The home stretch was now in sight and so we knew that we did not have to make quite such an early start. Nevertheless, with our estimated time of arrival back at Lower Heyford in the region of 6:30 and past experience of queues building nup at the locks on this part of the Southern Oxford, we set off a little before 9:30. It was again a bright and sunny day - sufficiently hot later on to need sunscreen all round.
Alice was still completing her craft magazine and also making some very detailed drawings of her family as well as strawberries and butterflies. She also showed how well she can cut out shapes. This activity must be the reason that she had suddenly gained a much larger appetite - double portions at breakfast and a good lunch.
We gradually made our way through familiar territory - despite the occasional delay, usually by an inexperienced boat crew. We did stop for lunch today -afterwards, Christine and Alice set off to Kings Sutton Lock on a nature walk (but some of us also knew that there was a little ice cream shop at the lock cottage!) leaving Mike to bring the boat down.
There was a steady flow of boats in the sname direction and Mike timed his cast off to be mid way between. Unfortunately, one of the piling hooks jammed in the piles and by the time he had freed it another boat appeared around the corner. They were obviously put out at a boat casting off in front of them so mIke eventually let them pass just before the lock. If he had known about how long the boats already waiting above and below the lock would take he might not have been so charitable! Still, it gave Alice plenty of time to enjoy her ice cream and to watch what was happening. Mike just read a few chapters of his book!
Somerton Deep lock is said to be the largest fall on the system (but we have seen others make similar claims!) - but it also has a very narrow bridge at the tail of the lock. A boat waiting to come up moored very close to that bridge hole and then allowed it to drift right across the way out of the lock. He seemed very reluctant to pull it in and then proceeded to harangue Mike on the basis that he did not know how to steer and was sterring right when it should be left and vice versa. He was most insistent. Strange how Mike still managed to miss hitting his boat despite this ignorance! At least when we arrived at the last lock, Allen's Lock, where there was only just enough room to pull in between moored boats and the lock itself, one of the people on the boats congratulated Mike on coming in so neatly!
Our instructions were to feed Alice before handing her back - so we prepared the meal during the afternoon and she tucked in - again to double portions all round - whilst we completed the last couple of locks. Finally, we turned into our mooring slot at Lower Heyford where Joanna, with Jessica, had just arrived to collect Alice. After a good chat about what Alice had been doing since arriving on the boat way back at Atherstone (remember it?), and a cup of tea, we waved them farewell and set about our own dinner - and a botttle of good wine!
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