And onto the Oxford Canal…. Friday 9th August 2013
Dukes Cut, Oxford ....
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| Coming off the Thames, onto Dukes Cut, Oxford |
It's only a mile long but it's a
twisty, narrow, shallow cut through, the banks full up with overgrown trees,
boats moored in very narrow awkward places, by bridge holes and someone is even
moored on the only lock mooring there is, making it impossible to land the
boat.
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| Overgrown trees are difficult to navigate through! |
This is sort of no-mans land here, it's not the Thames
any more and the Oxford canal starts the other side of the lock, so they can
all get away with not having a boat license!
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| Boats and trees make this a very tricky canal to get through, luckily its only a mile long! |
The locks are narrow gauge here, wide enough for only
one boat at a time.
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| Dukes Cut Lock, narrow gauge and cute! |
We go through Dukes Cut lock, sharp left after the lock
and bridge and were heading up the Oxford canal.
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| .... and into our first Oxford Canal lock, Dukes cut is just the other side of the cottage on the corner |
Into the first lock, small and cute, were back! Lovely
cute canals.
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| Stopping off for shopping and chips! |
We go a mile or so and get to Kidlington, our first
stop for the day. We head off in search of shops, and find shops, lots of them!
And a chip shop! We stock up with shopping from Tescos and Paul finds the
fishing tackle shop for a supply of maggots! I got treated to a new purple hoodie
thing, love it!
Back at the boat and the shopping all unpacked we set
off again. We wanted to stop somewhere out of Kidlington where it would be
quieter, so at 3.00pm we were on our way.
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| On our way up the Oxford Canal |
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| I love these locks and the approach under the bridges |
We passed through Thrupp, it's a really busy place,
full of moored boats, heaving with people playing!
We went through the lift
bridge, a 90 degree corner came next. I narrowly missed an old man in his
wooden rowing boat who had moored right in my way and was playing with a remote
control boat! He was more worried about his toy boat than me coming towards him
with 17 tons of steel on a windy day!
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| After the 90 degree turn through the lift bridge we get to Thrupp, busy, busy place |
Boats are everywhere, loads of moored boats. You can
see why C&RT want to change mooring regulations here from 14 day moorings
to 48 hr moorings. There is nowhere left, not a single spot! Notices are up,
the change over date is the end of August, just a bit late for us!
As we leave Thrupp, moorings are hard to find. The
canal has been left to nature here, high reeds are all along the towpath and
overgrown trees on the other side.
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| An old rickety footbridge across the canal |
A few lift bridges later and we get to a
place called Shipton-on-Cherwell. We find a little clearing in the reeds where
it seems another boat has cleared and tie up.
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| We push ourselves into the overgrown bank, there's nowhere else to stop |
Its quiet here, we have to stay by the front of the
boat tho, theres a huge busy wasps nest in the bank at the back end!
It's a stormy old day today, windy and cold, bubbling
grey clouds threaten rain all day. But we venture out with Jack and have a
lovely walk over cow meadows and we go down to the next lock.
It's a triple
lock, big enough for three boats, and after the lock the canal navigation
enters the River Cherwell.
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| This group of lads ended up in the trees after heading down the weir stream |
It was busy here, boats queuing up to go through, a
group of lads (apparently on one of the lads parents boat) somehow didnt see
the lock entrance and carried on down the river stream towards the weir! They
were falling in, stuff was being knocked off the roof as they tried to reverse
in a hurry and they ended up in the trees! They were quite drunk and said they
didn't really care what happened as last year they smashed a window but they
still let them use it again!
No TV signal tonight so we sit in out of the wind and
cosy up for the night.
On Saturday 10th August we walked Jack round the cow
meadows and set off about 10am.
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| Room for one more! The triple lock just before entering the River Cherwell section |
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| We leave the lock, followed by some lovely people on a hire boat, the lock getting very busy now |
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| The River Cherwell, wide and deep |
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| The river leaves the canal under this bridge, we go round to the right to stay on the canal |
There's now a mile of the River Cherwell section and
before long were back on the canal, and onto our next lock. These locks are small and cute, it's such a slow going
canal you can't do anything other than relax as you slowly glide through the
narrow shallow sided twisty canal. It's so peaceful, mesmerising. Almost
magical.
