Banbury to Cropredy

4 Locks:  5.5 Miles


As soon as Hallmark was fixed I was underway heading for Cropredy.
First past a place to buy diesel (which was closed) and then lines of boats.

Hallmark was soon cruising again in the Oxfordshire countryside.
Everything was so green and mostly unspoilt.

There were boats about but I ended up doing all four locks with no help.
Not a problem .............as I have become bold enough to put Hallmark's on the front gate plate as I open one of the front paddles.
All so easy with no ropes to tie or adjust.
However since Banbury Lock the one back gate become two and increases the walking round the lock

Disaster at Slat Mill Lock some how a flick of the bow rope sees my chimney pot plunge to the bottom of the lock. No amount of searching with the magnet locates it
I'll just have get another at Fenny and add a little chain!
Pace through the locks seemed slow and Hallmark 'played catch up' with two walkers heading for  Croperdy Interestingly this was a 'day off' from there long distance walk on the Macmillian Way which runs from The Wash to Dorset
Cropredy was magic.
The narrows and then the lock.

Finding a seven or 14 day mooring proved more difficult than I thought.
So I decided on stopping initially on a 24 hour mooring searching on foot later.
Here is where Hallmark finally moored almost at the next lock.

Banbury: waiting for the repairs to be complete

Everything seemed to be going to plan.I rung Tooley's and they were confident that the repair would be finished on Thursday morning and I could be away and cruising by around 2.00pm.

So I travelled up to Banbury expecting to make Cropredy in the early evening and then press on to Fenny Common on Friday and to go down the Napton Flight on the Saturday.
However, it was not to be.
The mechanics were still working on the engine.
The overheating was certainly cured. 
Hallmark ran for an hour and a half and its water temperature reached just above 180 degrees.
But the flow to the calorifier had a really bad airlock.
So more work was needed and nothing could be done till Satursday morning.
There was nothing other than 'hanging arround' in Banbury for a couple of days.
There was plenty to do...................
At the Mill Arts Centre there was a great duo playing.                                                                                                      

I decided to search out Banbury Cross and on the way can accross a wine tasting evening in a wine shop which first opened in the 1500.  Great wine too!

On the way to 'the Cross' there were some great buildings in Banbury too.

Finally I found the Banbury Cross quite a walk from the main shopping area.

Anyho Wharf to Banbury

5 Locks:  7 miles

I had hoped to see the engineer ar Aynho Wharf but he was on a weeks holiday
I phoned Tooley's Boatyard in Banbury.
They agreed to check the cooling pipework first thing on Monday.
So its goodbye to Aynho.

I decide to go to Banbury but to keep a watchful eye on the engine temperture gauge during the trip
There five locks to cover today.
You start with the large diamond shaped Aynho Weir.

I was just about the close the gates when another boat arrived.
Could we fit two narrowboats in an Oxford Canal lock?
The family were really interesting as they moved their boat around the system most apring and summer weekends.
The chap had a midget motorbike for getting back to their car.

Amazingly I had help on all the locks to Banbury.
So it was a very good day.
Sometimes it was someone following catching up or meet ingsomeone coming the other way
There were a couple of quite deep locks today
Kings Sutton was 10ft 8in and Grant's was 9ft 6in

The are so many lift bridges between Anyho and Banbury.
But fortunately all of them bar one are chained down.

The exception is the one in the centre of Banbury and that works with a windless
I managed to find a perfect mooring.
Just up from Banbury Lock.

It's right next to Tooley's so that should help with the repair.

Lower Heyford to Aynho Wharf

3 Locks      6 Miles

I took the train from Ealing Broadway to Lower Heyford making a good connection in Oxford.
So I was back at Hallmark by 8:15.
It was a very, very early start from Acton but this meant we left Lower Hayford at 8:40
Lift bridge 205 is unusual as it is made of iron rather than the usual wood.
By all account this was to take the weight of the miller's traction engine.
The bridge was down but a friendly walker gave a hand
Just before the first lock of the day which is Allen's Lock you get a fine view of an attractive cluster of stones buildings on the hillside.

For much of the morning pollarded Willows lining the canal bank.
But there were also plenty of cows around too.

Just as we are going under Bridge 201 and coming up to Heyford Common Lock smoke and steam is everywhere.
I quickly aim for the bank and switch the engine off.
Here is where Hallmark ended up.
Actually a nice spot!

The engine temperature is sky high.
Has something got blocked?
I call River and Canal Rescue.
Help is three hours away.
I then realise how remote we are!
So an early lunch is called for while I wait for the engineer.
After lunch I track down the fault.
One of the joints on the domestic water system has broken and the raditator has overheated.
Eventually the RCR engineer arrived and makes a temporary repair and refills the system.
He gives good advice about a 'proper fit' at Aynho Dock or Tooleys in Banbury
The engineer acompanies me to the Heyford Common Lock and checks things again.
All is OK and he starts his three mile work back to his van!
Great service RCR!
Somerton Deep Lock is a very deep lock. Here is Hallmark slowly entering.

