Napton

The day was largely overcast, still very warm and often rather stuffy. Still, not much to complain about, until the water shortage begin to take hold. Reports from the Leeds and Liverpool are quite alarming.

After completing the short run to Napton Junction and then to Folly Wharf (where Christine went to the store to buy some milk and a paper - alas, no guardian, only The Times!) we joined the queue for the flight of locks. Whilst we waited we used the water point and sani station. We we arrived there were already 3 or 4 boats waiting and soon there were almost as many behind us. Most crews were very pleasant and chatty - there is always the exception. However, it was good to talk with someone whose view on tupperware boats and the Thames is close to ours!

Eventually we set off but after completing the third lock we again lost power. A quick check confirmed the same problem as on the Nene - both bolts had worked loose despite the fact that they seemed OK when we did the routine checks this morning.

Benefiting from having watched the RCR engineer, Mike set about rectifying the problem - at least he was able to find the bolts in the engine tray, feeling around in the mucky sump liquid! In fact we were able to set off again, having only lost one place in the queue. We shall need to check the bolts more frequently, it seems.

The buffalo we have seen alongside the canal on previous trips were not to be seen, but replaced by ponies and foals as well as a selection of presumably rare breed sheep.

After four locks we pulled in to moor up for lunch. after a good hour's break we completed the three remaining locks to the top. Ahead of us lay the 13 mile summit pound.

There is not a lot to report about the first two thirds of the run as the canal meanders around the contours, having been built in the early days of canal mania and before engineers worked out ways of building embankments and making cuttings. Other parts of the Oxford were subsequently straightened.

The latter part, through Fenny Compton, is a little prettier and runs through 'The Tunnel': a section that was previously constructed as a tunnel but was later opened out into a narrow cutting. Eventually we moored just a few minuted away from Clayton Top Lock - fun for the morrow. Mike was rather relieved that he was able to lock on to a satellite signal after failures the two previous evenings and he was beginning to wonder if something was amiss.