Eynsham River Thames, Thu 17 Oct 2013

Last night after a bit of chatting to old friends we met up with Bones and Alex in The Boat for a couple of pints and a good laugh. It did my back the world of good but it didn’t last.

This morning we woke to a sunny day but we were very slow getting away. First I had to get moving and then we wandered down to the Thrupp Cruising Club for Diana to pick up a couple of books. After that it was over to Annie's Tea room for a cupper with Ms.Bones and Mr Jones. (that has a nice ring to it)
We finally pushed off at about midday.

Just going under the road bridge as we left Thrupp there was a boat on the Langford Lane water point, this is quite close to the bridge on a left hand bend just prior to a long line of long term moorings, so I was well over to the wrong side to get round her bow. Needless to say there was a boat coming the other way, but we sorted it.

You may remember that on the 15th I published a photo of Brush Wood at CaRT’s Nell Bridge yard, well here is some installed. We were very lucky meeting boats at all the locks, in some cases 2, one leaving so sailing straight in and another arriving as we left so gates left open.

There use to be  a boat yard at Kings Bridge which I think was originally at Jericho in Oxford until BW as it was then decided to unsuccessfully redevelop the site. The site is now empty and the boatyard gone.There has been lots of discussion about CaRT  changing the cast iron water points for stainless steel ones. This is the second of the new type that I have seen wide open and no lock. I do wonder how much this is costing us for CaRT to carry out this, what a lot of people, myself included is unnecessary work.

 
Several years ago I contacted the then BW about the state of the lock moorings at Dukes Cut lock and received what I thought was a positive reply as there is some doubt to the ownership. Again the lock moorings are badly overgrown and the second mooring bollard is completely hidden in the undergrowth.Dukes Cut was interesting, there are now approximately 10 boats moored down there, some displaying licenses and some not. The first one we came to was moored just through the road bridge so to get round him you have to boat through the off side bushes and trees. If he had been just 5 mt. further along it would have made life so much easier.

We met two Narrowboats before we were out onto the Thames proper and then nothing. Once out of Dukes Cut we headed upstream through Eynsham Lock.

On the way we passed the entrance to the River Evenlode which is somewhat overgrown. I don’t think I would have even spotted it if it hadn’t been for the very faded sign.Not far from here there were trees and branches well out into the river, maybe the Environment Agency thought it was all going to CaRT and decided not to spend their money.  

We saw quite an assortment of geese on the fields beside the river but I have never seen these here before. As we approached Aynsham Lock the Self Service signs were up, something I didn’t need today with the way my back is feeling, however just as we slid into the lock two gentlemen arrived, one popped in and out of the office and then worked us through the lock.
We moored just above the lock on the 24 hr moorings near the water point at 3-15 pm. We have already had one boat asked if we were staying overnight, we offered them the opportunity to breast up, but they declined.

Thrupp 2 day visitor moorings Wednesday 16 Oct 2013

Yesterday evening we walked up to the Barley Mow for dinner, when I say up, I mean up as its at the top of the hill. We had a very nice home cooked meal and were entertained by the ladies darts team, who were all looking for double one to get out on every game.
When we left to walk back down to the boat the moon was bright and the sky full of stars, the end to a great autumn day.

Today it raining, the pressure is falling again and CaRT have taken their work boat back to the lock.
We pushed off at our normal 10 o’clock start and headed to Lower Heyford, the first obstacle is the aluminium lift bridge, no problem for us as Diana was able to hop off and open it for me, sitting on the wide beam to hold it open, but I understand it gives single handers a problem. As I passed through the bridge I noticed that is is build on a different angle to the original as can be seen by the landing for the end of the deck.

Oxfordshire Narrowboats have a boat called Muddy Waters, it is designed specifically for families with small children and has a play area at the front. There is a lot more information about it HERE

We continued through the village stopping just past the hire base to fill with water, this is a slow tap and our tank is well down so time for a cup of tea in the dry while we wait. By the look of the chap opposite maybe we shouldn't overstay on the water point.

Once the tank was full we were off again the rain refusing to give in, the day started wet and has just got wetter. When we arrived at Dashwood lock the CaRT work boat that we had moored behind last night had just left the lock and a poor hire boat was coming up. Once they had worked through with Diana’s help. I think at this point the hire boat crew had thrown the towel in and the steerer was resigned to single handing back to base, we decided to moor below the lock for a while and see if things improve. So at 12 15 pm we have moored up, but if the weather improves we will move on.

