Lower Heyford

On Sunday 16th July we left Cropredy and found a number of boats going south and a few short queues at locks (up to three boats) as we worked our way south through Banbury. However, the town was quiet on a Sunday morning. We had a short wait at Banbury Lock whilst an elderly lady made he way across the lift bridge to her sheltered home on the other side of the canal.

Banbury centre

Crossing the canal

At Somerton Deep Lock we chatted to the owners of the lock cottage about their lifestyle; living in a isolated house with no mains electricity, no mains water and no road access. Their five year-old daughter travels to her local primary school by boat. They have developed some inventive methods for water use and rely on generators for power.

Somerton Deep Lock and Cottage

Leaving the lock

Lock cottage transport

After some more locks , as Person puts it "spaced at annoying intervals" we made Lower Heyford by the evening where we found a very convenient mooring close to the railway station. The only problem was we had discovered a 3G black spot and no web access. Because we were trying to arrange some complex travel arrangements for our visitors on the Monday it was a little unnerving but it turned out that moving just two boat lengths south gave us full 3G and 4G access and I need not have worried.

Cropredy

With our aim to get to Lower Heyford by Sunday evening, we left early on Saturday morning (15th July) and climbed the last three to the top of the flight. The buffalo herd near the top of the flight were much in evidence.

Napton's Buffalo

After a short gap we reached Marston Doles flight and tried to fill up the water tank. The slow tap meant we gave up the unequal struggle. It then started drizzling as we tackled the Oxford summit and its twist and turns. I then got very wet at Fenny Compton when we finally took on water. I had decided to clean a mark off the bow flares using a diesel soaked rag. I placed the rag on the gas locker lid and then stepped on the lid. It was at that moment that things went pear-shaped. I slipped, span in the air and landed on my back in the canal and everything went green as I went under! I then stood up and contemplated life. I know how difficult it is getting out of the canal once in. but I quickly found part of the metal shuttering had a handy step so I was soon out and back on board having a shower. I think I was very lucky not to strain anything or even hit something solid. 

After a sandwich lunch we moved on and reached Claydon flight. The flight was about to be closed overnight (5:00 - 8:00) for water conservation. The trip down the flight was quite efficient with boats coming up. 

Claydon Top Lock

An interesting mooring on the Oxford Summit

(the boat is in water but the basin is not connected to the canal)

That night we moored up above Cropredy lock after juggling with moorings to get the maximum number of boats into a given space. We just had to go to the famous Red Lion for dinner. The inn is our favourite watering hole on the Oxford and of course has its place in waterways history being the inn where Tom & Angela Rolt visited on their first night on NB Cressy. E Temple Thurston in his 1911 book even dedicated a whole chapter to the inn in his book "Flower of Gloster". 

We had a good meal and drinks in the restaurant (as opposed to the bar) and sat next two couples who appeared to be discussing boats and boating. It turned out that one of them was the actor David Suchet who, of course, is a well-known canal enthusiast.

Some trading boats were in the area of Cropredy preparing for the Fairport Convention festival and Maggie, who finds it difficult to find hats that fit, bought a knitted hat from on a woman on a boat. 

Napton Locks

On Friday 14th July we left Weedon with the aim of putting some miles and locks behind us so we could make Lower Heyford the next Monday to pick up our friends Anne & Edward Winter and also meet up with another Parkin - Maddison who is my cousin's daughter. She normally resides in Nova Scotia but is staying near Oxford for few months. We chose to meet both our friends, and Maddison and her boyfriend at Heyford because of its great rail connections - the station is just yards from the canal. From that moment we had a schedule to keep.

We stopped off at Whilton Locks Chandlers to buy some hinges for our front locker and then met up with a hire boat for the journey up the locks. They had a keen energetic young crew and made it easy for us. Lunch was a quick pizza just before Braunston Tunnel and we quickly passed through the tunnel without any problems. At Braunston Top Lock we were joined by a traditional engined boat with two men as the crew. They had come from London, Little Venice in fact, and we efficiently went down the flight. The at the helm conversation with the steerer became fascinating as the descent progressed. They were on their way to Brinklow to have some work done on the boat. It turned out that this boat was involved in a curious incident that occurred in March 2016 in Maida Vale when a Mercedes 4x4 collided with their boat whilst it was moored up overnight. The incident is still a bit of mystery and the identity of the driver of the Mercedes appears still to be unknown. The report in the Evening Standard appears to be the most reliable story but there are still some big gaps.

Braunston Bottom Lock Mayhem

When the bottom gates of the lock flight opened up we were greeted by boating mayhem. It was not immediately clear why there were so many boats crammed into a small place. Whilst the main problem was just the number of boats waiting, and the fact that UCC hire boats were being prepared, a major issue was a pair of hire boats breasted-up and waiting to go up the flight. Maggie asked if one was broken down. The crews' response was "we thought it might be easier"! Maggie politely wished them good luck. A bit of common sense might have helped, particularly since the breasted-up pair were about to go up behind a single boat!

