Short day? No chance!

Well, today was supposed to be a shorter day than yesterday, but it didn’t work out that way. You know what Robbie Burns said – “The best laid plans of mice and men [oft] gang aft a-gley”
I don’t know about the mice, but ours certainly went a-gley!

The day started off well, dry after a drop of rain overnight, a bit overcast but looking promising. Meg and I took a short walk up the hill to the east, over the lift bridge.

Looking back at the canal, Chisnell Lift Bridge to the left, Seyella about in the middle.

Two impressive viaducts carry the West Coast Main Line over a couple of shallow valleys.

This is the southern one…

We’d heard machinery over the hill last night, it must have been a combined harvester.

We got away around 09:15, with just a mile or so to Aynho Wharf.

More evidence of the changing season…

Mags wants to know if she looks daft in a beany-hat.
Answers on a postcard, please.

The village of Souldern lies a mile away from the canal, but had it’s own wharf next to Souldern Bridge.
There’s only this building left now.

We arrived at Aynho and had to wait while another boat was sorted out on the wharf, then it took us another 45 minutes to get fuelled up and do the paperwork. Meanwhile several boats had passed us, going our way.

Waiting across the canal from Aynho Wharf.

We had a short wait at Aynho Weir Lock while a preceding boat went up, then shared the diamond-shaped chamber with a short boat, single-handing.

Ayhno Weir Lock

The wheels came off big-time at Nell Bridge, apparently there had been problems getting the lower lock gate right back, so C&RT had a small dredger in the chamber, clearing the silt from the cill. Of course, a 15 minute job took over an hour, by which time we’d a queue of four below.

Waiting for Nell Bridge Lock

Finally in the lock.

We had to wait for boats ahead at King’s Sutton, and we were tempted to pull over for the day soon after, but decided to press on.

Up King’s Sutton Lock

St Peter and St Paul’s Church at King’s Sutton is a familiar landmark hereabouts.

Scrooby’s Lift Bridge

I wonder who, or what, was Scrooby?

The queue of boats had filtered through by the time we reached Grant’s Lock, leaving the lock full, and there was a boat heading towards so I topped up the chamber and opened the gate. I thought the chap looked familiar, but it was only when the boat came in that the penny dropped. It was John and Fiona, NB Epiphany.




We’ve passed on a couple of occasions, but never had the chance of a proper chat. This was another of those times…







Grant’s was the last lock today, and we moored up about a mile further on, just past Nadkey Bridge. Today’s trip should have taken maybe 3½ hours, in fact it took nearer 6. Such is life.
Tomorrow should definitely be shorter, just 2 miles and 1 lock to moor in Banbury. Or maybe I’ve spoken too soon…
Just for info, I reckon on about 1 litre/hour fuel consumption cruising on the canals, 4 weeks on the river has increased that by 18%. Still, we were doing around 1200 rpm instead of our more usual 900.

Hi Carol. I've been keeping an eye on your journey down the GU, you'll feel more relaxed on the Thames, I guess. Apparently, according to Tom, it's warmer up north! Thanks for the donation, much appreciated. Now I just need a few more folk to follow your example.

https://www.givey.com/geoffwade514 or text SEYE98 to 70070.
See the sidebar on the right

Hiya Tom, I bowed to pressure and put a match to the fire last night, we've been sweltering all day!

Locks 4, miles 6

Still hanging on in there…

Well we’ve not cracked and lit the stove yet, but it’s been a close run thing. Those of you who know Mags will know that that she likes it warm, and, to be fair, she’s not shivered AT me yet. When she does I’ll know it’s time to reach for the matches…
This morning, as I set off for my run, the roof thermometer was reading 3.1°. I was cold by the time I got back, mainly because I got lost and had to wade across the Cherwell to regain the towpath.


But the sun was rising over the trees and the temperature was going the same way as we pulled pins and set off.

Sunny morning but still cool in the shade.

The locks come regularly spaced on this section of the canal as it slowly climbs up the Cherwell valley. Our first today was Northmoor, about 25 minutes after setting off.

Approaching Northmoor Lock

We made good time overall; we had to turn the first two locks but after that traffic coming the other way had left them set for us or were on the way down. And there was often another boat waiting to come down as we left.

Lower Heyford was surprisingly quiet, only three or four boats occupying the visitor moorings.

Mags passing under the stainless steel Mill Lift Bridge.
You have to sit on the beam or else it drops again…

Dozing duck

Allen’s Lock at Upper Heyford was the only one where we had a bit of a wait. There was a boat coming down and a day-boat waiting to go up.

Allen’s Lock

With only one top paddle working and considerable leaks around the bottom gate it was taking some time to fill, hence the short queue.

Heyford Common Lock was quick and easy, then it was just over 2 miles to the notoriously difficult Somerton Deep Lock.

Looking out across the Cherwell Valley

Somerton Church tower visible above the trees

A boat was just leaving Somerton Deep, and another was waiting to come down, so I only had to close that very heavy bottom gate. It’s more difficult to open it. The downhill crew looked after the paddles and top gate, so we were quickly on our way.

