We set off around 9:30 with the long remaining stretch of the summit pound ahead of us. Almost immediately we passed the site of the medieval village of Wormleighton. Although it is just possible - if you know it is there - to make out the earthworks but it really needs an aerial photo to see it properly.
Wonder why the sheep chose this particular section of a long fence on which to rub their woolly backs? The unnumbered footbridge between bridges 131 and 132 has been re-named the Wedding Bridge 2009 - wonder what the story here is?
We made good progress - there were a few boats around this morning but little to delay us. Before we knew it were within sight of the Wormleighton radio mast. The extreme contouring and meandering of this older, unimproved, section of the Oxford Canal means that this landmark appears in very different directions in quite short order. As we had thought that it was no longer in use, we were a bit surprised to see two people climbing up the mast. When we saw them they were about half way. Since they were wearing hi-vis jackets we assumed that they were meant to be there!
Willisons Bridge is another with almost no parapets - see yesterday's blog. However, in this case it seems that someone thought that they might be a bit intimidated and fitted chains on movable poles but we have never seen them upright!
Two more amusing pix: this farmer's bird scarer will frighten almost anyone - especially on a misty morning! And what high tide left this Noah's Ark high and dry on the top of the bank?
Having seen very few boats all morning, it was just our luck that there was a boat just entering the top lock at Napton as we arrived! We took on a little water whilst waiting but, in any case, we planned our lunch break just three locks down. By now the grey, misty morning was giving way to a hazy sunny afternoon and, for the most part, was noticeably warmer.
At this time of the year, lock flights like Napton, busy and popular in the summer, are quiet and almost deserted apart from walkers. Stress-free! At the bottom we used the facilities and finished filling our water tank.
A short run brought us then to Wigrams Turn - marina land! beyond, we passed the small village of Lower Shuckburgh with its Victorian brick church. We wondered how it ever managed to fill itself in even the high days of Victorian England.
By now the temperature was dropping and so, just before the road bridge to Flecknoe, we found a good mooring and called it a day. To Mike's surprise, Christine then decided to wash and wax the side of the boat by the towpath!
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