As I leave Somerton I am warned about problems with lift bridge 193.
When I get there it opens easily enough and begin to wonder what the problem was!
But getting it closed seems impossible.
I even think about chugging on and leaving me key in the lock which is 10 feet high.
In the end I get a beer out of the fridge and sit on the bridge and wait and wait.................

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Eventually after an hour has passed two walkers coming to sight.
They are willing to help.
It takes all three of us to get the bridge closed.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
After no further mishaps Hallmark arrives at Aynho Wharf.
Unfortunately it is two hours after site has closed for the day.
I moor up and fill up with water and decide to stay on the mooring till the shop opens on Sunday.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
I'll cross the car park and head for the Great Wester Arms and then there is a stunning sunset to see.

 

Thrupp to Lower Heyford

5 locks:   8 miles

At 7:30am I started Hallmark's engine and untied the bow and stern ropes and then set off on foot to the Thrupp electric lift bridge.
Once raised I ran back, untied the centre rope and chugged down and under the open bridge.
All this to save tieing up!
Despite this planning I made a real hash of trying to come alongside the water point and to crown it a lorry arrived at the bridge whilst it was still open.
In the end I did not fill up.
Hallmark slowly made it's way through Thrupp  Crusing Club boats moored on both sides of the canal.  There were loads.

Then the first real lift bridge of the day. 
Three failed attempts saw it crashing down! 
I was finally saved by the owner of a nearby boat.
Had I woken him?
Next was Shipton Lock has a diamond shaped chamber and takes an age to fill

Then Dusty the fuel boat arrived and I glide alongside and fill up with 20 litres of great value diesel.
He recounts stories of winter and how he tried to deliver during the big freeze

Four locks follow at various distances I am lucky as at almost everyone along came a boat with it's crew to assist.
I met Stephen on his way to Nottingham.
He is taking Five months out from his public sector post.
While he motors along making his way through locks his partner runs a public relations company from the boat's saloon.
The Oxford Canal is arguably one of the very best of English canals.

It is at it very best between Thrupp and Heyford.
It spends its time with and alongside the river Cherwell.
The landscape is nothing but stunning.
At one stage it runs through the heart of a woodland and you find yourself in an emerald tunnel of overhanging trees.

Lower Heyford is dominated by the wharf that is home to Oxfordshire Narrowboats there are also a good number of there blue and yellow boats on the 14 day moorings.

I spot a vacant mooring in front of a very well kept red Springer

Staying at Thrupp

I decided to spend at least one day in Thrupp.
and then I realise that there are spaces on the long term moorings.

Why rush on and on.
This is a cruise not a race.
Lets sit back and enjoy the place.
I have a great mooring too.
Maybe stay till Monday?
A bit of window cleaning and a couple of days back in London doing bits and pieces

Abingdon to Thrupp on the Oxford Canal

8 locks:    16 miles

Hallmark glided away from its mooring above Abingdon Lock at 8:00am
It was so peaceful.
On the 4.5 miles to Sandford Lock which took almost one and a half hours I saw no boats and only one runner.
The lock was on self service and proved to be difficult.  Was it the controls or was it me?  I took ages as it kept resetting itself.
It is a lovely run into Oxford.
So many different bits.
The Thames Path has been improved a great deal.

Then its the boathouses.  So many of them.
Then there is the Folly Bridge and loads of steamers.  Is there room?

And lovely old terraced houses.

There is no signpost to the Oxford Canal at the Sheepwash Channel entrance.
Just remember the bridge!

The channel presented less fear than in 2010.
However parts are very narrow and the railway bridge is low
However I was at least clear where Louse Lock was this year and it had a new pontoon to moor up against.

This year there were plenty of mooring in Oxford especially near College Cruisers and they looked safe.
Why didn't I stop this year?

After that there are no real short term ones.
It is a good run to Thrupp but well worth the slog.
In the end the famous lift bridges are hard work............ actually tougher than locks.
Soon I had passed Dukes' Cut

All was going so well until I turned off Hallmark's engine off at the bridge (231).
When I tried to restart everything was dead.
Oh dear ......
So it was a call to River and Canal Rescue for help In under two hours they had the engine started and Hallmark was on course to make Thrupp after all.
The fault was a loose wire to the starter motor.
Tired with two hours lost I cruised into Thrupp and still found a great mooring.
It was too late to do anymore but go to The Boat Inn.