Fenny Compton and Summit Pound

Off just after 9:30 but it was only a hundred metres or so to our first stop - Cropredy Wharf! Here we disposed of rubbish and emptied the elsan - it was some distance from there to the next sanitary station at the bottom of the Napton Flight.

Off again - into Cropredy Lock (where we took up the offer of some of their apples) with several more all spaced out with short cruising times between each of them. It was again rather busy and the hotel pair of boats were just ahead of us. Broadmoor Lock is, we understand, dues for gate replacement after half term - it certainly needs it as the leakage is so much that it looks from a short distance away as if another boat is emptying it!

When we set off there was light rain but this quickly cleared and the morning was warm and pleasant, although generally cloudy. By late morning the sun broke through from time to time. We passed Clattercote Wharf - former home of Take Five.

The Claydon Flight came next and it no longer justifies its reputation for hard-to-operate bottom paddles. Whilst not the lightest, they now work as well as most.

We cleared Claydon Top lock just at the right time for lunch - we moored just after the bridge - with mooring rings! This is a recognised mooring spot: the hotel boats were already there, having lunch.

The afternoon turned very bright and sunny - a breeze sprang up as we were having our lunch, making it rather tricky to pull away from the bank.

The summit pound is well-known for its twists and turns as it follows the contours. With the autumn sun lower in the sky and the leaves on the trees gradually turning to their final colours before a gale blows them away - this was a beautiful scene. Mike was photographing all the bridges and other landmarks (even former bridge holes!) but this does encourage a greater awareness of the passing scenery which was well-worth looking at!

 Fenny Compton is about the only place along the summit pound - just before it is the stretch known as The Tunnel, which it once was before being opened out.

The site of the medieval village or Wormleighton could be seen easily with the bright, low sun highlighting the contours.

The photo of Bridge 129 is really intended to show how blue the sky was at four o'clock!

Knowing that the bank is shallow in the run-in to Napton Top Lock, we pulled in early, just before bridge 123, rather than risk not finding anywhere closer to the locks. Even so we needed to use the gangplank to get conveniently between boat and shore once we were tied up!