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| Such a beautiful canal, calm and still |
We came to Enslow Marina where we planned on getting
diesel until we were told by a boater it was £1.15p per litre! Stuff that!
So we carried on aware we were low on diesel but not
desperate. Pigeon Lock was next and after that the canal was surrounded by
beautiful woods, paths criss crossed with walkways, on a steep hill with the
trees coming right down to the canal.
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| Such a magical place to be |
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| How could we resist this amazing place? |
This place needed exploring and there was a space to
stop on some old concreted ground.
Sounds rubbish, but it was great! It was
only about 12 noon but we couldn't ignore this place!
We tied up to trees and an old post and went to
explore.
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| We go off to explore the woods..... |
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| .... and pose for photos! |
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| The woods opened up to this amazing place, Kirdington Quarry |
Through the woods it opened up to an amazing limestone quarry, hundreds of years of history, layers of sediment over 160 million years ago had formed into mountains of rocks full of fossils of sea life!
We rummaged for fossils and found some!
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| Steps lead to the top of the quarry for a great view |
There were steps made to help you get to the top and
paths all around.
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| The woods were easy to walk through with paths and steps and bridges all around |
The woods formed and grew as the slag and waste from the
quarry was dumped into high mounds and left for centuries!
This place felt enchanting. We weren't planning on stopping here, it was a bit soon, but we felt we couldn't leave here today. It was too
soon to leave, it was too lovely.
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| We tie up on a concrete 'old wharf' section, Paul gets his pole out and we settle in for the afternoon |
We were moored here on our own for the night, maybe
there's some ghostly character from the past may visit us, but so far a couple
of boats have stopped for lunch and then gone on their way. Maybe they know
something we don't! We explored the quarry some more when it got dusk, quiet
and still. A century ago it wouldn't have been like this!
We enjoyed our little historic spot on the canal but
on Sunday we moved off after our last explore and rummage in the fossil filled
rock faces.
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| Leaving the enchanted mystical place, busy 100 years ago, but silent now |
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| The canal is narrow and shallow, and passing oncoming boats was a challenge! |
There was another queue. Apparently there was a plastic boat that
got wedged in the lock, the door wouldn't open properly and he was firmly
wedged. A while later and some manpower added he was free. We went in, a little
nervous it may happen to us, but we were fine.
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| We go through our first lock of the day |
Out of the lock we go on a couple of miles and were in
Lower Heyford. There were boats moored up everywhere, having to weave our way
steadily through. Theres a hire boat base here, sells diesel.
We slow down and shout across to a guy if we can get
diesel, turns out he sells it at £1.37p per litre! So we wave goodbye and are
on our way again, still low on diesel!
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| Our mooring spot for the night at Lower Heyford |
A bit further on we go through a lift bridge and moor
up on a lovely little spot in Lower Heyford. A couple of boats are already
there, so we moor up between them.
Off we go to explore the fields and walks for Jack,
nice cow meadows, he loved it!
Our luck was definitely in tonight, as we were talking
about diesel and our slight lack of it, along comes a diesel boat, Dusty,
chugging down the canal towards us!
We hail it down and the guy pulls over, ties up and
fills up our tank. 90p per litre, that's better, 110 litres we had, cost £99!
He was actually finished for the night as it was 6.30pm on a Sunday night, but
he kindly stopped for us, and our neighbour!
We had a lovely quiet night, dark and silent!
On Monday 12th August (Happy Birthday Deane!) we left
our little spot after a lovely walk with our lovely dog.
The sun was shining, its a bit windy but its supposed
to get worse later, so we set off 10am behind a row of 5 other boats, its busy here!
At the lock we were 3rd in a queue. Boats were leaving
the Cropredy Folk Festival and heading our way, setting all the locks in our
favour!