After a couple of hours things started to improve and the rain stopped so we set off, it was not long before the sun was out and there wasn’t a cloud in the sky.

We arrived at Northwood lock to find a boat on the lock moorings facing us and the lock empty. As we were negotiating round her stern a young lady came up to the boat and explained that she had helped another young lady to lock down, she then left. Looking back at her with the trunk in the dingy I am not sure she didn’t have Paddington Bear  stowing away somewhere.

Northwood lock has an interesting bywash, unlike most locks that just have a weir beside the head of the lock and a stream running down beside the lock, this one has an underground feed to a weir chamber and the water travels underground to re emerge below the lock.

Just before the pipe bridge and winding hole below Kirtlington Quarry we caught up with the single handed lady ahead of us, even on tick over I was catching her up and I had to select neutral more than once to avoid getting to close. At Pigeons Lock we met 2 Oxfordshire Narrowboats travelling from their base on the Thames to Heyford foe work over the winter. We caught up with our single handed lady again at Bakers lock where she was moored on the lock moorings.

Out on the Cherwell it felt good to have water around and under the boat again, the river was actually moving quite slowly and in the afternoon sun was very pleasant. Shipton lift bridge was open which was a bonus even though Diana had walked from the lock to open it.

Thrupp is now part of the CaRT overstay charging system where if you overstay on a mooring they charge you £25 a day We made our way through the Thrupp moorings and the electric lift bridge to the 2 day moorings at the south of the village towards The Boat pub. The mooring rings stop at the end of the 7day moorings for some reason so we are on 1 ring at the stern and a pin at the bows. We had not been moored up long when Bones of Canal Boat fame called in for a chat.

Upper Heyford Tuesday 15 Oct 2013

Last night was very quiet, the only problem was the light streaming through the bulls eye above the bed, it was if someone was shining a torch in my face all night. We don’t have a shutter on the inside and once in bed with the lights off I was not inclined to go out and cover it up.

We set off this morning about half ten, Diana walked down to the lift bridge and had it open ready for me. The plan was for me to go below the locks and fill with water while Diana got some shopping in. There was a boat coming up the locks so it all looked fine until a lady who had the drop on me, because she knew me but I didn’t know her came up and told me they had two boats on the water point with empty tanks and suggested I used the water point above the lock, good move. I tied up and ran out the hose only to find that it didn’t have the threaded bit to put my hose connector on. Still we are not desperate so we will fill up later. As we passed Tooley’s yard it looks as if they now have an observatory out side, I would have thought there would have been far to much light pollution for that to have been of any real use.

We dropped down and moored opposite the iron foundry so that Diana could get a few odds and ends from Morrisons which is just over the bridge from here.

Once we were on our way again it was not long until the weather started to improve and the rest of the day we cruised in sunshine.

Just passed Twyford Wharf I spotted this cruiser moored against the towing path, I had not considered that a Crook lock could be used to protect a boat.

The lock cottage at Kings Sutton Lock is up for sale, it must be one of the better ones as it has electricity and road access.

As we approached Nells Bridge I noticed that there are still No Fishing signs on the towing path opposite. I wonder if the owner that negotiated that with British Waterways is still in residence?

The CaRT yard at Nells Bridge has a good stock of brush wood which I see they are using in places in place of piling topped of with the fibre sausage. There is a big notice at Nell’s Bridge lock telly boaters about the high river flow warning system as the river flows through the canal just before the next lock, it says the indicator is below bridge 187 but I have never been able to find it, does anyone know where it is?
Today the level looked quite low, I was expecting a bit more water following the heavy rains we have had. The water flows so freely through the top gate of the lock it was almost level by the time Diana had reached it and I didn’t need to stop before entering. For those that don’t know the river enters from the left passes joining the canal and then flows off to the right through the wooden bridge protection and then under the bridge. The towing path runs over the bridge.

CaRT have put a very nice notice on Somerton Deep Lock bottom gate asking boaters to take care and that the gate will be replaced next month. It was here that a stowaway joined us and stayed until Heyford Common Lock, I didn’t notice him land on my sleeve but he seemed very happy there. 

We continued to Allens lock passing a young boy having his first paddle in a canoe and feeling very proud he didn’t fall in. The funny thing was he seemed just as excited to help Diana with the lock gates while his big sister went out in the canoe. There is a CaRT work boat moored just below the Allens Lock moorings and there was just enough room for us to squeeze in between it and the last mooring post.

