Aynho

Today's Canal : Oxford

A bit more laid back day today - rather hot and sticky sort of weather. It may be a shorter blog as a result - but let's see!

The canal now is very much greener with only the occasional interaction with other parts of society. Of course, the railway is never far away as it shares the Cherwell Valley pioneered as a transport route by the canal navigators. Roads and villages occasionally come canal-side but most are at a little distance.

Today began overcast but muggy - the middle of the day saw more blue skies but by the evening it was again rather close. Not complaining, however!

We did have a tentative date at Lower Heyford so we were not too late setting off with Northbrook and Dashwood locks to come first.

Northbrook Lock

Fairly early in our journey today - but have forgotten exactly where and her blog is not specific - we passed Sue from No problem, one of the interesting narrowboat bloggers. As we were in the middle of the cut, although she was still moored but exercising her dogs, we could not have a long chat but it was very good to see someone 'live' whose travels and travails have long been a source of interest.

Heyford Wharf

Just after half past ten we arrived at Lower Heyford and came alongside one (or three!) of their hire boats being prepared for tomorrow's departures. (Nine going out apparently).

Our main purpose was to enquire about having some boat painting done. The cabin sides are in good conditions still - it was around three years ago that we last had the boat painted - but the roof and the bow and stern wells are in a much worse state. They take all the knocks and really do need some work. The anti-slip sand areas on the roof were the one big disappointment last time and we wanted to make sure that these are properly prepared this time as well as under the handrails and a few other places where the emerging rust shows that the paint was applied over less well prepared surfaces.

It was good to be greeted warmly by several of the staff whom we got to know when we moored here, even though it is some years since we moved away. We did come back last year for blacking.

We also caught up with David Dare's latest schemes and plans for the future. It turns out that his new partner teaches at a school near Devizes!

After agreeing a provisional price and dates later in the year we set off once more, passing through Mill Lift Bridge. This proved a little less difficult to operate than we recalled - it is unusual in its aluminium construction.

Time then for a lunch break - a long lunch break.In fact, probably the longest for some time, certainly since we left Packet Boat! But we have yet to decide on where we will leave the boat at the end of this trip and pushing on only takes into territory with limited public transport which makes for a difficult car shuffle.

Eventually we set off again and arrived at Allen's lock by Upper Heyford. (It is a useful reminder to see on the Ordnance Survey maps that only a short distance away is the huge airfield that once saw constant activity from an American air base, well known in the days of the Cold War and scene of a Peace Camp. The base has long since closed (1994) and much of the open area has been used to store vehicles and a variety of other purposes including building narrowboats. We understand that although essentially closed, basic maintenance is done just in case there is a future need to re-open it.

As we were about to leave the lock we noticed that a small day boat moored above the lock had come adrift and there was no-one aboard (probably in the nearby pub, a popular day boat destination) With the help of the boat coming down, who had probably been the ones that finally pulled out the stern pin, we managed to pull the day boat to the bank and then re-moored with its pins very firmly hammered into the ground, which seemed rather soft anyway. If the canal had been just that bit wider we might have been tempted to moor it facing the opposite direction! Wonder if they noticed how much further in their pins were when they returned later in the afternoon? alas, as always is the case when involved in some action, we forgot to take any pictures!

Including this photo (OK, so it is yet another bridge but it helps to give some perspective!) just so that we can record the blue sky part of the afternoon! (We did say that there was not too much to write about!)

It was good to see that there are people living once more in the house next to Somerton Deep Lock. Still not sure how they go to and fro as there is no road access and the lock is in the middle of some rather large fields in each direction! Delivering new furniture or a fridge must be interesting. Previous occupants used to keep a small boat and outboard tied up below the lock to commute to the nearest road bridge but there was nothing there today.

The lock is especially deep but the bottom gate was replaced last winter. Although still heavy to move, it was not as difficult as some and currently does not leak, which previously meant that it could take some time to fill.

Just after passing Aynho Wharf there was a good stretch of moorings with some vacancies. However, there would have been no tv signal from them so we opted to go a little further. Not wanting to do a couple more locks we had to make do with what we could find and a night some distance from the bank!

At least it does have an occasional mobile signal but it is hit and miss.

10.4 miles - 5 locks