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| The flat Oxfordshire countryside, the weather soon changed to cloudy, windy and grey |
So we soon got through the locks and into flat Oxfordshire countryside,
no one about, not a soul. No houses, roads, people, felt like it was just us!
Brilliant! The only boats were moving boats, the odd one or two tied up on the
towpath.
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| Somerton Deep Lock, waiting in the queue, the lock cottage on the right |
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| It took three or four people to shift the stuck bottom lock gate |
People were waiting at the lock both top and bottom.
There was a problem with the bottom lock gate and it wouldn't budge, just
wouldn't open fully to let boats in or out! But with a lot of help from fellow
boaters, everyone got through, eventually!
1 hour and 10 mins later we were on our way again
looking for somewhere to stop for the night. Just by Chisnel lift bridge was
where we made our home for the night. Completely nothing and nobody around.
Just fields and more fields. Thats it. Perfect!
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| We were so on our own, nothing and no one around but lovely countryside |
We had an ok walk, we couldnt get in some of the
fields and the walks on the map was just a farm track, uninteresting for Jack.
I think he's been spoilt!
It's really windy now, chilly again. We sit in the
boat sheltering from the weather.
Tuesday 13th August is chilly, windy and very grey.
Doesn't matter, were on the canal and absolutely loving it! After our walk
round a big meadow we set off 9.45am and head off towards Aynho Wharf.
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| Stopping at Aynho Wharf to fill up with water |
Here we
fill up with water and buy a new rope back button.
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| A boat came adrift down this narrow section of the canal, but a gentle nudge moved it enough to get past |
There's lots of boats here, moored everywhere. One has
come adrift and is across the canal so gently I push it over as we slowly
squeeze past.
We go through Aynho lock, a triple lock again, leading
on to a small river section, the locks only 1' deep!
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| The river leaves the canal here, only briefly cutting across the canal |
The river bit soon leaves us and we go on to the next
lock where there's a three boat queue. We discover there's a problem with
something stopping the bottom paddle from closing fully. C&RT workers are
already on to it trying to fish out the blockage.
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| Entering the lock under the lovely old bridge tunnel |
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| Canal & River Trust workers dig about in the lock for the obstruction.... a very squashed water container |
After raking around for a
while one of them hauls out a very squashed 20 litre water container.
After over an hour wait were on our way again, loving
the quietness and quaintness of this very rural canal.
After a mile and a half we got to the next lock, 4
boats queueing ahead of us. Another hour wait and were through. The wind had
got up now, grey skies all around us. As we went through Twyford Bridge and
past the marina we pulled over on the 14 day moorings opposite.
It was already
2.30 pm and we'd only done 5 miles and three locks, taken us ages but its been
great. Even at holdups we chatted to other boaters and made the most of
stopping and enjoying the time to look around.
There's a noisy road quite near, a few boaters on the
towpath, and a marina that regularly does pump outs, so there's a bit of a pong
too! Not the best spot, but it'll do for now. Were near a road bridge (and
there's not many of them about here) so when my little sis visits us tomorrow
she can find us by car.
I did some boat chores and Paul pumped out the toilet.
We have lunch and Paul goes in search of Kings Sutton on his bike to buy some
essentials while I walk Jack. Took him about an hour but he got fresh bread and
cakes ready for tomorrows visit.
When he came back my sister had phoned and sadly had
to cancel her visit. We were having fresh caught crayfish for tea, and cakes... all the more
for us hey!
We went walking the fields and came home as the skies
got grey and it became really windy.
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| Happy Daze, paintwork sanded down ready for the undercoat.... opposite Twyford Marina |
On Wednesday and Thursday we had a spare couple of
days so we spent the two days working on the boat.
We rubbed the whole of one side down and prepared it for the first coat of
paint. It was quite busy here, boats moving all day and some at night, as soon
as a space is left another weary boater pulls over and makes it his spot for
the night.
The evenings were chilly so we spent them watching
telly.
On Friday 16th August we moved off in the rain. It
didn't rain for long tho and we were soon at our first lock of the day, our
first on the Oxford Canal without a queue!
This was part 1, part 2 coming soon......
Last updated 11th September 2013
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