9 o'clock start today as we leave our peaceful mooring about a mile above Pigeon Lock ...
... and pass through Northbrook Lock where I left George aboard and set off walking with Molly ...
... and where the vista, both on the left and on the right ...
... was breathtakingly lovely ...
... with intriguing views from the towpath through the woods
Approaching Heyford Wharf under bridge 206 ...
... and passing the Oxfordshire Narrow Boats base
St Mary's church, Lower Heyford from the towpath
The River Cherwell is once again across the towpath ...
... as I arrive at Mill Lift Bridge - I was going to open this for George to pass through but I wasn't strong enough to keep it held down while I tried to sit on it (to hold it down) so he had to pull over and I steered Rn R through.
Back on the stern steering into Heyford Common Lock I spy this iron bar in the wall - no idea what it's for, but I'm sure there's someone out there who will tell me! (see Brian's (NB Harnser) comments below)
Lush, green and beautiful ..
Somerford in the distance ...
... the railway passing Somerford church of St Peter and St Paul
Looks like a very productive nursery garden
BW staff happy in their work!
4 Sculptured posts stand just past Somerton Bridge
Waiting for Somerton Deep Lock to be made ready for me ...
(can you see George - click to enlarge if you can't!)
(can you see George - click to enlarge if you can't!)
... coo - the cill is higher than the roof of RnR ...
... and the bottom gate is high ...
George closing the sluices on the bottom gate so that he can open the top paddles to let the water in allowing me to rise in the lock ...
... which has a very nice lock house...
... with a fantastic view!
The lift bridges are left in the open position for a few miles now
Not half as romantic as the old fashioned haystacks!
Aynho Weir Lock - From Adam NB Briar Rose in answer to my question in the previous posting -
The reason for the wide locks is to send more water down the canal. The locks below them are much deeper, so if the shallow locks were just normal width the pound in between would eventually run out of water. Putting two boat in one of the diamond shaped locks would defeat the purpose: they'd take one lockful down with them, then use two at the next one.
Thanks Adam
George waiting for the level to be set so that he can open the gate
Nell Bridge Lock with its very narrow, low bridge 'ole
If a boat was coming down the lock here when this river section was in spate the table on the right would inform the steerer whether or not the boat would be able to pass under that low bridge! Fortunately for me the river was not in spate!
The first boat to pass us today - 6-hours after setting off!
A very enterprising smallholding selling all manner of goodies ...
... including home reared pork ...
... and having an interest in classic vehicles - a 256 BHP sports car and an Austin A30 van
Under the lovely lift bridge and on to the very noisy, busy M40
4:15pm arrived at Kings Sutton our mooring for tonight ...
... with a view of Kings Sutton Church.
So far we have been most impressed with the quality and regularity of well kept mooring spots on the Oxford Canal.
The steel pin is a fender to stop the wall rubbing away. Ref nell Bridge, do you know how tall your boat is to the profile of that bridge? I don't with mine, but when the gates open I know if I can get through the arch.
ReplyDeleteBrian on Harnser cause I can't sign on to Blogger
Hi Brian, thanks for the comments - would the pin have been installed when the lock was originally built? No, we wouldn't know how tall RnR is above the water line (air draught), it's something we only think about when in that sort of situation!
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