Success....

....well sort of.

Yesterday saw me cast off at 9:30, just as a pair of hotel boats began negotiating Cropedy lock behind me, a well organised affair as the front boat left the butty (engine-less boat towed behind the main boat) in the mouth of the lock as it went through, collecting it again after descent, they had plenty of crew but it’s still quite impressive, not something a single hander could make look so easy!

I passed this little summer haven before arriving at Broadmoor lock (24).

I was surprised to find a Canal and River Trust worker letting water through the lock, they normally do this to adjust the level if the pound (stretch of water between locks) is low, but it wasn’t low so I asked what was happening and was told there was an emergency stoppage at the next lock up, a jammed paddle, and the repair would take 2-3 hours and he would let me know when it was ok to proceed, not a great start to my day! So I went and made a cuppa.

Waiting at Broadmoor lock

Around 11:30 there were now four boats behind me waiting I was up by the lock talking to a chap when around the bend a boat appeared heading down, the lady said the repair was over and we could continue, so it was all a bit of a rush as I headed back to my boat, as the lock was in my favour and with the help of a lot of crew I was soon through and off again, no pictures, I was too busy, and with the queue behind me I did not hang around at the offending  Varney’s lock but it was in my favour again so soon through that and on to Elkington’s lock (23) where I did manage a snap.

Just after the lock is Clattercote Warf where under cover work was going on restoring a wooden narrowboat but it was too hidden to get a decent picture, as an ex carpenter I thought I could do that, buy an old wooden boat and restore it, the thought lasted at least 3 seconds before I changed my mind  :-)

The scenery is getting very pretty now as the colours change

I was soon arriving at the bottom of the Claydon flight of five locks which lift or lower the canal 30’ 6” and luck was with me, there was a water problem ahead with an extremely low pound in the middle of the flight and a C&RT worker was sorting it out, seeing me leaving the bottom lock he began setting the locks ahead in my favour and assisting me through on a couple of them.

Claydon bottom lock

So in good time, making up for the delay earlier, I was soon entering the top lock of the flight, the last one of the day for me.

Claydon top lock

Then on through the countryside

With cows munching through the day

Passing beneath lift bridge 141 which is the last, or first, lift bridge on the South Oxford canal.

The next obstacle was Fenny ‘Tunnel’, which is a tunnel no more, the roof was removed a long time ago as the rock was brittle, so it is now a narrow cutting, with no room for boats to pass, but on this my fourth time through it was all clear again.

I stopped at Fenny Compton wharf and took on 47 ltrs of diesel, and YES they had the cable I needed, well almost, it’s not exactly what I needed but it will suffice, so I was happy.

I moored up at 2:30 on the 48hour visitor mooring just before The Wharf pub ready to move on tomorrow to somewhere a bit quieter on the summit where I will be happy to be the only boat around while I do my little project.

Last night's mooring

Today, Saturday 15th:

This morning was a chilly misty start, this is my mooring about 8am.

I needed milk and the little shop in the Wharf pub didn’t open ‘til 10am so it was about 10:30 when I set off, stopping for a quick water fill first.

I really love the variety of boats and some of the things you see, this was obviously a bedroom being towed by the boat ahead.

I am now on the summit of the Oxford canal and my plan was to cruise through the lockless open countryside until I found a spot without tree cover, no other boats and a piled edge, I am too lazy to knock pins in if I can avoid it.

After about one and a half hours cruising I found a spot fitting the bill exactly so here I am for a day or two, there is a bonus large gap in the hedge right opposite my saloon window.

The sun is now shining and it's a lovely afternoon so I thought I’d try out a panoramic view and this is the view taken through the large gap in the hedegrow, I hope it works for viewing, it's best viewed full size and then you should be able to scroll across it.

Totals this post: 9.5 miles : 8 locks : 1 lift bridge