Sunday 17 March 2024

Easter Cruise Spring 2024 - Week 3

 Monday 11th March - Marston Doles Visitor Moorings to Fenny Compton 



The rain has finally stopped and Dave and I are beginning to feel a little better, so we have decided to move on.  Our cruise today is completely lock free, we are on the summit between Marston Doles and Claydon with 11 miles of gentle cruising.



During the summer this is a glamping site, I guess the owners have taken the canvas and furnishings away for the winter and will reinstate it for the new season.


The site of HS2 as it prepares to cross over the canal.  This stretch was supposed to be closed ready for the bridge to be put up but the contractors delayed it.  No sign of a bridge though!



The iconic radio mast which resembles the Eiffel Tower standing proud in the mist.



Wedding Bridge, no idea as to how it got its name, but it is a narrow wooden, plank bridge, very picturesque.






Love the silhouette of this tree against the cloudy skies, still waiting to develop its new flush of bright green heralding the start of spring.  We moored at Fenny Compton for the night and had a light lunch at the Wharf Inn.





7.5 miles, 2hrs 48mins, 0 locks.

Tuesday 12th March - Fenny Compton

Another very wet day, we woke to heavy rain and an even more muddy footpath!  Once again we have chosen to stay on our mooring and hopefully move on again tomorrow.




We did go and look at the shop in the pub, there was very little on the shelves but we could have had milk if we needed it.  I guess it will be better stocked once the season starts properly.
One of the signs along the canal suggests there is laundry facilities but this no longer exists.






Wednesday 13th March - Fenny Compton to Top of Claydon Locks

We have woken to grey skies but no rain!  Great!  We reversed the boat back to the water point and filled up with water, then set off for the short cruise to Fenny Marina where we filled up with diesel, replaced the gas bottle and refreshed our wood and kindling supplies. We then continued on our way towards Claydon.

Almost immediately we are into Fenny Compton tunnel which was opened in 1776. The tunnel wasn’t very long – about a kilometre and suffered from subsidence as it wasn’t very far underground. In 1838 the canal company bought the land above the tunnel and work began to open up the tunnel. It was done in several stages; by 1840 the tunnel roof had been removed at both ends and in the middle thus creating two separate tunnels. The southern tunnel had its roof removed by 1858 and the second in 1860 leaving the cutting boaters see today. It is still referred to as Fenny tunnel though.  A stream used to run across the old tunnel into Wormleighton reservoir and an iron trough was installed when the tunnel roof was removed. The trough has since been removed and water runs straight down the side of the cutting into the canal.





We are now crossing under the dismantled railway bridge of The Stratford and Midland Junction railway.  The Stratford Upon Avon & Midland Junction Railway’ or more affectionately - The S.M.J. was a small independent railway company which ran a line across the empty, untouched centre of England.  It became affectionately known as The Slow, Middling and Jolty Railway.





The old railway arches covered in ivy and overgrown.


This is the most northerly of the lift bridges on the Oxford Canal and marks the boundary between Warwickshire and Oxfordshire.  These lift bridges sit in an open position in rural settings, thus restricting movement of livestock and allowing free passage of narrowboats along the canal. Where they are positioned on busier tracks or byways they often rest in the closed position.





Permanent moorings on the way to Claydon, they have a good amount of ground and many have these little shepherds huts. 



This is Bridge 142 over a feeder stream from BoddingtonReservoir.   Boddington was the last of 3 reservoirs built around 300 years ago to support the South Oxford Canal.  You can see the new water coming into the canal as it is a different colour.








We moored at the top of Claydon Locks in quite a stiff breeze and decided to stop for the night.  
We went for a walk down the Claydon Locks.  This was once the Oxford Canal Company’s workshops, possibly a smithy, and has been renovated and is now a holiday cottage.




I spoke to some CRT vounteers asking where I could find a dog poo bin and I learnt that as part of cost saving cuts, CRT have removed all poo bins along all canals hence saving money on paying people to empty them.  As a dog owner I always pick up after Toby, but if there is nowhere to deposit the waste, I wonder how many people will pick up after their dogs and carry it home?





3.5mile, 2hrs, 0 locks.

Thursday 14th March - Claydon Top Lock to Cropredy Visitor Moorings

We made an early start this morning as we wanted to be moored up safely in Cropredy before the gusty winds started at about midday.





We met Derrick at Claydon Top Lock, he has been a volunteer for a long time and turns up most days (except Christmas Day and his birthday) to sort out the water on the flight of locks.  He also lights the fire in the hovel to keep the damp out, very posh!






Very smart hovel with chimney which did have smoke coming out of it.  He helped us down the first three locks and then excused himself to go and have a cup of tea, we were very pleased to have some help!




This is Clattercote Wharf with several boats with the Klaes Family name on them.  Forge Farm has been run by the Klaes family since 1981, holding true to the ethics of organic farming in all aspects of farming life.







Toby, the boat dog, he has received loads of compliments on how well behaved he is on the back of the boat.






At one of the locks, the bin provided by CRT has been removed and the council have put a new dog poo bin beside it. I wonder how much this is saving CRT?