We pressed on to Napton with the aim of mooring below the bottom lock of the flight. However, it was busy. No moorings were available below the lock, and many of the lock pounds were also occupied. This meant we pressed on up four locks before finally mooring up. I fixed our front locker hinge and then we walked down the flight to The Folly for a good dinner and a drink in their garden. It is a great canal-side pub.  At one time there were four pubs in Napton, now there are only two. The Bridge at Napton, which we used to occasionally frequent, is currently closed.

No caption required?

Upper Thames Prologue (Weedon)

So, we finally went boating this year after months of other activities including an extended tour of Scotland and a trip to Bruges and welcoming our new granddaughter. I had planned to start blogging on the day we left, or soon after, but it never appeared convenient. Boating should be about pleasure and I enjoy blogging about my passion but when on the move it must fit in and on this journey it just didn’t. As a result, I am resorting to posting blogs after the event – just like the early days of blogging before mobile internet and simplified posting software. As an early canal blogger I remember our summer journey in 2006 to the Fens and Middle level being a mixture of brief text posts via mobile phone followed by photos uploaded at home. How things have moved on!

This summer trip was organised around a visit to the Upper Thames. We last visited back in August 2007 just after the exceptional floods of July that year that caused such consternation. We had hoped that this year’s journey was going to be more relaxed than last time. In 2007, we took three days to reach Lechlade from Oxford and then found that with rain falling in the Cotswolds the navigation was due to close (red boards) so we came down stream to Kidlington in one day - a log-flume journey which included a very hairy negotiation of Radcot Bridge. However, once planned we found that our time was going to be limited to just two weeks from Yardley Gobion. Canal Planner indicated that we could make it to Lechlade (just) but, as you will hear, I hadn’t built in enough time for the important matter of meeting up with family and friends.

Stoke Bruerne Top Lock is somewhere ahead!

We left Yardley Gobion Wharf on July 13th at around 11:30 after taking on fuel and having a pump out. We had a good journey to Stoke Bruerne Bottom Lock but had a slow climb up the flight behind two boats. At the Top Lock we met Rob Westlake and Kathryn Dodington who were about to go to a meeting with CRT.

At Stoke Bruerne Top Lock

After waiting for trip boat Charlie to go in and out of Blisworth Tunnel we made good progress and finally called it a day at Weedon, just in time to listen to The Archers (but with no time to post). A good start.

Stephen Hawking and the Crinan Canal

On our recent trip around the coast of Scotland we just had to pause at Crinan where that other Scottish Canal short cut reaches the open sea. Just nine miles long, but with 15 locks, the Crinan Canal goes from Adrishaig to Crinan effectively cutting out the long and possibly difficult passage around the Mull of Kintyre. We know the area quite well since we holidayed near Crinan in the 1980s.

Crinan Sea Lock and Basin

Crinan Lighthouse

Some permanently moored vessels in Crinan Basin

As a short cut for sea-going craft the Crinan sees the passage of a variety of boats, but most of today's users are sailing yachts making travelling to and from the Clyde and the Western Isles. It is a little strange seeing so many yachts passing through canal locks, and even more peculiar driving along a road alongside the canal and seeing a yacht underway on what is a relatively narrow canal. Sleek-hulled yacht are not in their natural element in locks and canals.

Navigating a Crinan Canal Lock

So where does Professor Stephen Hawking come in? We stayed at the historic Crinan Hotel which occupies and prime spot on the headland with a magnificent outlook over the sea lock and the basin and with glorious views out to sea towards Jura and Mull.

Crinan Hotel

This hotel has a room where Stephen Hawking and his family spent several holidays. The room is 27 which has good views over the canal basin and over the sea. Unlike many similar hotels in Scotland it has a lift (elevator) which I presume must have been very helpful. I have no idea when exactly the Hawkings stayed in Crinan but the hotel owner indicated that it was when their children were young.

Room 27 at Crinan Hotel

The hotel has great sea food which doesn't have far to get to the plate since it is supplied from boats that come into the basin right next to the hotel.

Fishing Boat arriving at Crinan with scallops.

 

Typical non-mechanised Crinan Lock

The locks at Crinan are fully mechanised but those on the rest of the canal follow the standard manual pattern with balance beams. We stopped off along the canal and helped a yacht through a couple of locks. They have an interesting addition - a spike which helps keep the gates shut. There are some canals in England that could do with such additions! 

Spike to keep lock gates shut

Maggie lending a hand

Thanks from the crew

Dunardy Bridge, Crinan Canal

There are six swing bridges along the canal. We stopped and looked at the one at Dunardy before continuing south. The Crinan Canal is worth a visit and we can recommend the Mull of Kintyre as a destination.