Monday 25th July - Radford Semele to Long Itchington
We set off from Radford Semele at 9am in cool and cloudy conditions. This is the scene of total devastation caused by the HS2, it is both side of the canal as the railway will cross the canal here. So much of the landscape has been destroyed and if you consider this is what it is like along the whole line, you must begin to ask why?
Waiting at the bottom of the Bascote Staircase Locks, no problems this time but it was very busy.
Our two boats side by side ascending the Bascote Locks. We then cruised on as far as Long Itchington and moored up before bridge 25. We had a walk into the village and a drink at one of the 6 pubs and went back later in the evening for a supper with Fraser and Di.
A beautiful Tudor House on the main road through Long Itchington. Originally built as an inn in the fifteenth century, Queen Elizabeth I slept in one of the bedrooms when on her way to Kenilworth Castle in 1572. It is believed one of the cellars was used by two of the gunpowder plotters.
Tomorrow we part company as we will be mooring in Ventnor Marina for a few days whilst we go down to Annie’s and Di and Fraser will go on to explore the Oxford Canal and the Upper Thames.
8 miles, 10 locks, 3hrs 48mins.
Tuesday 26th July - Long Itchington to Ventnor Marina
We set off from Long Itchington with Di and Mark and headed for the Stockton Locks, these are picturesque locks and are even nicer when done with another boat and extra crew!
Plant and wildlife flourishing inside and around the lock, this bee was so busy it didn’t even notice me!
This used to be The Willow Wren Training Centre, but there was no sign of them this time, it is now Nelson’s Wharf private moorings. We carried on to the entrance to Sunset Basin, Ventnor Marina, and took on diesel before finding our mooring for the next few days. The mooring was lovely and quiet, and later that afternoon Di and Fraser popped by for a cup of tea and biscuits.
3 miles, 10 locks, 3 hrs 30 mins.
Wednesday 27th July - Friday 29th July
We hired a car and drove down to Totton where we looked after our granddaughters for a couple of nights whilst their mummy and daddy went away to celebrate their wedding anniversary.
Saturday 30th July - Ventnor Marina to Napton on the Hill
This adult grebe was swimming around the water in front of the boat with a baby following on behind, each time the adult dived, the baby set up the most raucous noise filling the whole Marina with its call.
We came home with these gorgeous sunflowers as a thank you from Annie and Pete and I have put them in the Buckby can on the roof, they look really cheerful!
We got to the Calcutt Locks and joined the end of the queue, fortunately we had another boat behind us which was able to share the lock with us. Does make the lock work so much easier.
We turned right onto the Oxford Canal and passed Napton Marina. They have a large hire fleet there and were in the process of moving the boats around, this one ahead of us came out and reversed into the pontoon moorings, we weren’t that close to it!
The Oxford Canal is a contour canal, so the canal winds around the countryside, this is Napton Windmill which seems to move around as you head towards Napton. We were lucky to get a mooring before the flight of locks so we shall spend the night here.
We walked up into the village and then called in at the pub for a drink before returning to the boat. There have been quite a lot of changes at the pub from the last time we were here.
Today a helicopter landed in the neighbouring field and stopped for a swift drink before taking off again, some people arrive by boat, some by car and then others by helicopter - why not?
3 miles, 3 locks, 2hrs 18mins.
Sunday 31st July - Napton to Bridge 124, Spurfoot Bridge
We left our mooring after the rain had stopped and head for the services before beginning the ascent of the 9 Napton Locks. Some of the pounds between the locks were quite low and we took them very gently and had no problems.
We know there used to be a herd of water buffalo on the fields to the left of the canal, but the only evidence was this one solitary buffalo. You could also buy the products from the buffalo in the local shop, but again there was no evidence yesterday when we called in.
This is fascinating, a landlocked narrowboat! It raises so many questions, how do they get water? Do they pay a CRT licence? How did it get there in the first place? And Why?
We have moored up for the night just before bridge 124, it is on the 11 mile pound between coming up the Napton Locks and descending the Claydon Locks. Very peaceful with open views across the canal.
We walked across the canal on the bridge and along the fields into Priors Hardwick, Toby found the wettest, smelliest cow pat and rolled in it, he was disgusting and is heading for a shower as soon as we get back to the boat.
The Butchers Arms used to be a 14th century inn but is now a fine dining modern European restaurant specialising in Portuguese food. It looked pretty busy if the carpark was anything to go by!
Walking back across the fields we spotted three yurts dotted around the fields, they looked luxurious and were certainly away from it all, with a little wooden hut for a toilet! Wonderful!
4 miles, 9 locks, 3hrs 30mins
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