Saturday August 18
Left Adderbury under cloudy skies. We made good progress to Banbury with little traffic going our way. It was therefore with some surprise that we found eight boats waiting at Banbury Lock. I suppose they must have been moored up locally.
Among the boats waiting was NB Guppy who had been stuck in the floods at Lechlade. They had obtained some dramatic photos from the local Lechlade press of their boat and others with water all over the meadow and no banks visible all the way to St John's Lock. They had used their poles to avoid settling on the bank. They spoke highly of how the EA staff had helped them. We also met NB Dreamweaver who moor near us at Yardley Gobion. They had been stuck at several places on the Thames.
We failed to find a pump-out at Banbury (only open Monday to Thursday) but picked up shopping at M&S while waiting for the lock. After lunch we carried on to Cropredy in rain. Moored up at the best mooring in the village right next to the lock. Joined at the mooring by NB Victoria! Couldn't resist a meal at the Red Lion. Although it has been redecorated and gone for a stylised lion logo it retains the feel of a village pub and is very popular. The food was excellent. Edward had a sizzling steak on a hot stone. Steve bought a copy of John Kemplay's book 'In The Wake of The Flower Of Gloster' from behind the bar. It will help his analysis of the original.
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