Napton.....eventually.

Yesterday I left Braunston along the short hop to the junction and then off down the Oxford canal, it was a little bit chaotic at the junction, there was one boat I could see in the distance reversing towards me, so I sounded 2 short blasts on the horn to inform him I intended to go left, that also sounded a warning to anyone coming out of the junction, not the correct warning which should be a long single blast, but I couldn’t really do both and not many people understand the sound signals anyway, the reversing boat paused and I turned into the junction as I got about a third of the way in I was met with a boat coming out, it’s too tight for two long-ish boats to pass so he stopped and reversed, I stopped and once it was clear enough I got around ok.

Rolling hillside

The Oxford is a much narrower and more twisty canal than the GU, it’s more rural but quite busy so care must be taken approaching bridges and tight bends and moored boats, there were a number of ‘breathe in and squeeze through’ situations but everyone seemed to be behaving well (including myself), sometimes when there isn’t enough room you just have to wait and let the boat with priority through, sometimes it’s you, it makes it all the more interesting and there is beautiful scenery, the cruise was a delight.

Napton Junction also known as Wigrams Turn is where the GU and The Oxford actually part company, the initial part from Braunston to this turn is actually a joint canal (Grand Union and Oxford) and it is here that the GU heads off towards Birmingham.

Wigrams Turn....Birmingham through here.

Continuing on down the canal I passed Les (N.b. Valerie) stood on the back of his moored boat, a cheery “hello again, where are you off too” was about all we had time for but that’s how it is, you see people time and time again but only ‘meet’ them if you are both moored in the same area.

Now at this point I was following a boat that was going very slowly, I had caught them up and was going just about at tickover even in the clear areas, it was not a problem but I am going to blame them for my next error, I knew where I wanted to stop, after  Bridge 112 and before the Napton Locks, as we came through Bridge 110 he slowed even more and began to moor up on a section of piling and I thought ‘oh it must be busy’ because it wasn’t the ideal spot, so as I rounded the next bend and saw a mooring I took it, once I had finished mooring and went for a walk I realised my error, I had not engaged my brain when I woke up, I was two bridges and about a mile short of my intended location, oh well, never mind.

This morning at 10:30 I made the effort and moved up to the visitor moorings I should have stopped at yesterday passing the windmill on the back of Napton on the Hill, it can be seen from the canal as you approach Napton but is on private land with no admittance.

I don't think this new build will do much to enhance the view of it,

I went for a walk lunchtime, it’s another wonderful little village, about a half mile from the canal and again up a very steep hill, the parish church of St. Lawrence has a Norman chancel

and is at the very top maybe in an effort to deter half hearted worshippers from bothering, there is virtually no vehicular access, just a dirt track, no car park.

View from about half way up the Hill

It wouldn't be a village 'post' without one of these.

A village store and post office, the village pub “The Crown” looked closed but I wasn’t sure, it did not look very inviting and there is “The Folly” down by the canal at the locks, a much busier looking family friendly pub.

Canal wise it’s a busy little spot, with the water points one side of the canal just after a tight bend, the services point the other side of the canal immediately through bridge 113 and adjacent to the first lock (8) of the Napton locks, entertaining for the Gongoozlers and sometimes by the look of things, testing for the boaters, I will see how I get on tomorrow if I move on.

Tonights Mooring

Totals Yesterday and Today: about 7 Miles : 0 locks

There are no mileage indictors on Pearson’s guide for the Oxford, so I’m guessing a bit.