Upper Heyford

Today's Canal - Oxford

As predicted, today was generally sunny, just a single shower (complete with just a little hail!) At times the wind could be quite sharp but through the main part of the say it was comfortable.

Before we set off, Mike walked back to the shopping centre alongside Banbury Lock and took pictures of the various bridges. 

The main stretch, now that the new development is complete, has a very different feel, much more overwhelmed by the buildings but the tightly packed moorings added to the sense of enclosure.

Inside one of the new sections, a large space - named Lock 29 after the adjacent lock - has been given over to a multi food and drink facility. It seems that it is specialising in 'street food; but where is the street? Whilst the undecorated, dark image may be today's fashion, but will it seen feel dated? Several units have yet to be let.

We set off at our usual time and headed southwards out of the town. A temporary structure shrouded in plastic has been erected alongside the bridge closest to Morrisons. We could not see what is hidden inside nor any way to access it!

Soon after we passed the edge of the town and the now complete new housing estate, we passed under the first of numerous lift bridges which are a style distinctive to this canal. Fortunately, all but one today are normally left one. Even that one, Chisnell is often listed in guides as 'normally open'  but it is well balanced and easy to open.

The M40 motorway that Mike drove along yesterday crosses the canal twice fairly close together as the latter winds its way around the contours and the route of the River Cherwell.

The first lock of the day - Grant's Lock - was badly damaged in a fire some years ago. Like several of the former lock cottages, it looks an attractive proposition to convert but many are remote and lack basic services. Whilst nothing much has been done here since we last saw it, a caravan is now parked alongside and appears to be being lived in. Perhaps next time we will see progress!

It was possible to see from the train yesterday that many of the fields and meadows along here are currently under water., but they do look as if they ought to be reservoirs.

A somewhat further on, the water level in this field is higher than the canal and has breached the  towpath and canal bank. Hopefully this will be dealt with so that when the field dries out, the canal will not drain back into it.

We had been a bit concerned about Nell Bridge where,just below the Cherwell flows into and across the canal. A couple of weeks ago boats were advised not to navigate - red warning - as the river was too high. However, although an information board says that the gauge is under Nell Bridge, we could not see it. This road bridge has been much widened and the old bridge, part of the lock on the other side, can just be seen here. 

We had no difficulty in getting the boat under the old bridge - when the river rises, headroom can be an issue - when we arrived at the river itself and Aynho Lock, there was very little of the yellow section in the clear! 

More flooding near Somerton

Chisnell Lift Bridge gave us some trouble because by now the wind had strengthened considerably and was side on to the boat, pushing it and Christine who was steering, into the offside shrubs. A nasty bramble attacked Christine and left her bleeding from the lip!

Then, at Somerton Deep Lock, we had quite a struggle to bring the boat onto the lock landing - which was on the up wind side and opposite a weir stream. We had to tie up whilst the lock was prepared (another boat had just gone down) and then drive rather dramatically at full speed until safely inside the lock, stopping equally quickly to avoid running into the bottom gates. The last time we came though we had a lot of difficulty with the bottom gate (and reposts of other boaters were similar) which would not open fully. This time we came through without a problem but Mike was relieved when the crew of a following boat arrived to help close it.

We continued on through Heyford Common Lock and moored for the night just above Allen's Lock.

11.9 Miles - 6 Locks