Claydon Locks

Today's Canal - Oxford

The day began as forecast with continuous rain, not heavy but persistent. Still, with a long level ;pound ahead of us, only one needed to get wet!

This canal was one of the earlier ones to be built and follows the contours wherever possible., As a result this section is very bendy and often it seems as if we have returned almost to the same point that we were ten  minutes ago! A lot of the bridges were built at the bends so it is inevitable that oncoming boats are met at a bridge and bend together!

After about an hour we arrived at the HS2 crossing. The substantial earthworks have continued although the pace seems to be glacial.

Around another corner and the main parts of the bridge are now in place and being used as a haul route for the contractors.

Another twenty minutes and we had the first glimpse (of many yet to come) of the Wormleighton mast, once a key part of the DCCA navigation system. At this point it was still raining but we began to see signs of blue sky in the distance.

Someone has spent some time carving this tree trunk with a rather garrulous bearded face. We do not recall seeing it in 2021 when we last passed this way.

For quite a long time the blue patch seemed to remain about a mile or two away, tempting is to believe in drier weather yet to come. However we eventually caught up with it although very soon we turned an almost 180 degree bend and headed back into the rain clouds! 

It was appropriately sunny once more as we passed under The Wedding Bridge. This particular structure was built in 2009, replacing an older one that had become dangerous. As we have probably said several times before, no-one seems to know why it has this name or even whether it was used for the earlier  bridge as well.

What we have not spotted before is that although the steps to the right of this picture lead onto a path up to the nearby farm, on the other side they seem to end abruptly in a hedge with seemingly no way to go.

Sunshine again!

We passed through Fenny Compton with almost all of the sort term mooring spaces occupied as usual.

Just to the south of the marina was once a tunnel but which was later opened out and the canal widened. A short section at the southern end remains narrow and olny one boat at a time can pass. We had a short wait for one boat to come through but fortunately no-one else followed on behind.

Sun was shining brightly on the Feeder Bridge but very dark clouds loomed behind. Boddington reservoir lies a couple of miles to the north west and is one of the supplies into this long pound.

We took a break just before the Claydon Locks to have our lunch. By the time we set off once more, the wind had turned very strong and steering into locks was not straight forward as it was blowing directly across our path.

Yet another shower on its way!

We are used to seeing grooves cut into the canal coping stones which are said to be the result of endless abrasion from ropes coated in grit from the towpath. However, these are on the off side with nowhere for a horse to approach so we cannot work out just how these came about. Anyone know?

After our experience in getting away from the downwind bank just after lunch, we tried to make sure that we did not repeat the exercise. Keeping away from the bank involved various strategies. On a couple of occasions we pointed the bow into offside reeds and held the boat steady, but at an angle across the canal, until the lock was ready to enter. This rather confused the crew if the only boat we met in the flight! They were worried that we were stuck and that they might be able to pass us.

Very shortly after leaving the bottom lock we came to a convenient stretch of piling for mooring - most of it was already occupied so we took the first bit we could!

10.1 Miles - 5 Locks