Monday, 8th September
We set off from Cropredy after having stocked up provisions from a wonderful local shop (almost as good as Bradwell shop). Stopped almost immediately to top up with water, dispose of rubbish and empty the loo. Set off again.
An interesting thing on the Oxford canal is that many of the locks have single bottom gates. Most of the system has double gates but not the Oxford. This sometimes makes them very heavy to open.
We arrived at Banbury where there are both a lift bridge and lock right in the centre of town - no pressure there then!
Also in the centre of Banbury is Tooley's Historic Boatyard. They have the oldest working dry dock on the Inland Waterways, having been in continuous use since 1790.
Here's the Captain working one of the locks for me.
On exiting the lock we found that the farmer was burning off surplus straw. The heat was quite fantastic.
At Kings Sutton Lock, the house on the left together with workshop opposite were up for sale. It didn't say for how much!
Moored up at 5:30 nearly opposite a farm shop.
9th September - The Captain's birthday!
Treated the Captain to tea in bed - actually, no different to usual but I let her know it was a birthday treat.
Oh, and just in case you're interested, her birthday present was a sheepskin rug which we bought at Lauriston Farm near Goldhanger. Funny, I have an incredible feeling of deja-vue!
Here I am just talking to a very good friend of mine at the farm shop.
Farm Shop
Back to the boat
While the Captain worked on some locks I made sure that tea was on hand when needed.
We stopped for a light lunch at Somerton overlooking the river Cherwell.
Artistic photo
Moored for the night at Lower Heyford and had a birthday meal at the Bell Inn.
Wednesday, 10th September
When we set off I had to hang on the chain to open the lift bridge. Luckily, the Captain was so busy steering the boat she didn't have time to find a camera! It's just like taking part in It's a Knockout with the very real risk of ending up in the water.
Most of the day we kept meeting up with two other boats, Celtic Dream & Serenity. Some of the locks were very heavy today - so the Captain told me!
At lunch time we managed to find a mooring just outside of Thrupp. Thrupp grew up along the Canal, and still has stong links with the old waterway. Attractive stone cottages line the waterside. It also featured in one of the Inspector Morse episodes.
After lunch we set off again and, amazingly, managed to get a mooring right in the centre of the village alongside the stone cottages mentioned above.
Mooring at Thrupp
The Boat Inn
A happy Captain
Fancy knotwork
Hotel boat passing by
Well, that's all for today - only to say that it's pork chops tonight, bought from the Pig Man at the farm shop we went to - should be good - if they are we'll buy some more when we pass on the way back.
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