Oxford

Last night we ate with Graham and Brenda at The Boat in, they were quite busy but fitted us in.
A very late start today as I spent the morning looking for a high resistance electrical connection on the horn circuit, found a couple of doubtful points with a crimp and the multiplug on the main loom. As I had to power off we had no bread for lunch so it was a trip to Annie’s tea rooms. We finally got away sometime after 2pm, unfortunately after a coupe of hire boats had come by, so every lock was against us and we only met one boat all afternoon. The Highwayman at Kidlington looks as if its been spruced up since we last visited, its right adjacent to the canal and the A4260 road bridge, The bridge is an interesting construction.

Later we passed a boat that has had a stretch job, I wonder what length its registered as wit CRT, there was also a push hull on the bows.

 

A few years ago this accommodation bridge which had fallen down was replaced with a wooden foot bridge, I hadn’t noticed before that unlike most wooden foot bridges the deck is not flat.

Down below Dukes Cut we passed this rather sad sight of a sunken boat, it looks as if some was well into rebuilding it, we also uncounted a hydraulically lift bridge that not only required a windlass but also BWB key to open the locking mechanism left over from when it was chain operated.  
There is some really nice art work in some of the bridges as you run in towards Oxford. I will get a few more shots on our return.

 

Mooring is quite tight in Oxford we we slipped into the first one we came across at Aristotle Lane, Prior to her all the time limit signs have been removed from the posts and quite a few boats now also moor

on the offside. One thing we didn’t witness was people moored on water points and lock landings unlike some places where mooring is tight.

Todays Journey 5¾ miles with 4 locks o 3½ hours

Thrupp

We were quite surprised how noisy the trains were last night as we thought we were well away from the line. I think they must have been freight trains.
Last night was cold again but this morning things soon warmed up and soon after setting off we shut the stove down. Northbrook lock was with us, but after that our luck changed. We met one boat between here and Pigeons Lock , but unfortunately not only was that against us, it only had one paddle operational so took for ever to fill. It looks as if CRT have invested in some new bags to cover the faulty

paddles. There are flowers and photos near the lock in memory of a boater who sadly lost his life there last week.
Below the lock the boat that became stranded during the  last flood is still on the edge of the towpath, the bows are right on the edge but the centre of the stern is probably about 200mm onto the path.It will be interesting to see how they remove it.

We didn’t see another boat on the move until we got to Bakers Lock, Diana had just drawn the top paddle on the empty lock when a boat appeared on the river, so she dropped it and went to open the bottom gate. By the time the boat was in the lock there were two more behind it, so I guessed they all squeezed into Shipton Weir Lock. We didn’t meet anyone on the river which was hardly moving but another hire boat was just entering Shipton when we got there. I must say the gates are very heavy on that lock, maybe a drop of grease would help.
Shipton Lift Bridge is another one that has been mechanised with a hydraulic pump on the towpath side, this must make life much easier for single handers.

The stop lock as expected was open and we were into the Thrupp Cruising Club moorings, the canal is unusually wide here. As we approached Aubrey’s Lift Bridge a boater at the services shouted to ask if we were going through and kindly walked up and opened the bridge for us.  There were a couple of vacant moorings on the 7 day moorings which have rings, so we pulled into the last spot for the night. Tonight we are meeting friends in The Boat Inn.

Today’s Journey

 

6 Miles with 4 locks in 3¼ hours

Northbrook

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.It looks to be in the garden of this cottage, its the first time I have seen a Cat flap in a cottage window.

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 Journey6¾miles with 4 locks in 3¾ hours

Between Aynho and Somerton

Last night the road noise was not too intrusive but the cold was, a few nights ago we went to bed with the slide open it was so hot, last night it dropped to 2°C and I had to get a blanket out, this morning the boat was just 13°C.
There was a nice display of Dandelion heads just before the M40 motorway bridge.

Soon we were at our first lock of the day, Grants and as we had just met a boat it was in our favour, luck that carried on all day. I was quite surprised to see the shell of the old lock cottage still standing and work going out behind it, I had expected it to have collapsed by now.

We were well clear of the lock when we met the next boat coming towards us, a bit sooner and I could have left the gate fore them. Now we are below Banbury its only large, single bottom gates and some are quite heavy. Passing some moored boats this cat seemed quite content laying on the towpath dipping one toe in the water, well until we passed and then it gave me a look.

It would seem that a property owner near Nells bridge lock think they also own a section of canal. You can just see the blue line from the far end of their jetty to the end of the bridge narrows.

This is right beside the CRT yard, I didn’t expect them to moor a boat opposite the winding hole, but they have. Made life difficult for the boat we met I=at the lock who wanted to wind there.

There was next to no flow on the river section above Aynho lock and I sat with the bows against the lock gate while we waited for the level to make even though a boat had come up shortly before. There were a couple of moorings free by the bridge at Aynho but as we didn’t want to eat at the pub tonight we carried on and moored a short way before Chisnell Lift Bridge in the sun shine, now its decided to come out.

Today’s Journey

6½ miles with 4 locks in 3 hours

Below Banbury

Last night we ate at the Brasenose Arms with my daughter and her family. A very early meal for us but what a friendly welcoming crowd the staff are at the pub, made us feel really welcome, in fact my daughter said “you must come here a lot to get that treatment”.

