Lower Hayford

Yesterday afternoon we noticed the amber lights were flashing down at Aubrey’s Lift Bridge and a definite lack of boats coming through, early evening I could see a chap in high vis and a lifejacket down there, a little later a couple of boats came by and the lights were no longer flashing.
We set off at our normal time and stopped just through the bridge to top up with water and dump rubbish. There were a few canoes about which made it interesting at times, especially the two that were tied together with a short line at the bows and a long one at the stern going along like a snowplough. We met a couple of boats before Shipton Weir Lock and another was just entering the lock when we arrived. The flow on the river was virtually undetectable as we made our way upstream. There was a good discharge coming from the old cement works site, bit its a drop in the ocean for the size of the river.

Needless to say we met a boat coming down on the next bend. Up at Bakers lock there was a CRT chap working on the paddle gear of the bottom gate.Diana discussed with him all the oil or diesel we had come through on the river, he knew about it as was looking for more information.

Above the lock there were two boats waiting to come down so we met quite a bit of traffic. Pigeons Lock was half full but it took an absolute age to fill with just the one top paddle in operation. Then Dashwood lock was completely against us, full. I guessed it was when I saw the water spray out of the holes in the bottom gate. It could do with a bit of plywood nailing on the inside.

  There were a lot less hire boats sitting at Oxford Narrowboats when we passed today and one was having their briefing before setting off. We carried on under the aluminium lift bridge and about another half mile before mooring for the night.

Today’s Journey

8¼ miles with 5 locks in 4½ hours