September Cruise: Day 9

We were glad we lit the fire yesterday evening because it was a cold night — there was even a touch of frost on the cratch cover this morning.  The rising sun and the mist swirling on the water made it an idyllic mooring.

We had more trouble starting the engine this morning, but for some reason it got going after about 20 minutes of faffing about.  Once under way, Adrian started searching for somewhere we could get a new starter battery from.  After a few calls, a garage in Lechlade said they could get one in a couple of hours, so we altered our plans slightly and made Lechlade our destination for the day.  First landmark of the day was Newbridge.

Shifford Lock was next, and the lockie yesterday had warned us it was deep and had powerful paddles, so someone would need to be at the bow.  So we adopted a new approach at unmanned uphill locks: I would tie up the stern then move to the bow and hold the rope there while Adrian did the paddles.  It worked much better than trying to use a centre line.  The next bridge, Tadpole Bridge, has a much bigger arch than Newbridge.

When we got to Rushey Lock, there were two lock keepers on duty which made things much easier.  The skies on the reach above the lock look huge.

Radcot Lock had a very chatty lock keeper on.  Bridge has clearly been hit by a vehicle, as there are bits missing, and barriers all along.

At Grafton Lock, we liked this sign.

Two more locks took us to Lechlade, where we moored on the meadow and walked into town to find the garage.  It has a Bentley in reception.

We paid for the battery, and asked if they had a trolly we could borrow to get it back to the boat.  Instead, they said they’d give us a lift — and even apologised for only being able to get to the bridge and not closer.  Getting the old starter battery out proved a bit tricky, but then the new one slotted in, and the engine started first time.  Let’s hope it does the same in the morning, which is when we’ve been having trouble.  We also need to go back into town for some food shopping.

16 miles, 6 locks.  (110 miles, 73 locks)

September Cruise: Day 8

Last night we went for dinner at The Old Bookbinders on the other side of the canal.  Fortunately we went fairly early, because the place was packed.  It’s a nice place, with quirky stuff everywhere, and the food was pretty good too.  Adrian especially liked his desert of crepe with apple and ice cream.

This morning we had a bit of a delayed start, because the engine wouldn’t start.  It’s been making funny noises for the last few days.  An RCR man came out (the same one we’d seen in Thrupp on Tuesday) and diagnosed the starter battery was beginning to fail.  He checked the alternator while he was there, and showed us a technique for getting the engine going.  All this meant it was almost 10.30 when we finally set off, just a hundred metres or so to Isis Lock.

This leads to Sheepwash Channel, which goes under a road and railway line, with an old rail swing bridge alongside.  Then there’s just a footbridge and you’re on the Thames proper.

It’s a bit narrow at first, then the views open out over Port Meadow, where there were cows and egrets.

At Godstow Lock, the sign said it was self service but there was actually a lock keeper on duty.  She was also able to sell us a licence, which was a bit cheaper than we’d expected.  Going upstream, the navigation arch of Godstow Bridge is right over on the right hand side, and is also overgrown.  Then we went under the A34 again.  King’s Lock was on self service, and is the first manual lock.  Adrian did the winding, pushing, and pulling.

Eynsham Lock was also on self service, and we stopped at the water point above the lock to fill up, with Swinford Toll Bridge beyond.

We got the washing machine going and had lunch, and there was also the first rain shower while we were there.  Above the lock, the meadow moorings were packed with boats, and there was one on its side, a flood victim.  Pinkhill Lock was also on self service.

After Pinkhill, the rain caught up with us, and it was torrential and included hailstone for a while.  It was best described as unpleasant.  We passed all the caravans at Bablock Hythe and arrived at Northmoor Lock.  As we came in, a lock keeper arrived and took over, which was a help.  We were now on a lookout for a mooring; the official one before Newbridge had a boat on it, but a little further on we spotted a potential meadow mooring.  We fitted and we could get ashore; it’s the sort of Thames mooring we like, seemingly quite a way from anywhere and very quiet.  It’s quite chilly though, so we are lighting the fire.

13 miles, 6 locks.  (94 miles, 67 locks)

September Cruise: Day 7

We went to The Boat after dinner last night, and had a drink and a very entertaining chat with Jill and Nick from Chubb’s Nook.  Lots of boating stories were exchanged.  This morning it was sunny but really quite chilly when we set off at about 8.15, through Kidlington and a couple of locks, to Duke’s Lock and Duke’s Cut Junction.  Every other time we’ve come this way on BR we’ve turned right under the bridge onto Duke’s Cut and the Thames; this time we turned left, staying on the Oxford Canal.  This will be the only new water for us with this boat this trip (although we did come down here on Debdale in 2007).

Almost immediately you go under the A44 bridge, and then there’s a little lift bridge dwarfed by the massive A34 bridge above.

