Napton Flight with the windmill on the hill
Lock side WWII pill box on the Napton flight
Although we have passed this way many times before we particularly noted the World War II pill box close to one of the locks. We have noticed a similar one on the Oxford summit near Priors Hardwick. Apparently the it's a Stent Pre-Fabricated Pill Box. We once walked up the hill at Napton to view the windmill and noted the plaque on the summit that reports that during WWII there once was an observation post on top of the hill The sign chillingly reads 'This seat and tree is close to the site of the Observer Post that witnessed the
many nights of the Coventry blitz. As a mark of remembrance the rowan tree was
planted on the 50th anniversary of the blitz. While sitting on this seat made
from Shukburgh grown timber please take time to reflect on the freedom we have
today. The support of this country in its desperate hours by such people as the
Royal Observer Corps, the Home Guard, the Women's Land Army and all those in
agriculture and horticulture who protected and fed the Nation is not always so
easily remembered'.
The weather deteriorated as we approached Braunston with threatening clouds appearing from the south-west. As we got to the junction at Braunston we were greeted by a loud clap of thunder! Fortunately only a light shower actually fell on us although to the south we could see lots of rain. We reversed Albert down the North Oxford to make use of the 14 day moorings as we were again called on for grandparent duties and would be away from the boat.
That night we ate at The Boathouse. As always the food was good value and enjoyable but we couldn't help notice how our waitress lacked any form of charm. Quite different from the last time we visited when the young waiter who served us was being trained by a supervisor and was very pleasant and attentive. It turned out his supervisor was also his mother!
