Sun, rain and mud!

Tuesday 11:30
Bye Maffi - see you on our return trip 

Geoff is nearly ready to leave too

Sparrowgap Bridge
Langford Lane Bridge
(sorry wrong way round!)

Pretty canal-side cottages at Langford Bridge (224) Sparrowgap Bridge - what a wonderful name, I wonder how it came about?

Yarnton Bridge (228) is very low but we managed to get through today with no problem 

Just as we came in to moor above Kidlington Green Lock, the heavens opened and we got soaked before being able to put on waterproofs, once secure George walked to meet Seyella to help them to put in their pins.

Maffi will be pleased to hear that we’re moored within spitting distance of the Sheriff of Nottingham.

The weir above Kidlington Green Lock was a torrent as we started our daily pack walk ...

... it was gushing under the towpath, through the culvert ...

... and back into the canal again to surprise boaters approaching the lock and sending the unaware into the opposite bank!

This happens when the lock above is emptied and the excess rushes down the pound (water between 2 locks). 

Drinkwater’s Lift Bridge - must remember to take the BW key to operate this one when we leave here

Down the long line of long term moorers and 14 day visitors ...

Red Boards indicate that the River Thames through Dukes advises all boaters not to navigate because the strong flows make it difficult and dangerous - so we’ll have to wait a bit longer!

A decorative finger post at the junction

River Thames to the left

Oxford straight on (canal)

Woodstock and Banbury back to where we’ve walked from

Looking at Duke’s Cut from bridge 232

very narrow through here

Geoff attempting wash some of the mud from his boots in water from the Thames which has flooded onto the path under the road bridge

Taken from the towpath at the entrance to Oxey Mead I can see this expanse of water across the River Thames but I can’t find out what it is on the internet - can anyone enlighten me?

At the entrance to Oxey Mead Nature Reserve the path became too overgrown ...

... and we decided to head back to the boats through the mud and the encroaching nettles

Back at Kidlington Green Lock the overflow from the canal and into the culvert had greatly depleted so presumably Rounham Lock (one mile away) is currently not in use.