Two days 30/5/24 and 31/5/24 to Flecknoe

 No posting yesterday as we did not have any internet connectivity, so I am covering the past 2 days:

 

Entering HS2 Construction area

 

 

HS2  bridge over South Oxford Canal

 

 Canal passes HS2 gravel pile

30/5/24 Fenny Compton to Marston Doles.  At 9:10 on a grey and breezy morning we left Compton as 4th in a convoy of 6 narrowboats. Travel was slow as each boat had to pass in turn through  narrow bridges and past on-coming boats.  Progress was further impeded by the canal being shallow in places when we could not travel faster than 2mph.  The situation was made worse by frequent rain showers.

 We descended both the Marston Doles locks and moored for the day at 13:20 in heavy rain.  After settling down for the afternoon we then discovered there was no internet connection So not a happy day.

 Today's journey

7.9 miles. 2 locks, 4 hours 10 minutes

 

Herd of Water Buffalo at Napton Locks

 

A sorry lookingDenise operating lock in the rain

 

Next to bottom lock on Napton flight

31/5/24 Marston Doles to Flecknoe  We set off this morning in overcast and breezy weather at 9:55 and reached the 7 Napton Locks shortly afterwards which we quickly descended.  We had hoped to moor at the bottom but there were no free spaces so we carried on to near Napton Marina a couple of miles later where we stopped for lunch.

In the afternoon we joined the Grand Union Canal  and stopped for the night near the small village of Flecknoe.

Today's Journey

6.9 miles, 7 locks, 3 hours 20 minutes

 

 

 

 

Fenny Compton - no rain!

 

Entering Elkington  Lock

 

Fenny Compton Tunnel

 

A very enjoyable trip today with periods of sunshine and a light breeze. Returning on the route we took on Tuesday the first lock, Broadmoor Lock was still operating very slowly with only one paddle but with far fewer boats on the move we did not have to wait long.

 Then up the 5 Claydon Locks with the assistance of volunteers to the summit pound and through the Fenny Compton "tunnel" to stop for the day at 14:30 having eaten lunch on the move. The moorings were largely full but we were able to slip into a gap just a few feet longer than Densie.

Today's Journey

5.88 miles, 8 locks, 4 hours 30 minutes

Not going to Banbury

Last night he had our first meal out this trip at the Brasenose Arms, one of the two village pubs. The food was very good and clearly freshly prepared  The friendly and knowledgable staff were working very hard and efficiently as the place was very busy, it being a bank holiday Monday.

 It has rained for most of today so we have not moved except to go through Cropredy Lock, turn around, fill up with water and return to the mooring.  As more rain is forecast for later in the week, we are running out of time and Banbury is not that interesting anyway we have decided to go back to our marina. 

Todays journey

0.5 miles, 1 lock twice,  1 hour 25 mins

Down to Cropredy

Elkington Lock

Moored at Cropredy

The weather was bright and sunny though with a cold breeze when we set off down the 5 Claydon locks at 9:40.  All went smoothly with help from a couple of volunteers.  These were followed by 3 isolated locks.  At the last of these,  Broadmoor Lock, there were 2 boats ahead of us waiting to descend.  One of the paddles was out of use so the lock was taking ages to refill.  

An hour later later we were on our way again  stopping for the day at lunch time in Cropredy, an attractive canal side village with a pub serving excellent food, well it did when we were here last year which we will visit this evening.

Today's Journey 

2.7 miles. 8 locks, 3 hours  

No rain on the journey to Claydon Locks

 

Passing HS2 construction site

Woods near Fenny Conpton

Attractive Bridge

Lift Bridge near  Claydon Locks

There was heavy rain overnight and the weather forecast was for more during the day.  So we had resigned ourselves to staying where we were until tomorrow. However by 10am there was no rain to be seen so we continued on our journey.

The first break from the ongoing fields and low hills occured when we crossed the HS2 construction site.  From there the canal passes through Fenny Compton, the first village since Napton.  There were heavy black clouds in the sky but somehow the winding canal avoided them all.  The route south from Fenny Compton is of more interest as the canal goes through a wooded cutting where the former tunnel was opened up in 1868.

After Fenny Compton "Tunnel" the frequently wooded canal continues until it reaches the top of Claydon locks from where it is all downhill to Oxford, the Thames and London.  The photograph shows the first of the many lift bridges for which the Oxford Canal used to be notorious because of the effort to operate them.  Fortunately most, such as this one, are now left permanently open.

Todays Journey

8.7 miles, 0 locks, 3 hours 45 mins

Napton Locks

 

Waiting to enter Napton Bottom Lock

View from Napton Bottom Lock

Entering Lock 12

Bridge 122 near Prior's Hardwick

We set off this morning in bright and sunny weather reaching the bottom of 7-locthe k Napton flight half an hour later.  Here as at several other locks we had to wait for boats coming down the flight. Fortunately there were volunteer lock keepers stationed here which minimised delays.

The flight then took us up into the surrounding attractive hilly countryside with views across the pastureland full of buttercups and herds of sheep and cows. We stopped for lunch a mile before the final 2 locks at Marston Doles, a tiny settlement where the horses which towed the working boats were stabled.

In the afternoon we continued 2-3 miles further on and moored out in the countryside.

Today's Journey

5.7 mikes, 9 locks, 4 hours 40 minutes

Heading for Banbury

We started our first journey this year this morning after spending the night on Densie in the marina at Dunchurch in Warwickshire

Our route took us south on the North Oxford Canal to the canalside village of Braunston in Northamptonshire. At the junction near the village we turned west along the Grand Union Canal, the waterway being shared with the Oxford Canal..  The scenery is pleasant along this isolated stretch but there is liitle of great iterest to see, just trees, farmland and the occasional bridge.

Denise steering Densie on the Grand Union

On the GU (1)

On the GU(2)

Moored near Napton

At Napton Junction 5 miles further on we left the Grand Union turning onto the South Oxford Canal.  We moored about half a mile further on  at 3pm near the village of Napton On The Hill which overlooks the canal.

Today's cruise

9.1 miles, 0 locks, 4 hours