Bridge 61, Market Harborough

A small and traditional looking stone built pub facing directly out on to the pleasant canal junction, it’s much more inconspicuous than it’s all together larger and brasher neighbour just opposite and looks just as much like a small shop or eatery than a pub, not least perhaps because these do indeed form part of the same building. There are a few picnic benches immediately outside the pub to make the most of the outlook, and a decent size beer garden alongside. Internally it consists of two quite smallish rooms, with the one containing the bar counter being especially tiny. In actual fact, the bar counter consists of little more than two hatches, with a brick chimney breast in between. One is labelled as being for soft and alcoholic drinks, with the other for hot drinks and food. The hatches are made from arched brickwork, quite what their original purpose was I’m not sure. Décor wise it’s quite traditional, with varnished wood panelling on the ceiling, whitewashed brick walls and a brick tiled floor. A few colourful plates were on the wall depicting various views of the canal whilst a specials board listed a few options such as Beef Bourguignon, Vegetable Sweet & Sour or Chicken in a Black Bean sauce, and most of these were priced at a very reasonable £5 or so. The adjacent room had a flagstone floor, exposed brickwork on the walls and an attractive vaulted ceiling with all manner of farming implements on display. Beers on tap were Langton’s Inclined Plane (named after the nearby and short lived system for hoisting boats between two levels of canal as opposed to traversing the flight of ten locks), Langton’s Redwood and Adnam’s Southwold. Ciders meanwhile were Stowford Press and Old Rosie. All in all, a great little pub and well worth stopping by.

Excellent little waterside pub, housed in a low single-storey building with two small rooms and a patio beer garden of almost equal size. Small bar counter, little larger than a cupboard with a hatch. Interesting memorabilia. Three handpumps offering Adnams Southwold plus Scarecrow and Inclined Plane (£2.90, and in fine form) from the local Langton Brewery. Well worth a visit for those not tempted by the more upmarket and much larger Foxton Lock Inn across the canal.