Marston Doles

Last night we ate in the Wharf pub at Fenny Compton. We have eaten there many times over the years with different management in place. Last night was very good, we booked a table for 7pm and they were very busy, even so the staff were attentive and friendly which made it pleasant and the food was spot on.
This morning the rain had finally stopped but still grey and even cooler, We were away at about 11 am and met one boat on route. The wedding bridge is looking more weathered now, for a long time it looked like a couple of planks, which actually is all it is clamped to a beam.

Many years ago this use to be a boat house, its slowly been sinking away over the years  and will soon be forgotten. This is the tip of the gable end.

There was no one working on HS2 today , being Sunday, coming the other way the wall under the bridge took me a bit by surprise, today I slowed for a better look and they are actually separate preformed panels that look as if they run down to the canal bed with the stone work already on them.

We come very close to the line again a little further south while actually travelling north along the canal.

Its along here that there are some strange things attached to the top of the piling, probably 6 in total spaced out along the length of the piling on the off side. The only think I could thing would be a surveying aid, but why there.

We carried on past the boat floating in the field, the water level in its little pond is probably 6” higher than the canal level to moor in almost the same spot as we did coming and we knew this would be the last mooring before the Marston Doles locks.

Today’s Journey7 miles with no locks in 2¼  hours.

Fenny Compton

As expected we woke to the sound of the rain, amplified by the dripping trees, one of the reasons I avoid mooring under trees, but here I had no choice. It was gone ten before we were away, 20 or three boats had already passed in both directions before we left and the levels in the 5 Claydon locks was mixed. This is a better view of the off side tree below the locks, OK in day light but something to be aware of a dusk.

One of the boats ahead of us had an interesting arrangement for his heater exhaust, I have never seen one installed like that before .

We also saw a boat whose occupants had put their name forward for a Darwin Award, I hope they have a working CO detector

I mentioned the other day about the overnight mooring ban down the flight, its OK during the day so I don’t quite understand the reasoning, but these are all the moorings that CRT provided in the no mooring area.

At the top lock after Diana had set it for me two boats arrived to come down, so I had a chance to nip off the boat and snap this old tractor at the holiday cottage. As you can see the weather is ucky.

We chugged on and my word it was chug in some places, well under 3MPH to avoid pulling a wash, stirring the muck as we went until we got to Fenny Tunnel where things improved. We were almost at the Wharf when we met a policeman wandering up the towpath, he enquired if there were any “barges” moored further along, so I dont know what he was looking for. We moored just before the Wharf and noticed another officer standing under the bridge.
Once moored it was time for a 250 hour filter and oil change, Its the messiest filter change I have ever done, I normally use a 3 finger filter wrench to remove the filter but this time I used a chain wrench that I had (I don’t have it any more) and it made a hole in the filter housing leaking oil down the engine and onto the base plate. Once I realised what had happened I caught the rest of the oil,  but had to wait until it had drained before I could finish removing the old filter. If you have one like this be warned.

Today’s Journey2 miles with 5 locks in 2 hours

Claydon bottom lock

Not a great rush this morning as we didn’t plan to go far, Down through Cropredy lock and passed the canoe club before pulling in to fill with water by thewinding hole, another slow tap but at least there is decent waste disposal with bins for glass. Once almost topped up, there was another boat waiting by now, we winded and headed back towards Cropredy lock. I can’t say I have really noticed Cropredy Church before, maybe due to the largeoverhanging willow tree. I owe this tree one as I ended up with red eye for a week some years ago when it flicked me in the eye.
I looked up Cropredy Marina last night, I think it says they have 350 berth now, its a good job they don’t all want to go out on the same day. Well worth a look on Google Maps. I wonder if these old boats will ever be  saved, they have been here several years now, Many years ago a friend of mine use to moor his boat in that cut.

There are many tails about boaters having a Tea Pot on the roof and what it could mean about the occupants and visitors, but this is the first time I have seen one hung out like a pub sign.

I am quite happy to pick up the odd bit of rubbish around locks or on the towpath, but I draw the line at dog poo bags, why bag it if you are then going to leave it in the middle of the path?

Some how this sign has escaped CRT bright blue sign campaign and the old black and white BW one stands proudly by the lock.

We didn’t want to do the Claydon 5 today, that may be a mistake as we have rain forecast for tomorrow and I don’t like doing locks in the rain. We could have stopped mid flight ignoring the no mooring signs like other people do, but we thought it best to pull in on the straight below the locks for the night.

 

Today’s Journey 2¼ miles with 5 locks in 2¼ hours

Cropredy

Well there goes the latest plan. Just received notification that Little Bourton Lock is closed due to a gate failure. It .could have been worse, we might have been the other side of it, so Cropredy is the end of the road.
Last night there were two boats ahead of us, this morning the front one set off about 9-30 and we left at 10-30, surprisingly some ot the 5 Cropredy locks were already full.
At the second lock down this sign is on the lock beam. I know its bad form to moor in a flight oflocks but in  this case the pound is longer than some in the Napton flight and even has mooring rings along its length, but is officially “No Mooring” The bottom offside gate has a skeleton lock beam, better than closing the lock until a new beam is available .

Below the flight the red bushes on the offside looked quite striking with their new growth, I think its only new wood that is red.

If you are coming this way at night in the dark take great care, a fallen tree on the offside has only been cut back half way across the canal. I always find passing Clattercote farm interesting, as well as a rather splendid butty in the shed, there tends to be things around the yard as well. 

There have been notices about letting water down at Elkington lock for sometime, but I think these a new reworded ones.

We passed the now huge Cropredy Marina on the offside before mooring for the night a short way above Cropredy lock, tomorrow we will lock down and fill with water and then depending if there is an update on Bourton Lock we will wind and go back or carry on to Banbury.

