A latish start for us on Saturday; we were waiting for a chap from an aerial company in Kidlington to come and look at a try-band aerial that George bought and couple of months ago but which stopped working recently, we need him to confirm that it is indeed broken so that we can reclaim the cost.
While we waited along came this Oxford hire boat with the two very well dressed gentlemen on board; the one on the roof with the boating pole although they may have been better placed on punts on the Cam at Cambridge!
So it was just before 11 when we upped sticks and cruised through Aubreys Lift Bridge ...
... onto Thrupp Wide where the day is being enjoyed by the young (and not so young) enthusiasts of ‘Muddy Waters'
The water point was busy so George ‘hovered’ in the middle waiting for the space
Shipton Weir Lock beyond which is the River Cherwell. There is a warning board here informing about the state of the river - Green = normal conditions, Yellow = proceed with caution, Red = do not proceed. The water level was in the yellow so through we went ...
The river was fine, no problems at all. Here I’m in Bakers Lock at the ‘other end’ of the river stretch - the natural course of which going across the end of the lock cut under the bridge on the right of the picture
I’d often heard boaters talk of moorings and visits to The Rock of Gibralter but had no idea what or where it was or what it had to do with the canal! Now I know! We’ve been this way at least 3 times but have never noticed it before!!
Apparently Bakers Lock (above picture) was named after its first landlord in the 1870’s when the canal was built.
Brilliant!
The wind is blowing the leaves of the silver birch trees to show the white underside and with the red leaves of the tree in the middle it made a truly lovely picture
Looking back at a very typical canal view (Old Brighton Bridge)
Dashwood Lock, the last for today
‘The Other One’ - it looks in better condition than when we last saw it a few years ago.
We pulled in at Lower Heyford for the night. It’s been a lovely day for cruising, warm sunshine on our backs but with an occasional rather biting wind. Hope we have as good a day tomorrow.
Sunday - the wind had dropped and it’s another fine day ...
... Allen’s Lock is the first of the day ...
... and there’s a bit of a queue at Heyford Common Lock
Not very old at all - how sweet!
The Oxford Canal in places feels more like a river
I spy a rather ornate church tower over to our right as we cruise ...
... and on the other side of the canal is St Mary’s Church at North Aston nestling in the trees
There it is again - it’s St James Church, Somerton
C&RT’s contractors are renewing the canal banks here and making a really good job of it too.
Somerton Deep Lock ...
... with its pretty lock house ...
... takes us up 12 feet creating this spectacular view looking south down the Oxford Canal
And yet another spectacular view - a Red Kit gliding on the therms above us.
At Aynho Wharf we were delighted to see Bones and Boots just stepping out for a walk - it was great to spend an evening with Bones and other boaters and bloggers on Friday evening - hope to see you again in the not too distant future!
Moored above Kings Sutton Lock with the lovely spire of St Peter and St Paul behind us.
Another great day's cruising!
Another great day's cruising!
Thanks for that Paul - I wonder how many more there are!
ReplyDeleteCarol the canal was finished in 1793. I don't know when the pub was built but you are right Bakers lock was suposedly named after the first publican.
ReplyDelete