Upper Heyford to Thrupp

9 miles:  5 locks


We left Upper Heyford at 9:10am.  What a peaceful place the mooring had been.
The Barley Mow was plain, simple but friendly.

The canal continues to be 'river like' down to Lower Heyford.  At times the tow path is more like a track through the fields alongside. Other times is finds its way through woodland.
Bridge 205 is interesting. It is a lift bridge in style but instead of wood it is made of steel.  The reason is the local miller had a traction engine and the bridge had to bear its weight!

Heyford Wharf looks very much like Aynho.  It is busier as it is the home of Oxford Narrowboats and there are plenty of boats about.  Some are moored in such a way that it makes going through Bridge 206 is really difficult.

Everything was going really well.
Although it was strange that although it was almost 11:00am we had not seen another moving boat.
As we approach the second lock of the day we realised why.
Northbrook Lock was closed and loads, well a dozen BW men were working on the lock.
Emergency repairs to badly leaking gates were in progress and a delay of up to four hours was expected!

 BW were brilliant.  They worked like trojans and go the work
We waited three hours and by then there were three boats waiting to go towards Oxford and 11 waiting to go towards Banbury.
Hallmark was the first through the lock and we had a brilliant run down through Enslow to Thrupp.
the canal on this stretch is stunning. The landscape of the Cherwell valley here is amazing.

After some big wide bends Enslow comes into view.
There are quite a few moored boats and the famous old canalside pub named The Rock of Gibraltar.
I have always wanted to moor here.  Perhaps next year!
After Baker's lock the canal ends for a bit and we cruise for a good mile or so on the River Cherwell and there are three very tight bends.

Finally the Cherwell departs under a large and long bridge and the canal runs on to Shipton where the church is almost in the canal.
It is then a short run to Thrupp.
I have booked a mooring here for two weeks with the Thrupp Canal Cruising Club.
It is back to London to sort some house things!