foxton Locks is unique due to its impressive staircase of ten canal locks, which were built in the early 19th century to navigate a steep incline. It also features the remains of the unique Inclined Boat Lift, a Scheduled Ancient Monument, showcasing a fascinating piece of engineering history. The site combines historical interest with natural beauty and visitor amenities.

The Kelmarsh Tunnels are disused railway tunnels that are now part of the Brampton Valley Way. They are known for their length (480 meters) and were historically called "the rat-holes" by train drivers due to their small bore. If you plan to walk or cycle through the tunnels, it's essential to bring lights, as they are unlit.