There’s another lift bridge, then Wolvercote Lock.

Lots of the going is rather slow because of the residential moorings, but there are also some nice back gardens to examine, and some of the bridges have murals underneath, the best of which is this kingfisher.

There are big new developments which we reckon weren’t here last time we came this way.

We moored up just beyond College Cruisers, opposite the long awaited Jericho Wharf development site, where nothing has happened for years, and shows no sign of happening.  We walked into town by going over the footbridge into Jericho, past St Barnabus Church which is right opposite our mooring.

We had lunch in a cafe, then went for a walk around the town, passing the Radcliffe Camera and the Bodleian Library.

We’d booked a tour of the Castle and Prison for 2pm, so wandered back down that way.  The tour includes going up the tower, with great views over the city.

The ticket also includes the castle mound, where there are more views, including Nuffield College and the tower we’d just been up.

We walked down to Folly Bridge for a view of the Thames, as we won’t be coming this way this trip.

Our route back was via the railway station, to pick up a new handle for the lump hammer from the Amazon lockers, as the old one splintered yesterday as I banged some mooring stakes in at Thrupp.  We then walked over Sheepwash Channel, which we’ll be doing tomorrow, and back to the lock and the boat.  We got wet in a couple of heavy showers, and after we got back there was a downpour including hailstones.  There have also been a few rumbles of thunder.

7 miles, 4 locks.  (81 miles, 61 locks)

September Cruise: Day 6

The moorings at Somerton Meadows are lovely.  We had a nice sunset, it was quiet, and it was lovely and dark.  This morning was less windy than expected, at least at first, and as the day went on the forecast rain also seemed to get later and later.  We set off at a bit before 8.30.  The first couple of locks, Heyford Common and Allen’s were both full ready for us.  I always like the bridge at Heyford Common Lock, which has a normal parapet on one side and bars on the other.  I also like the Tithe Barn at Upper Heyford.

The lift bridge at Lower Heyford is electric, and Adrian went to press the button.  At the bridge past the wharf, some people in orange boiler suits were inspecting the bridge, standing on top of a Rothern boat; they pulled it back so we could get through.  At Northbrook Lock, a boat was coming up and told us the bottom gate wasn’t opening fully.  Indeed it wasn’t as we got stuck on the way out, below the water line.  Adrian opened a top paddle to give a bit of extra depth and pushed the gate as far back as it could go, and we got out.

At Pigeon’s Lock, one of the top paddles isn’t working so the lock takes more than ten minutes to fill.  We were third in the queue, but we had a nice chat to the couple in front, on a boat called Chubb’s Nook.  I was quite taken with the footpath sign alongside.

Eventually we got down, and then had lunch on the move. Bakers Lock takes you down onto the River Cherwell, and there’s an impressive bridge over the river entrance.

The river ends with Shipton Weir Lock.  When we got there, Chubb’s Nook was just leaving — or trying to.  They had a problem and no propulsion.  While we came down the lock, the owners, Jill and Nick, had the engine boards up and could see the gear box was in pieces.  They phoned RCR, who weren’t keen on the location as there’s no road anywhere nearby.  So we offered them a tow to Thrupp, where there’s easy access.  They accepted, and we set off at a fairly sedate pace.  One obstacle was a lift bridge.  Adrian got off at the bow and lifted it, and we left it open as there was a boat coming the other way.  It was then much easier for him to get back on the boat we were towing.

Just beyond, an Anglo Welsh boat was aground, so there was fun and games there too.  The boat going the other way was helping them.  At Thrupp, there was no space on the first set of moorings, but one of the Club employees offered to lift the bridge for us, and suggested the stricken boat moor on the first space, perhaps slightly overhanging the bridge mooring.  Once they were secure, Jill put a bottle of wine on our roof, and we carried on and moored in the next available space.  As we were tying up, the RCR van arrived — amazingly quick; someone must have been in the area already.  We’ll pop along later and see what the verdict was.  We’d thought we might go further today, but it’s been quite a tiring day, and it’s probably going to rain later.

11 miles, 7 locks.  (74 miles, 54 locks)

September Cruise: Day 5

It was murky and a bit drizzly first thing, and we set off at about 8.15.  I walked up to set Slat Mill Lock.  One of the bottom paddles has its pawl missing, so I had to hold the paddle up with the windlass.

When we got to Banbury, we moored by Spiceball Park, and walked over the footbridge and through the industrial estate.  First stop was Halford’s, to pick up a horn I ordered online yesterday, as we discovered that ours had stopped working.  B&Q was useless for some of the electrical fixings needed, but we got them in tool station, and we paid a visit to Waitrose over the road for a food shop.  We were back in about an hour, and set off once again.  Last time we were here, Banbury was a building site.  Now the hotel and cinema are finished.