As we came past Cropredy marina we could see Di and Mark’s boat called nbEnbilulu, they are planning on starting their cruise towards the end of the month.







After we had moored up at a very pleasant mooring outside the village of Cropredy, we went for a wander around the village.  The door to the church tower was open and we were able to see the church bell ropes.  The tower has 8 bells, six of which were installed in the 17th century and the last two, Fairport and Villager were added in 2007. These bells were named to reflect the good relationship between the church and local Fairport Convention annual festival.






There are some beautiful stained glass windows and we particularly liked this one called ‘We have seen his star - South Aisle, South Wall 2. This bright window shows The Three Wise Men at Christ's birth.








Soon after we returned to the boat, the wind began to get stronger and the rain set in.

2.75 miles, 2hrs 24mins, 8 locks

Friday 15th March - Cropredy to Banbury





Today we leaving our mooring and travelling to Banbury.  We came down through Cropredy Lock and through the village before stopping at the services to put on water and dispose of rubbish.






As we were leaving the village behind we passed a field with Herdwick sheep in, the last time we saw them was in the Lake District, they are such beautiful looking sheep!




As I was waiting for a lock to be ready I spotted these buds on the canalside.  It is a goat willow or pussy willow, named because the male catkins resemble cat’s paws.




This is Bourton Lock with a boarded up lock keepers cottage.  It seems such a shame that these buildings are so unloved, but because access is difficult, there is no immediate road access and to get to the cottage you would need to carry everything some distance along the towpath, there appears to be little desire to renovate these cottages.





Dink and Malc on the front of their house, apparently Malc died in 2021, I wonder if Dink still lives in the cottage?





We managed to moor the boat on the newly renovated waterside in Banbury, a little tricky as it was quite windy, but we soon managed it and then walked along to Tooley’s Boatyard.  This is the museum attached to the boatyard, a work in progress but quite fascinating!

We need to have some work done to one of our bathroom windows as it leaks when the rain hits that side of the boat.  Tooley’s will fix it for us Monday which is really good news.  Tooley’s Boatyard has one of the oldest working dry docks on the Inland Waterways, working continuously since 1778. The site also includes a blacksmith's forge and carpenter's workshop used for building traditional wooden boats.


5 miles, 3hrs 18mins, 4 locks

Saturday 16th March - Banbury

A quiet day, catching up with paperwork, cleaning and shopping.  The sun has shone and we have done a little exploring in Banbury.

Sunday 17th March - Banbury

A morning spent cleaning out the engine bay and then a walk through Banbury looking to replace the mop!




Ye Olde Reine Deer Inn is considered to be one of the oldest inns in Banbury.  John Knight was a man of great respect in the town, a baker by trade and owner of property and land in Banbury. It’s believed he purchased the poorly developed plot of land in 1564, where The Reindeer now stands, and after extensive building work it opened as an inn in 1570, with David Horn being the first landlord.



This statue was funded and erected in 2005 by the people of Banbury to commemorate the nursery rhyme which has made Banbury famous throughout the English speaking world:

Ride a cock horse to Banbury Cross,
To see a Fine Lady upon a White Horse,
With rings on her fingers and bells on her toes,
She shall have music wherever she goes.





Banbury had three crosses in the past none of which survived as they were pulled down in the year 1600 by Puritan iconoclasts who objected to their religious imagery. The present Banbury Cross, now the centrepiece of the roundabout, was erected by the people of Banbury in 1859 to celebrate the marriage of Queen Victoria’s eldest daughter.




















Sunday 10 March 2024

Easter Cruise Spring 2024 - Week 2


 Monday 4th March - Willoughby Wharf to Braunston



This photo was taken yesterday evening as we were waiting for Di and Mark to pick us up.  We were really surprised at how delightful the North Oxford Canal is.  Wide open skies, views across open countryside and a canal meandering its way gently along.



Love this field of sheep all facing the same way.  What isn’t in the photo is the farmer arriving on a 4by4 with two sheepdogs across the bridge we had just come under.  There was a real stampede of sheep following the farmer!




The cloud formations were amazing this morning, it was fascinating watching the sky go from pure blue to these clouds gathering on the horizon.



Approaching Braunston, you can see the church and just to the left the windmill with no sails.  It is a tower mill built in c1800 for cereal milling (grinding). It stopped working in c1895 and was converted to a house in c1920. This is when the top floor was demolished.





A sad end to the life of a boat.  I wonder why it hasn’t been recovered as it is taking up room on a designated mooring?













After a visit to Midlands Chandlery to replace a dud smoke alarm we moored up on the opposite side of the canal and went for a walk into the village.





Here at Braunston Junction the North Oxford canal meets the Grand Union Canal and heads off towards Napton Junction.  There the South Oxford canal continues on its way south towards Oxford.




We have decided to replace our centre line ropes and visited the Tradline  Rope and Fender shop, I love this shop and the lady on the desk is really pleasant and helpful.







This is a closer photo of the Tower Mill next door to the church in Braunston.  Over 6 floors, this holiday home offers 3 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms but isn’t dog friendly!






1.75 miles, 1hr 12mins, 0 locks.

