Last night was even colder than the night before dropping to below 2°C outside with a clear sky. The forecast for today was cloudy all day, but this afternoon the sky has cleared nicely and its warm sun again, so long as you stay out of the cool breeze.
We have had very good luck with the locks not only arriving as a boat was leaving but also with a second arriving below, so we could leave the gate open. Even Somerton Deep lock was no problem with the bottom gate opening fully for a change.
Chisnell Lift Bridge is now hydraulicly lifted by a rotary hand pump on the towpath side. Last time we were this way it was a case of pulling on the chain on the offside with the bridge held closed with a very awkward bwb Keyed lock. The Oxford Canal sign is no longer visible from the passing trains due to the hight of the bushes and trees between the rails and the canal.
Somerton Common runs along side the canal and I suspect that is the reason there are lots of gates across the towpath, I can’t think of anywhere else that has these other than the South Oxford, but they run from just South of Aynho to well past the common. At the moment the common is home to lots of cows with their calves and also a large bull.
He even posed for a nice family photograph with one of his many wives and offspring, it could even be one for the family album.
A reoccurring event was Red Kites circling overhead, sometimes Kites and Buzzards were using the same thermal to climb it, they didn’t look to be aggressive to each other. 
I think there may possibly be a culvert running under here as there are wooden steps running down the embankment behind it, lets hope those bits of plastic do their job until a proper repair is carried out.
Another lift bridge that use to be a bit of a job was Mill Lift Bridge at Hayford, this has now been electrified and just needs a push of a button, just before the bridge is this lovely tree.
Of next stop was for water just beyond Oxfordshire Narrowboats, they were hard at work getting the hire boats ready to go out. 
The waterpoint was just through the bridge and the flow was slow enough for us to have lunch while the tank filled, just half an hour. One more lock for today,Dashwood’s, as we approached a boat was just leaving coming towards us, as we dropped down, a hire boat came towards us from below so that was another one to leave open. We only did about another 300 Meters before mooring for the night.
Today’s Journey
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Just an acknowledgement as you pass Heyford Wharf: David Dare died very recently after being very unwell for a few months. A pioneer in the use of canals as a leisure resource.
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