A boat had come through the lift bridge so we held back as it’s a bit tight through there, and the lady on bridge duty kindly wound it back up again for us; she’d lowered it for a pedestrian.

A hire boat was coming up the lock, then we went down and stopped on the water point.  We got the washing machine going, but the Travel Power took an awful long time to wake up.  Heading out of Banbury, we were approaching one of the many narrows which used to be lift bridges, when I thought I saw something coming, although it didn’t look right.  It turned out to be a flat pushed by a little tug.  We got out of the way, because there was no way he was stopping!

Bridge 173 is one I always look out for when going north on the M40.

Kings Sutton Lock is in a lovely setting.  The lock itself must have big voids behind the walls, because there are lots of water jets as the lock empties.

Below the lock, a willow tree had come down and been only partially removed.  It was a struggle to get under some quite substantial branches, not helped by a tall cruiser being moored just beyond.  A narrowboat coming the other way didn’t think they’d get through.  By now the sun had come out and it was a really pleasant afternoon.  Immediately after the M40 bridge (one of three times we’ve been under it today), the lift bridge was unexpectedly down, because some work was going on.  But one of the guys was on bridge duty and raised it for us.  We passed the pig place and went down Nell Bridge Lock onto the river section, then into Aynho Weir Lock, which is diamond shape to send a bit of extra water down.  A single hander was coming up, so I helped him, then it was our turn.

There are lots of moored boats at Aynho; we joined them last time because it was raining nd we’d had enough, so it couldn’t have been more different in the sunshine today.  Chisnell Farm Lift Bridge is the first one we’ve come across so far which has been converted to hydraulics, with the winder on the towpath side.  We’d thought of stopping in this area, but as it was so nice we carried on down Somerton Deep Lock with it’s pretty cottage.

Our aim was Somerton Meadows, which looked pretty busy as we approached.  But there was a BR-sized space, and we slotted right in.  We stopped here at some point on Debdale — I remember because it’s one of the few places you can get far enough away to get a side on view of the whole boat!

We have fitted the new horn (replacing the original one under the gunwale, rather than the one on the cratch board) — and it is loud!

13 miles, 9 locks.  (63 miles, 47 locks)

September Cruise: Day 4

The rain was so heavy during the night that it woke us up.  First thing this morning it was quite bright, though, and we set off at 8.20.  The summit twists and turns so you can sometimes only see a little way in front of you.  It feels really remote too.  Before long, the rain came.

We passed a glamping site with a bell tent.  The horsebox has a kitchen set up inside and an external shower, and there’s a bath tub with a chimney.

The HS2 works don’t seem to have changed much in the three years since we were last here, although as well as the temporary bridge over the canal there is now also the actual bridge.  I read somewhere about the bridge being faced with local stone, but the wall they’ve built so far is underwhelming.

Next comes the moorings after Bridge 129, with a view of the radio mast.  We had a Christmas Day here on Debdale way back in 2007.

After a couple of hours the rain died out.  We edged through Fenny Compton, and then pulled in while a boat came the other way through the Fenny ‘tunnel’ which hasn’t been a tunnel for a very long time.  There are some very narrow sections.

The first of the typical Oxford Canal lift bridges marks the transition from Warwickshire into Oxfordshire.

We’d been behind a Clifton Cruiser hire boat all day, although only catching a glimpse every now and then, and at Fenny another boat got between us.  Then we found ourselves behind the Clifton boat again, as they’d stopped to let the dog off and the other boat had gone past; when they stopped again to try to get the dog back on, we were able to go past.  Then the other boat moored at the top of the Claydon Flight, putting us at the front of the queue.  A boat was coming up the top lock, so we could go straight in.  The lock is next to a very nice cottage.

At the middle lock, a couple of volunteer lock keepers were doing their thing, complete with a little hut with a kettle and biscuits.

We had a very quick run down the locks, swapping with another boat at the bottom lock.  We stopped below the locks for lunch, mostly because we were at the end of the bread, so it needed toasting!  For the remaining four locks of the day we were behind the Clifton boat again.  At Varney’s lock, a boat coming up just drifted about below the lock, slightly in the way, and certainly not coming to wind a paddle or push a gate.

As we passed Cropredy Marina we waved at Old Nick and Herbie.  The lock is in a lovely setting with a nice cottage alongside, and the church clock struck three.

The Clifton boat had stopped on the water point as they’d run out, and we made a brief pause just to visit the bins.  As we left the village the clouds looked ominous.  We moored up in a place we used last time, just before Slat Mill Bridge and Lock, and only got a little wet when the rain came back.  It’s one of the moorings that not in the books, but is on Paul’s Waterway Routes maps, which shows all the bits of useful piling — which is one of the really good things about his maps.

14 miles, 9 locks.  (50 miles, 38 locks)