Its been a cracking day especially when you compare it to yesterday and at 5pm the temperature was 15°C in bright sunshine.

I had just finished writing this at about 6pm I couldn’t send it as I have no network at all. I went outside to refit the chimney, I forgot after coming through the bridge below Allens to find the marsh land covered in a layer of mist.

Banbury Monday 14 Oct 2013

Although yesterday evening was fine with the moon out over night it rained very hard. This morning was fine and we set off at 0945hr heading south. There must be more wild apple trees along this canal than any other in the area, in places the towing path was thick with them.  It was not long before the dreaded Wormleighton mast came into view, moving around the country side but never seeming to be any closer or further away, it haunted us all the way to Fenny Compton. Diana decided that we could use a few more blackberries to go with the large apples she had found yesterday, so spotting a large clump of them I put her ashore when I found a gap in the jungle that runs along the side of the towing path. At Fenny Compton the first thing that struck me was that the long term moorings to the north of the village were almost empty, only one boat in residence. Where the rest out cruising or are CaRT failing to let these moorings and raise important cash for the charity? There were several boats on the 14 day and 48hr moorings closer to the pub.
We met a boat just before Fenny tunnel but nothing while passing through. For those that don’t know Fenny use to have 2 tunnels but the roofs were removed many years ago leaving a straight narrow channel. But now it had started to drizzle which on and off turned to rain with odd bouts of very heavy rain, normally while working locks. We were quite lucky on the Claydon flight meeting several boats so not having to close too many gates.

It wasn’t long before we were at the new Cropredy Marina  with the large basin fully occupied and water flowing into the smaller one by a large pipe that looks as if it connects the two basins. The new basin

Lots of boats in the open basin

As we passed the marina entrance we were surprised by the number of boats moored on the towing path, they normally only get all the way back here before the old bridge hole in the summer months. CaRT have a few work boats below the lock and a BIG pile of safety fence on the wharf ready for the winter lock closure. They also had a pile of stop planks up by Broadmoor Lock which I haven’t seen on the list. Once through Cropredy there were hardly any boats moored beyond the bridge at the end of the long term moorings, this use to be packed.

We continued meeting boats at most locks and it continued to rain. As we came into Banbury the foundations of the old lift bridge, long replaced by a foot bridge by the Spiceball moorings look in a very poor shape, I know its not carrying a bridge now but we all know where the bricks etc are going.

We continued into town looking for a spot to moor, would it be under the road bridge or under the foot bridge? then we saw n.b. Derwent 6 moored up and they informed us there was a spot further down towards Tooley’s which is where we moored at about 5pm in the rain.

Stoneton Sunday 13 October 2013

We arrived at the boat at about 4pm. I had been a good run from home with only a couple of heavy showers and a bit of light drizzle. When we arrived it was not raining but everywhere was wet.

One of the first jobs was to reverse along the arm and through the swing bridge, then round the narrow bend and out onto the canal, all was going swimmingly until as I almost cleared the bend a boat coming down the canal wanted to wind and I could see her bows coming round into the arm. With the use of her bow thruster she winded with her stern well against the far side piling and I just waited until she was off back up the canal and out of the way. I then continued backwards down to just above the lock to load up. The locks were quite busy with two boats coming up and two going down while we were there. Once the second boat going up had passed us we pushed off heading for Marston Doles. The pond was well up but there was nothing coming over the weir at Marston Doles bottom and the pond between the locks was well down. I had to wait at both locks for the two boats ahead to work up.

The building above the top lock is occupied once more and there are some interesting vehicles parked out side.

We had a few drops of rain at the lock, but the sky was brightening and blueing up nicely, it wasn’t long before the moon was well out.

There are new moorings advertised on the off side just above bridge 122. We continued on until about 6-30 mooring under a bright clear blue sky between bridges 125 and 126.

Last trip summery

We departed our old moorings at Little Ouse moorings at Brandon creek on 27 August 2013 and arrived at out new moorings at Napton on the 30 September.

In that time the boat engine ran for 195 hours of which only 5 where for battery charging while moored. There were only 3 days when we didn’t move at all. The journey was around 370 miles long passing through 227 locks and 11 tunnels.

