It was so heavy it made an ‘enormous’ noise on the roof.
Then to ‘crown it’ the first boat went roaring through at 06.10am. I felt and heard a large crash as Hallmark hit the bank.
There was nothing for it to get up!
Kettle on …………. And a bowl of cereals.
I decided to leave at 7.30 and get through the crowds of boats I had heard about mooring at Cropedy for the weekend folk festival. I thought I might end my day at the bottom or the top of the Claydon flight of five locks
The trip continues north along the Cherwell valley and the richness of the Oxfordshire and Northamptonshire farming is clear.
Hardwick lock had double bottom gates (the first were at Banbury yesterday) and these were really light to shut and open. Everything seemed to be in Hallmark’s favour all the way to Croperdy Lock.
Cropedy was ‘mobbed’ by boats already moored for the festival (starts Friday 12 August). In some places they were already two abreast and sometimes they were on both sides restricting the passage to one boat at a time. Hallmark steered true and was brilliant! No crashes and no near misses. I heard there was a good shop beside Croperdy Wharf Bridge (153) but there was no stopping today.
Claydon marks the start of the summit section. The Claydon Flight was moderately easy. There were no boats waiting to go up the flight but plenty waiting to come down. Therefore Hallmark had most of the locks open and just motored in. In under 45 minutes we were at the top of the flight.
At Claydon Top Lock the old Oxford Canal Company had workshop and stables. They are still there but converted into accommodation.
Once through Claydon there are four or five hours of lockless cruising in store. I decided (against my orginal plan) to push on to Fenny Crompton. I had been told of a great pub and shop (The Wharf Inn)
After the Claydon Flight the canal twists and turns. Hills and trees are close into the canal. It is all in preparation for the cutting that has replaced the old Fenny Crompton tunnel.
The run into Feeny is crowded with moored boats and I manage to find a good spot about a mile from the pub.
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