Washford Quarry

Today's Canal - Oxford

We moored overnight just beyond the road and rail bridge at Lower Heyford, close to the railway line. Fortunately it is not much used in the evenings and at night.

The day was largely overcast, with a few brighter spells as  with a few brighter spells as well cruised for the morning but by dusk drizzle, followed by proper rain, had arrived. 

A long line of moored boats came first but then we were out into the open countryside. After about 20 minutes we arrived at Dashwood's Lock, quite deep and we had to fill it first.

The second lock came soon after and we were just beaten to it by a boat coming up. They had come from Abingdon and were quite open about the fact that they ignored the Red Boards warning, not wanting to wait the three weeks that other boater's on the river had told them about!

We continued to Washford Quarry where we moored a number of times when we were based at Lower Heyford. This space provides a useful open space - two of our grand children especially enjoyed exploring the area.

As there was just enough room for us to moor we opted to stay here for the rest of the day, spinning out the distance from here to Oxford and the Thames. Unlike the last two nights with no internet signal, we did have enough at least to upload blogs! (and to check that the river is still closed . . .) Too late we discovered that we were behind the camera!

A hire boat, returning to Oxfordshire Narrowboats at 9 in the  morning asked if they could moor alongside as they discovered what we had already found that the remaining part of the former wharf  had too many fallen stones to permit mooring. They also had planned to meet up with someone else here. They stayed here all day and when they finally left they gave us a present from Spain (a pack of cured meats!)

We had a very lazy, but did take a short walk up the steps to the quarry. When Mike went there was a large family party who had a barbeque in the fire pit and also a small child size motor bike that some of the children were enjoying riding in the large space (suitably supervised!) 

Eventually the promised rain arrived and our mooring companions set off to complete the final two locks before the end of their trip.

4.0 Miles - 2 Locks