Not quite what I wanted.

I wanted to set off this morning around 10 in the sunshine, it wasn't sunny and I didn't leave until 11, no worries as Mick Jagger said 'you can't always get what you want'

After negotiating the electric lift bridge just ahead of my mooring I pulled onto the service point for the usual fill and empty, I wasn't particularly full or empty but it made sense while I was so close.

Service point at Thrupp, the winding hole is alongside and behind me
utilising the 90° bend right by the lift bridge.

Thrupp is a very popular and well maintained stopping point, despite them cutting the grass alongside my new paintwork the day after I had finished it, (luckily not while it was wet) I enjoyed my brief stay but wanted to get on and find a new spot to start on the other side.

Not far ahead lay the first obstacle, a lift bridge with no mooorings on the off side making it tricky for the single hander, but by taking my time it went well and as I moved away a lady on a boat approaching said "you made that look easy for a single hander" I was chuffed at that comment.

Next was Shipton Weir lock (41), diamond shaped 2' 5" deep but with heavy gates, they look odd but are not difficult although the boat tends to wander about a bit, but soon through that one as well.

And then onto the river Cherwell for the run up to the next lock, it's quite bendy and if the rivers high quite tricky I would imagine but no problem today, all very calm, through Bakers lock (40) 8' 6" deep and uneventful and then following the graceful curve past the line of permit holder moorings to get to Enslow, I took this picture of the view across the fields with boats and the bridge in the distance but it doesn't do it justice really.

Another long line of permit holders moorings the other side of Enslow Wharf makes for slow going, but I was not in any rush.

Enslow Wharf

It was now time to see if my first option would succeed, there is a winding hole just ahead and another further along after the next lock, if there was space on the towpath moorings before the lock I intended to go up through the lock then turn and come back down the lock to moor facing the correct way to paint, but in Mick's words again 'you can't always get what you want', the moorings were full, so a little disappointed I went up through the lock and moored above it, it's not suitable for painting here, but it was muggy and I was a bit deflated so it will be carry on tomorrow and keep a look out for somewhere else.

Tonight's mooring:

Totals today: 3 miles : 2 lift bridges : 3 locks