After leaving the Little Ouse we passed through Denver Sluice and on to the Middle Level via Salter’s lode. Through March and down to Benwick, from here we continued on the Old Course of the River Nene down through Lodesend Lock as far as Exhibition Bridge, the limit of Navigation for Harnser. We spent a couple of hours in the inflatable canoe passing under the bridge and as far as Bevill’s Leam Pumping Station. The Middle Level Commissionaires have a good way with indicating the head room under a bridge. The bridge slopes from one side of the road to the other and the MLC have measured from the water to the underside of the bridge giving different measurements each side. 

So from one side the bridge clearance is 1.6m and from the other 1.9m I am just glad it sloped the way it did or I would have tried to get under it with Harnser.

From here we headed back to the main route towards Stanground lock and on to the River Nene, this is where we saw 2 deer.

On the Nene we had bit of a wasted journey heading down to the Dog in a Doublet for a meal only to find the moorings closed. Other than that it was an uneventful and pleasant cruise up to the Northampton arm. Entering CaRT waters again it was nice to see the landing area round the bottom lock cleared up. I late found out that this was due to the Northampton IWA and not CaRT.

The weed up the Northampton arm was not as bad as in the past but I later found out I was accused of draining one of the pounds by leaving a paddle up. The the top of the flight we turned left and spent a night in Stoke Bruerne before turning round and heading north along the GU. While heading up the Buckby flight we decided that at Norton Junction to go straight ahead and up the Watford Flight to the top of the Foxton Flight. At this point we changed plan again and turned round for a trip up the Welford Arm and then back to Napton Engine Arm to sort out a mooring for Harnser. We were held up coming down the Watford for half a day because CaRT were pressure washing the gates down. When they finished there were 12 boats coming up and 9 going down ahead of us and we helped to lock most of them.

Following Napton it was the Blue Lias for the CIBC rally for the weekend. Then another decision, home for the Henham Steam Rally or off to the rally at Huddlesford Junction. Huddlesford won so off back to Braunston Junction, North Oxford and Coventry canal for the weekend at Huddlesford junction. We decided to return after the weekend via Birmingham and the Grand Union down the Knowle flight. We hadn’t been down Knowle for some time and I don’t think I will be repeating it soon.

We spent a night in Braunston before taking a short trip to Hillmorton on a sunny Sunday before heading up the Napton flight to take up or mooring on the Engine Arm.

This is NOT us finished boating for the year, we will be out there again soon so watch this space.

Napton Monday 30 September 2013

Well its the last day of the month and the last day of our trip.Not a bad start to the day, warm and dry but quite cloudy to the north of us which just didn’t seem to move all day.

We set off just after 10 am and I have never met so many boats in so many bridge holes, well over 50%.

I do think CaRT or BW as it was then made a rod for their own backs when they installed the soft piling on the off side at Lower Shuckburgh between bridges 107 and 108 as the backfill they used now supports a forest of willows which are starting to encroach on the canal. The growth on the left is just the overgrown towing path.

I think BW had the right idea when they designated the visitor moorings by The Bridge pub at Napton, it might have been worthwhile drawing the date forward by a month to October. The 48 hr moorings by The Folly were empty but all the 14 day taken again with a boat half way across the “No Mooring” for the winding hole.

As you approach The Folly the fields on the offside, Hillanhi Farm, use to be full of ponies and sheep with one lone deer among them. They have now all gone, the pasture has been mole ploughed and it looks as if its all changed hands, I wouldn’t be surprised to see a mooring go in by bridge 112.

We filled with water at The Folly and while we were doing so a boat came down the flight, so we had a good run up only tuning a couple of locks that had leaking top gates and meeting several boats on the way. Near the top of course there were the Buffalo complete with calves. The mother from this pair wandered off while the calf was asleep but soon came back when it woke up.

At the top of the flight CaRT still has not done anything about the walkboard on the top lock, the wood below the nonslip surface is rotten and the nonslip surface cracked so it you step on the end there is no firm footing. Once through the lock it is only a short way to the Engine Arm where our new moorings are. A hard turn to the left and lots of welly to drive through the mud. Diana had walked from the lock and had the swing bridge open ready for me and then into our new mooring.

Wolfhampcote Sunday 29 September.

Last night we walked round to the Boathouse to eat, its a Maston’s chain pub. We did consider walking up the Nelson but being Saturday if they were full it would have been quite a hike back to eat, The Old Plough had music on so we guessed they would also be busy. What we hadn’t bargained on was how busy the Boathouse would be. We had to wait about 20 minutes just for a table and even longer for the food. Just as well they do food until 10pm. The have a large menu and two, two course meals came out at under £19 Probably one of the cheapest places we have eaten and it was all fine with nice fresh vegetables.