Tuesday 5th March - Braunston to New Bridge 103

Today we are moving on from Braunston along the stretch of canal which is the Grand Union and links the north and south Oxford canals.  Dave went to the butcher in the village and when he got back we pushed the boat across the canal to the services, disposed of rubbish and filled up with water.




There are some delightful in-line moorings along here with large plots of land some of which are beautifully cared for.  I don’t think these moorings come vacant very often!





This is the site of Nethercote Railway Bridge.  The London & North Western Railway opened their line between Weedon and Leamington in 1895, crossing the canal here. It was a single track railway with crossing places. It was an early victim of railway rationalization, closing to passenger traffic in 1958, and to freight in 1963.








We then started to look for suitable places to moor.  This was definitely not possible as it was one long stretch of muddy puddle. We found a lovely mooring just before New Bridge 103 with open views and a fairly dry towpath.








We found a lovely mooring overlooking fields and a fairly dry footpath and moored for the day.  I continued washing this side of the boat roof and changed the centre line rope for a new one we bought yesterday.  A glorious sunny afternoon. 







A lovely sunset taken from beside Ella.





3 miles, 1hr 24mins, 0 locks

Wednesday 6th March - New Bridge 103 to above Napton Bottom Lock

We woke to a foggy morning and delayed our start until visibility had improved.  A very gentle cruise along this short section of the Grand Union Canal.  


The willow trees are beginning to show their green leaves, such a lovely bright green coat developing.


Shuckborough Church is built in what can best be described as a Moorish gothic style.
It dates from 1864, when it was completely rebuilt as a result of a disastrous fire.


This is the end of the Grand Union for us as it turns right here at Napton Junction and heads north.  Napton Junction, the junction of the Oxford canal and the Grand Union north, has always been known as "Wigrams Turn". Calcutt locks nearby, are referred to as "Wigrams Three". The name seems certain to have derived from the name of the first toll keeper at Napton Junction in 1800 John Wiggerham.  The tollhouse has stood on the junction, much unaltered for 200 years.


Just a little further along is Napton Marina where friends of ours moor their boat nbDulwich 3, it is the light blue boat in the centre of the photo.


Close to the canal was Napton Brickworks which began operation in 1878 and finally closed in the 1970’s.  This was once a busy canal wharf distributing Warwickshire made bricks far and wide.


On the hillside is Napton Windmill.  Now developed as a residential building it was originally a miller’s windmill.


Dave working the only lock on our journey today, the first since breaking his leg and he was very happy with the way it all went, hooray!

5 miles, 1hr 54mins, 1 lock

Thursday 7th March - Above Napton Bottom Lock

Today we decided to stay on our mooring, have a quiet morning and go for a walk in the afternoon.  The wind is particularly cold and blowing from the east so very little incentive to actually cruise.


Our walk was up the locks to Marston Doles and down the country lanes back into Napton.  At one of the locks the sheep had escaped from the neighbouring field and were pretending to be lockies!  Not so good if one of them fell into the lock though.


The towpath in several places was incredibly muddy, meaning that we had to pick our way through finding the least wet places to stand.


This is the engine arm, a tributary off the canal.  It is the site of a disused canal feeder arm and pump engine which were used to control the water level of the Oxford Canal, dating from the 1800s. They were located 600m southeast of Napton Halt.  It was navigable until 1948 but is now used as linear moorings.


The site of the old wharf, just above Marston Doles lock, with the old lock keeper's cottage and the stable block for the boatmen's horses. These buildings were extensively renovated in 1989 and used as the local British Waterways offices for 4 years after which they have been occupied by private business.  It now houses a collection of old classic cars, vans and buses.


We walked along the country lanes back into Napton and found some horses and a lovely little pony in one of the fields.


We called into The Folly beside the bottom lock for a drink after our walk.  It is full of copper, brasses and canal ware.  A fascinating place just to sit and look.

Friday 8th March - Above Napton bottom Lock

We have not moved today as I was very sick during the night and spent most of the day sleeping.  Hopefully tomorrow will be a better day!

Saturday 9th March - Above Napton Lock to Marston Doles




I woke this morning feeling a whole lot better than yesterday and we decided to move on from Napton.  It was quite windy and took a lot to get the boat off the mooring but once we were clear it was really a very pleasant cruise.












This is the engine arm we walked past on Thursday, the wind was coming from the east and blowing strongly down this stretch of canal.










The last lock of the day at Marston Doles.  A successful trip up the locks all of which Dave worked.  Once out of the lock we stopped for water, washed down the side of the roof and the solar panels then moved a tiny bit more and stopped on the visitor moorings.  A decent little cruise and not another boat in sight.



2 miles, 1hr 53mins, 8 locks

Sunday 10th March - Marston Doles Visitor Moorings

Happy Mother’s Day 🌟 you are all stars!  It is raining today so we have decided to stay put and stay dry.  Dave has also been feeling poorly so he is having a rest day.  Hopefully back on the move tomorrow.









Easter Cruise Spring 2024 - Week 3

  Monday 11th March - Marston Doles Visitor Moorings to Fenny Compton  The rain has finally stopped and Dave and I are beginning to feel a l...