Today’s Journey

2½ miles with 8 locks in 2 hours

Claydon Top Lock

This morning the stove was still not running correctly, so I went on the roof and used the boat hook as a chimney brush. It dislodges a lot of fluffy soot which came out like a fountain and landed like black snow on the roof. Thankfully its improved things and I will bring the brushes back next trip.
O I forgot to mention, it decided to rain while I was doing this.
The rain stopped and we were on our way, you can’t do this part of the S Oxford without photographing this boat.

It wasn’t long before we were passing the canal side Glamping site but it looks like the hot tub and Tepee cover have been put to bed for the winter months.By now we could see signs of HS2 in the distance, we couldn’t understand this structure at first as it looks like a bridge, but the line doesn't cross the canal here. When we got closer we could see it was in fact a bridge to give land access to both sides of the line.Next on the list was the HS2 canal crossing, they still have the temporary access bridge in the foreground and beyond the new rail bridge is Wilsons Bridge No.128.

The offside bridge retaining wall has been built and for a new bridge I think it looks quite acceptable, I don’t  know what is planned for the towpath side and at the moment its part of a long diversion.Knotts Bridge No.130 has disappeared completely since we were last this way, I wonder if that will happen to more of the decaying ones around the system.

On to Fenny Compton with boats moored before the bridge but only one between the pub and the long term moorings up by the marina. Diesel at the marina is a good price at 95p/L for domestic use. Quite surprisingly there was a boat moored between bridges 137 and 137A. At the far end of the old opened out tunnel we met the only boat of the day, I think it was a Marque Boat like ours, called Spirit of Albion. We carried on to moor for the night just above Claydon Locks behind two other boats, lets just hope they don’t set off the same time us us in the morning.

 

Today’s journey10 miles with no locks in 3¾ hours

Marston Doles

It stared dry and very dull, to add to the problems the stove was not performing, I have never seen it so coked up. I was going to sort it before we left but it was still far to hot, so shut it down and then we stopped in the lock flight for an hour and  quarter  to de coke it. Bit of a mucky job but meant it was up and running in time for lunch.
As the day progressed the weather detreated and was at its worse just below Marston Doles lock by which time it was raining, however just as we arrived the rain stopped. We had considered mooring at the top of the locks, but that was full so we continued another ¼ mile to moor for the night.
We have not been up the flight for some time and found all the levels in the pounds good but some locks were for us, some against and some half way. All the paddles worked except the Napton Top lock where the paddle gear is wrapped in a builders sack. Not having been this way we hadn’t seen this just above the first lock.

The trees that grow in the area are called Crack Willow for a very good reason, that is why I don’t moor near them.

The bottom lock of the Marston Doles pair has had a substantial brace fitted to its top gate, lets hope it lasts until a new gate is made.

Above the Marston Doles locks there is a water point, I am not sure why CRT thought such tall posts were called for, perhaps they are planning to fit another signs to them below the water point ones. The normal hight is the same as the Winter Mooring signs.

We actually met one boat today just as we were about to moor he was leaving.

Todays Journey

2½ miles, 9 locks in 2 hours

Napton on the Hill

We woke to rain this morning but it was only a very light drizzle when we set off 1040 hrs down to the marina entrance to wind and then stop at The Stop House to take on water, I also needed to put my rain coat on. The water taps at the Stop Hose are so slow we didn’t even flush the hose before moving up to the next water point where things were much better. Although it was wet and cold there was next to no breeze, that would come later.
Tank full and off we went, on the off side just before Braunston turn there are the ribs of an old Narrowboat, I think it was Lucky that was burnt out on the puddle bank some time ago.

CRT have cut back all the offside along the Puddle Bank, not a job I would have fancied.

They have also built up the bank level where it was over topping last time we came by.

Needless to say we didn’t see any boats on the move but we saw a lot still moored in exactly the same spot as last time we came this way including the wide beam up near Wigrams Turn. At Wigrams Turn the seagulls were making good use of the sign post outside the marina entrance. We carried straight on down the South Oxford Canal. Just past Napton Narrowboats CRT are repairing Stockton Road Bridge, No.110 with one side scaffolded out, they also have the towpath closed.

By the time we were approaching our planned mooring just before the Napton Lock flight it had turned decidedly miserable, the rain was cold and the breeze had freshened quite a bit. Some of the local sheep enjoy the odd outing along the towpath but headed swiftly back to their field as we approached, there were 6 or 7 in total and they knew exactly where to go back to.

We have moored for the night just before the bend below the locks and Diana has taken a walk to the shops and returned with some Napton Buffalo Sausages.

Todays Journey

7¾ miles with no locks in 3 hours

Braunston

We travelled from my daughters to the boat this morning in miserable weather, with the amount of road works we went through I am glad it was weekend and not mid week. Our first stop was Aldi in  Hillmorton (thanks' Graham) to pick up supplies before heading on to the boat.
First job after everything was unpacked from the car, was to get the water back on. This time of the year I drain the complete system excluding the main tank. Re filling is just a matter of opening the valve on the tank outlet, starting the pump and letting air out of all the taps. So far there is no sign of any leaks. Next light the Dickinson and get some warmth into the boat, fire up the engine and start topping the battery up.
Once we had eaten lunch it was over to the pumpout station, something I normally do at the end of the trip, but last trip it was freezing and icy, so it got left.
That all taken care of it was out of the marina and turn left towards Braunston. By now the weather was almost pleasant, even the sun was forcing its way through, but by the time we reached Braunston that was long gone, the mist was coming down again and the cold wind freshening.
We have moored for the night opposite The Boat House, but we will be eating onboard tonight.
Tomorrow we plan to head south along the Oxford canal, well that’s the plan.

Todays Journey

4½ miles with no locks in 1¼hours