Back at the marina

 Ater a short cruise from Braunston we have now reached our home base.  The weather was a mixture of sun and clouds with a cool breeze.  The forecast is looking dry, sunny and warm for the next week though sadly we wont be on the boat to enjoy it.

Having tied up at our berth we shopped for some barge-pole paint and groceries for the next couple of days. Denise primed the barge-pole and we will stay on the boat for the next 2 days to give her time to  paint the undercoat. But as our travelling is complete for the time being this will be the final blog until we go out again at the start of June (hopefully)

Journey statistics

Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Distance: 3.03 miles
Locks: 0

Total Cruise Statistics

Time: 36.75 hours over 12 days
Distance: 62.39 miles
Locks: 44

Braunston - Nearly Home

 First job in the morning was to walk up to the shop in Napton On The Hill where we bought fruit and snacks for the next 2 breakfasts and lunches. But the main objective was to get water buffalo burgers, the meat coming from the animals kept alongside the Napton locks.

Having returned to the boat we set off down the final lock to Napton Narrowboats hireboat base to pump out our waste tank. Ideally we could have waited until we returned to the marina but it was getting worryingly full.

Then along the the South Oxford Canal in 4-layer weather and joined' the Grand Union Canal to Braunston. There we stopped at Midland Chandlers to buy some bungee cord for the boat covers and an 11 foot barge pole  Our old pole was detriorating badly after being left out in the bad weather for too long.  We will have to prime and paint the new one so it doesnt suffer the same fate.

We were very lucky to find a mooring for the night just up from Midland Chandlers and a short walk from the The Boat Inn which  we will visit for our evening meal.

Journey Statistics

Time: 4 hours (including pump-out and Midland Chandlers)
Distance: 7.25 miles
Locks: 1

Back to Napton

Odd building on HS2 site

 Fortunately the expected rain never really happened.  The weather was just cold, damp, grey and miserable. 

Soonb after leaving at 9:55 we again passed through the HS2 constrauction site.  Here there is an odd looking building as shown in the photograph. It   looks like a bridge but there is nothing obvious that goes below it and it doesnt seem to align with the new railway.  There is also nothing obvious that would be above it as it is much higher than its surroundings.

At around lunch time we reached the 2 locks at Marston Doles where we had cosidered stopping to eat. However we changed our minds decidingto carry on down the Napton flight.  With a bit of luck there would be morings there so we could visit The Follies, the nearby pub, for a late lunch.

Our progress down the locks was speedy and there were moorings availlable at the bottom. Great. However when we visited the pub we found their kitchen  had just closed for the afternoon and would not reopen until the evening. We will have to make do with a ready made paella on the boat.

Journey Statistics

Time: 3 hours 55 minutes
Distance: 6.54 miles
Locks: 8

Sunny again - good progres

 

Swan nesting by the canal

Typical Oxford Canal Lift bridge

Attractive scenery on the Oxford Canal

Housework at our mooring

Since our plans to return home by the weekend may be disrupted by bad weather we decided to travel a reasonable distance today as the fotrecast was sunny and dry.

After leaving Cropredy at 9:30 we ascended the three isolated locks and cruised onto the 5 Claydon Locks. These we ascended quickly with help of volunteer lock-keepers.  At Claydon Top Lock I was pleased to see a couple of swallows in a tree.  I had seen a few flying around the lock on our outward journey but forgot to mention them in the blog. 

We stopped for a late lunch on the boat at Fenny Crompton and then moved on for about about 3 miles to an isolated mooring with wide views across the  countryside. 

Journey Statistics

Time: 5 hours 10 minutes
Distance: 8.87 miles
Locks: 8

 moor for the night out in the countryside. 

A rainy day

 Pictures fr0m yesterday

Taking on water in Banbury

Banbury Lift Bridge

Hardwick Lock just outside Banbury

Beneath the M40

Today....

We had planned not to remain at our mooring today but decided to move into Cropredy to get a better internet connection. It was only a light rain when we set off at 9:45 which continued until we moored up in Copredy soon after ascending Cropredy Lock.

We have now lit our stove so it is warm and dry inside the boat, very different to outside.

Journey Statistics

Time: 45 minutes
Distane: 0.94 miles
Locks: 1

Returning home

 

No pictures today as reception is very bad. Will add them when it is better.

Today we started our journey back to the marina.  The plan was to stay in Banbury for a day's rest but the weather forecast showed rain all day tomorrow so we have delayed the rest until then.  

We set off at 9:55 and passed through Banbury lift bridge in the centre of the town, down Banbury Lock, and then onwards a further half mile to a "winding hole".  Here we could turn the boat around, there being nowhere wide enough within the town. 

On our return to Banbury we filled up with water and then stopped for lunch just before the M40. During the afternoon we carried on through 2 further locks and stopped for the day at 15:35 out in the countryside before Cropredy.

Journey Statistics

Time: 4 hours 35 minutes
Distance: 5.84 miles
Locks: 5

Banbury

 

Moored in Banbury

Set out from Cropredy at 10 am in overcast weather. After Cropredy Lock we dumped the rubbish and then travelled on down the canal to Slat Mill Lock. Here we were warned by another boater that the next setion of canal was very shallow and that we should keep to the middle.

The next mile was very slow going but there were no real problems getting through to the next look at Bourton.  The cause of the shallow canal became clear as this lock was leaking badly draining water from the previous pound.  To make things worse one paddle on both the top and bottom of the lock were out of use so it took some time to fill and empty the lock.  We hope there will be no problems on our journey back.

The next section of canal took us below the M40 to Hardwick lock when it sttarted to rain. Fortunately it had stopped by the time  we reached our intended mooring in a park to the north of Banbury.  The main attraction however was not the trees but rather a Waitrose within easy walking distance.

We bought a full week's shopping there as the shops are closed tomorrow being Easter Sunday and the only well stocked shop before we get close to home is way back at Napton.  

Journey Statistics

Time: 2 hours 40 mins
Distance: 4.44 miles
Time: 2 hours 40 mins
Locks: 4