Banbury

The possibility of returning home on Monday, a day earlier than originally planned, so that Mike can go to a meeting he had forgotten about (or at least was not in the diary!) led to a slightly earlier start. If we make it to Banbury - which should not be a problem - then tomorrow can be the car shuffle day instead of Sunday or Monday as originally scheduled. Got that? There will be an exam later!

It was raining as we started but only intermittent showers marked most of the say. Generally a bit warmer, certainly not as cold as a week ago. It was, however, not a good day for taking photos.

Fenny Compton Marina

The first major point on today's run was Fenny Compton - well it was major in the days of working canals but less so now, although there is a small marina.

The Tunnel

Immediately after the wharf comes The Tunnel - a long straight cutting that owes its name to the fact that it was originally built as a tunnel but later opened out. Only a short section at the southern end is still as narrow as it would have been as a tunnel and it is not sensible for boats to pass at that point. There are not traffic lights and no rules about who gains priority and in busy times this can be a bit frustrating as a long line of boats refuses to give way. As it happened, after seeing few boats so far, one arrived at the other end of the narrows just as we started on it!

Turnover Bridge

The splendid cast iron turnover bridge marks the middle of the former tunnel.

A former railway bridge shows that sometimes the canals outlasted their upstart rivals!

The first of the lift bridges that are a feature of the southern Oxford Canal came into view - this, like most, is normally left open but it is a narrow gap to negotiate.



Claydon Top Lock

Claydon Top Lock marks the end of the summit pound and the start of our descent - if we followed the whole way we would eventually join the River Thames just outside Oxford. But we are only aiming to go as far as Lower Heyford.

On cold or wet days no doubt the original lock keepers would welcome the chance to warm up inside these small huts.

It may look as if this tree was beginning to break out into leaf or blossom but no. These are drops of rain that gathered on the otherwise bare branches.

Clattercote Wharf seems to have added to its collection of silent onlookers!

The last we heard was that the new Cropredy Marina were hoping to accept the first moorers now in July but with just a few lonely incomplete pontoons this seems a tad hopeful. There was nothing happening, no equipment or plant on site and the piles of excavated soil have started to show green as the grass and weeds poke through. The difficult winter weather must mean that they are very much behind even their revised schedule.

Christine walked from Cropredy Lock to call at the small shop close to the next bridge whilst Mike continued down to the wharf to start using the services. With no water stops for a couple of days it took a little longer than usual to fill up. We had then to crawl past a long line of permanently moored boats before we could stop for lunch.

The afternoon's run into Banbury was quite simple with just three more locks to pass through.

In many places the signs of the ancient strip cultivation furrows can still be seen despite many generations of farming since then, but occasionally where the canal cuts through it becomes obvious that they really did pre-date the canal. This photo also shows that the rain was getting onto the camera lens too frequently!

We were almost into Banbury when a heavier shower arrived and we were glad to be able to find a spot on the Castle Quay where we could tie up and dry out.

10.9 miles - 12 locks