Monday 1st August - Bridge 124 Spurfoot Bridge to Bridge 129 Ladder Bridge
We had a lovely cruise between these two bridges and moored for the day on the summit. The weather was glorious, so we set up our table and chairs on the towpath and spent the day sitting out in the sunshine and enjoying the peace and quiet. I washed the side of the boat and cleaned the windows.
Tuesday 2nd August - Ladder Bridge to Fenny Compton
A distinct change in the weather today, sunshine replaced by cloud and quite a strong wind. Loved this carved tree trunk as we headed towards Fenny Compton. We continued past Fenny Compton Wharf and moored on the visitor moorings further out. The wind was quite blustery and unfortunately it blew Toby’s cool mat and a side to the pram hood off the boat and into the canal. We were able to retrieve the cool mat but the plastic side simply disappeared never to be seen again. We have contacted Kinver Canopies and we can have a replacement but we need to send them a template that they can work from.Fortunately the two sides are exact mirror images so we can use the remaining one to make the template.
We took a walk into the village of Fenny Compton and did a top up shop at the Coop and a drink at The Merrie Lion and then wandered back again.
Wednesday 3rd August - Fenny Compton to top of Claydon Lock
We left our mooring and headed for the Marina to dispose of rubbish, then passed through ‘The Tunnel’. The 1,138 yard long Fenny Compton Tunnel was built between 1776 and 1778. It formed part of James Brindley's Oxford Canal, although the engineer himself died before the canal was finished and his assistant Samuel Simcock completed the project. The tunnel was a narrow single bore and it immediately proved to be a serious bottleneck. In 1840 the canal company purchased the land above the tunnel and opened out a passing place mid way along the length, thus splitting it into two shorter tunnels of 336 and 452 yards respectively. This only partially eased the congestion problems so it was decided to untop the entire tunnel. The southern tunnel was opened out in 1868 and the northern tunnel followed in 1870. A feeder for Wormleighton reservoir that once ran above the tunnel had to be carried over the canal on an aqueduct. All that now remains is an awkward, narrow and dead straight cutting that is still known today as "The Tunnel".
After ‘The Tunnel’ it is still narrow and shallow so it took quite a while to negotiate a passing place that wouldn’t result in either of use being grounded on the side.
First of the many drawbridges found on the south Oxford Canal. This bridge straddles the county boundary between Oxfordshire and Warwickshire. They are extremely simple consisting of a pair of shallow brick abutments, a platform and two hefty timber balance beams set at 45 degrees when the bridge is closed to boats or flat against the ground when open as it was here.
The canal here is pretty shallow and when passing another boat it causes the boat you are passing or your own boat to scrap along the bottom, we try really hard to pass other boats as slowly as possible to prevent this happening as much as possible.
We cruised to the top of Claydon Locks and decided to stop for the night there. This is the view from our side hatch. Very peaceful and delightful.
3.5 miles, 0 locks, 1hr 36mins.
Thursday 4th August - Bridge 144 to above Verney’s Lock
We left our mooring and got to the top of the Claydon Locks and had to wait for about 20 minutes until they had let down enough water to fill the pounds between the locks. The pounds tend to drain over night so this needs to be done on a daily basis.
We have passed through the top lock and this is the pound that was too low, and is easily passable now. We are entering the second lock.
This is nbHeart of Oak, we first met them on our way to Ely last year, at the top of the Buckby Locks. We then met them again in Ely, imagine our surprise when we passed them today on our way to Cropredy!
We found a delightful mooring above Verney’s Lock, very quiet and open. We had a quiet afternoon and then walked down into the village of Cropredy for supper at The Brasenose Inn. The moorings in the village are extremely busy building up to the Fairport Convention Festival next weekend. A beautiful sunset over the bridge behind us.
2 miles, 6 locks, 1hr 54mins
Friday 5th August - Verney’s Lock to Cropredy Marina
Today we had a very short cruise down two locks and into Cropredy Marina, we are in the new basin and had help from Di and Mark who currently moor their boat in the original basin.
0.5miles, 2 locks, 1hr 6mins
Saturday 6th August - Monday 8th August - Cropredy Marina
We are mooring the boat in the Marina for the next few days whilst we go down to Annie and Pete’s for the Christening of their two girls. It will mean the whole family is gathered together again which is delightful!
No comments:
Post a Comment