The “wild rhubarb” above Somerton Deep is going over now.
I think this is butterbur (Petasites Vulgaris), which starts in the spring with spikey lilac-coloured flowers. It’s long been known for it’s medicinal properties, from a cure for plague and leprosy to the common cold and bronchial complaints. It contains the active chemical Petasine which is used in migraine medication and is being trialed as asthma, blood pressure control and anti-inflammatory treatment. How did the old ‘uns know?

We pulled in just past Chisnell Lift Bridge after quite a long day, but we needed to make up for yesterday’s early stop.

Moored near Chisnell Lift Bridge

Tomorrow we’ve to stop at Aynho Wharf for diesel, gas, a couple of bags of solid fuel, and some bits from the chandlery. I can hear my wallet groaning from here!

Locks 5, miles 8

Cold night, fine day.

The roof thermometer was showing 4.7°C this morning at 6 o’clock. That must be the coldest night since Spring, and you could tell inside as well as out. Ten degrees warmer, but still chilly.

But with the clear skies there was no point in lighting the fire, as soon as the sun got up the temperature rose rapidly.

Rather better than when we arrived yesterday..

I think we woke Maffi up as we tooted, passing NB Milly M. A tousled head appeared at the side hatch…

Morning Maffi!

We passed a single hander as we approached Shipton Weir Lock, he was getting ready to move so I said I’d wait for him at the lock. Although the canal is classified as narrow, this lock will accommodate two narrow boats, so long as neither is full length.

Two in the diamond shaped Shipton Weir Lock

The boater had not been this way before and assumed that we’d be able to share the locks for the day. He was soon disabused of this mad notion when we reached Bakers Lock, a conventionally shaped chamber.

The Cherwell was behaving itself this morning, just a bit of flow making it easier round the bends upstream than down.

Little remains of the cement works near the river, the most prominent feature is the tall chimney.

It’s final operators were the Blue Circle Industries.

It’s attractive to those who like to explore derelict sites…

Going up Bakers.

I’m sure the dishes at The Satellite Earth Station have multiplied!
There’s nothing exciting about this group of dishes, from Ofcom’s website -
A Satellite Earth Station is a type of radio equipment used to communicate with a space station (satellite) from the Earths surface. They are typically used to provide telephony, data, backhaul, broadcast feeder links and two-way business/consume broadband or corporate type communications.

As usual it’s a bit of a slalom through Enslow and past the Rock of Gibraltar, boats moored both sides restricting the channel.

Pigeon Lock was occupied by a boat coming down when we arrived, and two more were waiting behind, so we had assisted passage up. Our intention was to stop above Dashwood Lock, but we decided to pull in past the Kirtlington Quarry moorings, but before Old Brighton Bridge. There’s some pleasant stretches of piled bank along here, and it was quiet enough on the towpath for me to get some of the woodpile sliced and diced.

Moored north of Kirtlington.

We were alone here at midday, now in the evening there are half a dozen boats moored here.

Locks 3, miles 4

Back to the ditches.

It’s a bit of a shock to be back on the narrow, shallow canals after a month on the Thames, but it’s also somewhat reassuring to be able to do our own locks, not to have to worry too much about finding a mooring at the end of a day’s cruise, and to have to concentrate when passing under bridges.

After a quiet night on the East St. moorings, we set off at around half-nine, under the low Osney Bridge, with a couple of miles to go to Godstow Lock.

Osney Bridge, low headroom bars passage further upstream to those large cruisers.
I’ve searched in vain for information about the Oxford Local Board, but the Coat of Arms on the left is that of the University of Oxford, the other is a simplified version of the City of Oxford’s. This will also be familiar to motorists of a certain age…

The Morris factory was at Cowley, south-east of the city.

Passing the Sheepwash Channel.

We decided to go back onto the Oxford via Dukes Cut again, it’s quicker than having to crawl past all the moored boats along the canal above Sheepwash.

Out in the open past the beautiful Port Meadow.

I don’t think I seen an egret before…

Godstow Lock and weir.
It looks fine weather, and it was, but it was also pretty cool in the breeze.

Above Godstow Lock the channel starts to wind in a series of tight S bends until it reaches King’s Lock. I suppose it was a bit of a toss-up which channel was made navigable, there’s the other to the east which runs past Lower Wolvercote and provided power and water for Wolvercote Mill. It leaves just above King’s, and returns just below Godstow. Part of this backwater is used to reach Duke’s Cut and the Oxford Canal.

Winding our way to King’s Lock, following NB Tre

King’s Lock, no push buttons on this one.

We turned right almost immediately above the lock onto the Wolvercote backwater.

That’ll be us then…

We could have done without meeting this pair on the narrow bit of the backwater…

A left turn takes us onto the artificial channel, Dukes Cut, down to Dukes Cut Lock, also known, rather prosaically, as “44B”

Lock 44B

Just a six inch drop takes the channel down onto the Oxford canal, where a right turn heads back to the city, and a left heads north and straight into Dukes Lock.

