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)
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