This morning by 10 AM all the boats around us had left so I started the engine and as Diana was about to release the front rope a boat came round the bend behind us. We followed them down to the lock as we planned to stop at the services to dump our rubbish. There were a few canoeists around but I expected more on a Sunday morning. We caught up with the boat ahead at Slat Mill lock and he indicated there was a boat coming upstream, this turned out to be the case at most of the lock. The pound between Slat Mills and Bourton is very shallow and meeting a boat was a trip in the mud, it was even slower than the summit and only 150mm off weir. Little Bourton looks as if the cill has blown and water coming in under it, which wont help the level in the pound above.

We carried on into Banbury passing this moored boat on the way, it seems to have a fine collection of maimed manikins.

Its the first time we have boated through Banbury since the redevelopment, with boats moored both sides we had to wait for a boat struggling not to hit any coming towards us, when we set off we found out why he was having the problems, its like navigating down a wind tunnel. We stopped for lunch below Banbury lock opposite what I remember as a foundry, but the yard today is full of scrap cars, so I guess that’s closed down. After lunch Diana did a quick trip to Morrison’s before we wet off to moor for the night between the two lift bridges. Not the quietest spot on the canal but over the next mile it just gets worse.
The weather, 24 hours ago I set off with my dungarees and a tee shirt, today I have added both a jumper and a fleece.

 

Today’s Journey

6 miles with 5 locks in 4 hours

Cropredy

Breakfast on the foredeck this morning, all quite so decided to set off when an ex working boat came by, so waited until they were round the bend, boots on, engine started tiller on and another one came by. We decided to follow before any more came. We all mucked in at the top lock, but between the second and middle, the bit that says “No Overnight Mooring” two single handed boats pulled out before we got there and we followed them all the way to Cropredy. There were two Volockies at the middle lock letting down lots of water.
The cows were keeping a careful eye on matters near the bottom of the flight. I looked as if it may topple in at one point but all was well.

A short way above Broadmoor lock on the off side there is a cutting wide and long enough to take two Narrowboats, this is all that can be seen of it today.

I have often heard tails of a teapot on the roof having a specific meaning, I am not sure what, but this boat has one hanging to make sure passing boaters cant miss seeing it as they pass.

We carried on to find a mooring spot just above Cropredy Lock, I would rather have been below the lock but the moorings are filling up.

Today’s Journey

2¾ miles 8 locks in 3½ hours

Claydon Top Lock

Boats were moving early again, I expect planning to stop before mid day but we chugged off at our normal 10am ish. As we made our way slowly along the canal these horses caught my eye, the colouring of the pair and the three behind in a row. The white one is actually in a separate field from the rest.

The Tepee has gone up again at the glamping site with the horse box and bath. O think someone was staying there as it looked like bedding outside the Tepee.

We met a boat right under the HS2 new bridge as he exited bridge 128, as we approached the temporary bridge there was a convoy of 8 big dumper trips crossing the temporary bridge.

They were waiting for the traffic lights and then chugging way into the distance to where this large crane is located.

Many years ago someone carved this tree stump into a face at the beginning of the woods at the end of the Wormleighton Mast moorings.

Bridge 130 has been removed but I see the fendering on the offside ending up with some scratched hulls and maybe even cabin sides as it tapers right in at the south end.

We stopped at Fenny Compton for water but the tap was faster than we expected so didn’t have time for lunch, so once the tank was full we just moved on a couple of boat lengths and moored up for a leisurely lunch. Passing Fenny Compton Marina they have the cheapest diesel I have seen for a very long time. We didn’t meet anyone in Fenny tunnel but we did just after which was good. Passing the long term moorings on the offside I got the classic Robin shot sitting on the fork handle.

We carried on to moor just before Claydon Top Lock for the night.

 

Today’s Journey

 

10 miles with no locks in 4½ hours

Marston Doles

We woke to lots of bird noise and a couple of boats had been by well before we were ready to set off, The Grand Union was quite busy but once we joined the South Oxford at Napton Junction things quietened down again. As we chugged along the S Oxford we decided we would stop for lunch before tackling the locks with a nice view of the mill.

It was gone three when we set off towards the bottom lock and by now you could actually rest your hand on the roof, There were some interesting cloud formations above.

At the bottom lock there were three Volockies to assist us on our way. I have no idea why they have them as there is another 6 locks in the flight that you have to do yourself, so I just don’t see their worth. We passed these on the way up the flight, we had a bit of one of them for tea tonight that Diana bought at the Napton Post office.

Last time we were this way CRT chaps were fitting new lock mooring posts, this is the end result and I can guarantee you wont pull them out.

By now we were directly behind the boat ahead of us at each lock but the weather was very pleasant. Napton top lock still has one top paddle out so we were waiting behind the boat ahead. a little further on an accommodation bridge is definitely in need of some TLC.

Up to Marston Doles and as usual the pound between the two locks was low, it made it very slow leaving the bottom lock. At the top one of the lockside houses has a very good growth over parts of the roof, this must be effecting the slates I would have thought.

Above the locks the moorings were packed and lots of boats moored along pins on the towpath so we carried on for about half a mile to the first stretch of pilling unfortunately on the outside of the bend which lead to a dirty look from a chap on an ex-working boat.

 

Today’s Journey

8½ miles with 9 locks in 4¾ hours