Into Dukes Lock
This, Kidlington Green and Roundham locks interrupt the 3 miles or so to Thrupp. For some reason I didn’t take any more pictures till we got there.

The sky was getting darker as we neared Thrupp, we thought we might just make it but the heavens opened as we passed The Jolly Boatman. Luckily there was loads of space, so it didn’t take long to get tied up.

Looking out from the back steps.

We’d have managed to get here dry if we hadn’t stopped to pick up some logs near Kidlington…


…and some blackberries near Roundham.

The wood is on the roof, the blackberries went into a very nice crumble. Yum.

Locks 6, miles 8

Avoiding the rush.

After spending the weekend at Abingdon we decided on an early start today to beat the rush as boats left the town moorings. There’s only one water hose between Cleeve Lock and Eynsham Lock, and it’s at the services here, so everyone and his dog want to use it. It can get a bit manic…

Yesterday rope and stake barriers went up around the meadows alongside the river, joining the porta-loos already there. It was Abingdon’s Horse Show. They’d only have got wet twice, so the weather was reasonably kind.

They had dressage in one ring…

…and jumping in another.

I got the impression it’s mainly for the youngsters, though, unless I missed the senior events.

Some expensive looking nags about. 

On Saturday morning we’d moved half a mile to just below the lock, opposite the weir. Where we were had a high bank, and it was a bit of a struggle for Meg.

A walk around Abingdon…

The Town Hall

Abbey Walk

The abbey itself has been demolished, but some of the associated buildings remain. 

We were getting ready to go for a walk on Saturday afternoon when a couple and a little boy came along. The youngster, 4 or 5 I would guess, wanted to say hello to Meg and came toddling down the bank, then stepped through the gap between the boat and the bank. He was only in the water a couple of seconds, but on the way down he banged his forehead on the guard around the fore-end. When I hauled him back out his face was covered in blood. But he was screaming, always a good sign.
We rushed him up to the lockside where an ambulance arrived after about 15 minutes. After treatment the medic said he’d be OK, but they were taking him in as a precaution, and he’d need anti-tetanus and antibiotics just in case.
It could have been so much worse; if I hadn’t been there, or if a boat going past had sucked him under the boat. Just a moment’s inattention…

Moored below Abingdon Lock

Anyway, this morning we pulled pins at 08:30. We weren’t the first up the lock, though, three narrowboats had already passed around 8. Just as we were preparing to get off another boat came past, NB Chilli Pepper, and we joined them in the lock. Both boats needed water, so we spent the next hour chatting, finishing up with a handful of home-grown courgettes from their allotment. Anyone got any good courgette recipes? I might try courgette fries…

Water filling

Someone had been cutting trees back on on bank above the lock, it broke my heart to see this lot going up in flames.
They were only saving the heavy trunks, anything smaller than about a foot in diameter was going on the pyre.

We had a quiet cruise to Sandford Lock, only seeing two or three boats coming the other way.

MV Circassia

EA workboat Cherwell, towing a small flat and a dinghy

Behind us, however, it was chaos. The couple on NB Chilli Pepper were waiting on the visitor moorings above the lock for some friends, and, when they arrived here in Oxford, told me that boats were all over soon after we’d left, most coming up the lock wanting water. There was no room on the service wharf or lock landing, several boats circling in a “holding pattern” waiting for a gap. I think we made the right decision…

Nuneham House, up on the west bank

I’d be happy with the boathouse…

Nuneham Railway Bridge is a double bowstring design.

Sandford Lock is the deepest on the river above Teddington at nearly nine feet, but it’s also really gentle, the well designed sluices bringing the water in through the base of the chamber.

Approaching Sandford Lock, the mill is now apartments.

Filling Sandford Lock, fast but gentle.

A half hour above Sandford is Iffley Lock, in contrast one of the shallowest at just 2’9.

Kennington Railway Bridge is a triple bowstring. Wow.

At Iffley Lock we were supervised by this lot…

Having taken the southerly channel at Folly Bridge on the way down, I decided to take the other on the way back.

Folly Bridge, heading for the north channel.
Salter’s have a base on the island here.





Near Osney Railway Bridge is a monument to one Edgar George Wilson who died while saving two young boys from drowning. The 21 year old was on his way back to work along the river path when he saw the boys in difficulty. Although barely able to swim himself, he jumped in to help them, losing his own life.
Osney Lock, like the previous two was lonely, just us and the lock-keeper. He had a bit of company to look forward to as we left.



A party of skiffs getting ready to drop down Osney Lock

Arriving at lunchtime there was plenty of space on the East St moorings, we got a slot opposite the now redundant Victorian power station.

Moored near Osney

Two more Thames locks tomorrow, then Dukes Cut and up onto the Oxford Canal.

Locks 4, miles 8½