Cropredy to Claydon - a day of locks

 We started early at 8:45 today in fairly cool and cloudy weather as we wanted to ascend 9 locks by lunchtime when we normally stop for the day. But the first stop was at the services wharf at Cropredy to dispose of several bags of recyclable, kitchen, and general waste which had been cluttering up our kitchen area for a few days.

In Claydon Top Lock

Moored at Claydon Top Bridge

Then onwards up Cropredy lock to the sound of the nearby church bells, a set of 3 individual locks and finally the flight of 5 Claydon locks. Fortunately 7 of the locks were set in our favour so we could enter almost immediately. 

When we reached the moorings above Claydon top lock close to lunchtime there were only two unoccupied spaces. one of which we were happy to take, the next opportunity to moor being the best part of an hour's cruising away.

Daily Travel Details

Distance: 3.57 miles
Locks: 9

Duration: 3 hours 5 minutes

Cropredy again, nearly

 We are now in the final few days of our holiday.  But beyond Banbury there are very few shops and we still have 5 evening meals to arrange.  So we walked the short distance from our mooring to  Waitrose and bought 3 bags of provisions. 

Near Bourton Bridge

Ascending Slat Mill Lock

By 11:15 we were back on the boat and ready to leave. We left Banbury, yet again in sunny warm weather, ascended 3 locks and passed under the M40 ending up about half a mile short of Cropredy.

We were getting hungry as our morning shopping limited the time available for cruising prior to lunch.  The alternatives were to stop where we were as there was a usable mooring or to carry on to Cropredy which would have taken another half hour at least.  We chose the former option and moored up at 13:30.

Daily Travel details

Distance: 3.49 miles
Locks: 3
Duration: 2 hours 15 minutes

In Banbury again

 

Moored in Castle Quay in Banbury

Another sunny morning though with quite a cool breeze.  We set off towards Banbury at 9:05 passing through Grant's Lock and then Banbury Lock where we stopped at the water point to fill up our water tank and also to dump all our rubbish at the nearby canalside facilities. That done we passed below the lift bridge, the last one of our current trip, into the the Banbury Castle Quay area where we were lucky to find a mooring.

We shopped for groceries at the nearby Lidl, of which we were previously unaware until it was recommended by another boater.  After lunch on board we walked into the the town centre.

We will be staying in Banbury for 2 nights and so won't publish the next blog until Saturday.

Daily Travel Details

Distance: 2.94 miles
Locks 2
Moveable Bridges:1
Duration: 2 hours

Across the Cherwell again to King's Sutton

 

Ayno Weir Lock - the canal rises 1 foot to the Cherwell

Densie entering Nell Bridge Lock after crossing the Cherwell

In King's Sutton Lock

King's Sutton Church from the canal

When we set off at 9:35 the weather was much the same as it had been since the heatwave ended. The pictures here show different views of some of the sights described on our way downstream. We moored above King's Sutton Lock at lunchtime.

Red Kite in a tree watching the haymaking

Our most memorable experience today was watching a farmer on a tractor haymaking.  Unlike the flock of seagulls that often follow the tractors, this time it was a flock of 10 red kites, one of which sat in a tree watching the activitity.

Daily travel details

Distance: 5.57 miles
Locks: 3
Moveable Bridges: 2
Duration: 3 hours 20 minutes

Upper Heyford and Somerton

Upper Heyford Tithe Barn

Allen's Lock, Upper Heyford

We left our mooring at 9:35 continuing our journey home and soon passed through the small village of Upper Heyford where the impressive tithe barn (ancient monument, c. 1400) overlooks the canal.  The rest of the journey was quiet and slow with 3 locks, 2 of which we had to empty ourselves before entering and at the third we had to wait for a boat coming down.

Moored about a mile after Somerton

We stopped in a pleasant rural area at 12:10 soon after Somerton Deep Lock about a mile beyond the small village of Somerton. 

Daily travel details

Distance: 4 miles
Locks:3
Duration: 2 hours 35 minutes

Back to Lower Heyford

Rampant vegetation frequently encroaches on the waterway

Bridge 212, Old Brighton Bridge, near Tackley

Northbrook Lock

An isolated mooring just beyond Lower Heyford

It was another cool, but bright and sunny morning when we set off at 9:40.  The canal is very quiet and so we have no need to start early to secure a mooring.  The journey took us along a fairly narrow tree lined canal through isolated and very rural countryside with little visibility of any habitation.  

During much of the cruise our speed was limited by the trees and shubbery partially blocking the waterway with no indiciation of being managed in any way.  However it all looks very attractive.

We ascended 3 locks before arriving at Lower Heyford where we filled up with water, our last chance for 2-3 days. We then stopped shortly afterwards for lunch.  However the mooring was unattractive and the canal narrow, with a greater drawback of a complete lack of any internet or phone connectivity.  So after eating we started up the engine again and carried on another half mile through a lift bridge where we found a perfect mooring on our own surrounded by countryside with a good mobile signal strength.

Daily travel details

Distance: 5.07 miles
Locks: 3
Moveable bridges: 1
Duration: 3 hours 45 minutes

Back up the Cherwell

 A quiet day's cruising in perfect weather...

Entering Shipton Weir Lock

In Shipton Weir Lock

On the Cherwell - 1

On the Cherwell - 2

Leaving the Cherwell before the bridge

Baker's Lock takes us back to the Oxford Canal

Moored in the shade near Kirtlington

We set off at 9:20 in cool summery weather and cruised slowly up the Oxford Canal.  Our journey took us through Thrupp where we failed to find a mooring on our marathon 5 hour cruise towards the Thames two weeks ago.  Now of course there were plenty of free moorings but this time we had no wish to stop.

We passed through Shipton Lock onto the River Cherwell, leaving it at Baker's lock about 3/4 mile later.  It was now time to start looking for a mooring but for the first 1.5 miles the canal side looked unsuitable with a crumbling edge and quite shallow.  But we then came to a section where the bank had been reinforced with steel piling where we could easily moor.   It's an idyllic spot a long way from habitation with insufficient room for any other boat to disturb us.

Daily travel details

Distance: 4.72 miles
Locks: 2
Moveable bridges: 2
Duration: 2 hours 55 minutes