This morning we set off about twenty passed ten down to the marina to wind, I think its the first time Diana has ever done this. On the way I took a photo of the old cast iron water point as they won't be around much longer. CaRT has decided they don’t comply with regulations now so are spending a fortune replacing them all with stainless steel ones. I don’t know of many regulations that are retrospective. More gold plating with our money.

It looks as if Tony Redshaw has moved out since we were last at Braunston, another traditional skill gone. At Braunston Junction we turned right towards Hillmorton, we don’t want to be back in Napton until tomorrow so it was a choice of Hillmorton or Fenny Compton for today and Hillmorton won.

When ever we come this way I am surprised that this old railway signal is still standing on the dismantled railway line. They knocked down most of the rest including bridges across the canal, but this got left

At bridge 77A there is an interesting piece of artwork, I think it must have been done with a stencil and I’m not sure why someone would go to so much trouble. Just passed this we came to a boat that was adrift at the bows. It had a good thick line attached to the bows and the other end was ashore but not attached to anything, so I donated one of my old mooring pins to it and moored it up, unlike the boat we met just before it who just ploughed along.

We stopped at The Canal Shop, Hillmorton to fill with diesel at 87p/Lt and also looked round their chandlery/shop which is very well stocked. I was interested in looking at the Air Head composting toilets after hearing so much about them.

Once this was done we were off down the locks to wind, the official winding hole is below the bottom lock but I winded with ease outside the Bistro just above the bottom lock known as Grantham’s Bridge where a short arm runs off. It was then back up the next two locks again and on to the level all the way to the Napton flight.

I think the owners of the old stables at Tarry’s Bridge have done a wonderful job saving and converting the old stable block. It lay derelict for years waiting to fall down or for someone to do something, thankfully the latter.

As we continued to chug in the bright sunshine towards Braunston turn we met NB Sirius coming towards us with Cath and John onboard, boaters we know from our time on the Fens, unfortunately due to moored and following boats we could only shout greetings as we passed. They had come up the Nene with NB Leo fellow bloggers.

At Braunston turn we turned to the right towards Napton Junction and the boat following who we locked Hillmorton with turned left to Braunston. Although Hillmorton Locks are narrow locks taking only one boat they are laid out on pairs side by side and its very useful if both crews help each other closing gates and drawing paddles etc.

We are now on a broad canal again where the South Oxford and the Grand Union share the same route. We carried on for about a mile before mooring for the night just before bridge 99. Once moored up the sun went to sleep the other side of bridge 99.

Braunston Saturday 28 Sept 2013

last night as planned we had a meal in the Blue Lias, its a pity they don’t offer WiFi as the 3 signal was about zero. When its that bad and you try to send anything like a blog it uses loads of data and gets nowhere.

This morning was sunny and warm, I was fiddling about on the boat until almost 11 hoping another boat may come along but no, so it was off up the Stockton flight alone. We met one or two boat including two boat loads of Cubs, there seemed to be hundreds of them just out for a weekend on two of the London Narrowboat Project boats. They told me that next weekend they are bringing scouts.

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At lock 6 on the Stockton flight on of the stones below the cooping stones has been badly misplaced somehow.

Kate Boats in Stockton Marina have constructed a very useful looking cover over 3 of their mooring pontoons making a handy covered wet dock.

A short way above The Boat pub, maybe quarter of a mile is where Willow Wren have plans for their new training centre up one of the old disused arms.

The next thing to bless our journey was 3 Buzzards overhead in the blue sky, one of them conveniently  coming over the canal for a photograph.

At Calcutt locks I boat was just coming down and there was a single boat in the pound above waiting to enter lock 2 so we locked up and joined them for the final two. At Napton Junction or Wigrams Turn they went off to Napton where as we turned left to Braunston. As we approached Braunston things started getting busier and a boat overtook me as I slowed for the moored boats on the Puddle Bank, as there was a boat coming the other way at the time I stopped to let him get by and on his way. One of the moorings along the Puddle Bank has an impressive scarecrow in their garden, well it would keep me off their peas. We moored in Braunston just passed The Boat  on the towing path side, one mooring before the A5 bridge.

Since we have been moored here its been non stop boats in both
directions, some much faster than others.