From Cropredy to Banbury with Crew

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From Cropredy to Banbury with Crew

Thursday, 01 January 2009 17:12

2 hours 16 minutes, 4.01 miles, 3 locks

Cropredy to Banbury

We had a short journey to make today! It was time to leave Cropredy and move down to Banbury. Tomorrow Epiphany is going into Tooley's Boatyard for her bottom to have some attention! We are also having a wee bit of a problem with our electrics so hope they can have a look for us too. It may very well be battery change time - gulp, thats the way the money goes!

It has been a bit of a grey day and the temperature did not rise above 2 degrees. John and Carolyn came with us as crew and it was great to have them traveling with us again, if only briefly.

Immediately below Cropredy there are lots of moorings, both on the towpath side and the off-side. Many of these are permit holders moorings although there are 14 day moorings too. Consequently it is slow going until Slat Mill lock (26).

Leaving Slat Mill lock

The railway makes itself obvious near Little Bourton and stays alongside the canal until just below Hardwick lock.(28).

At (Little) Bourton lock (27), work on the cottage is slowly progressing.

The decorations on the cottage and Father Christmas' hat in the window raised a few smiles.

There is no road access, no sewerage and no water available, so it will be interesting to see what happens. I spotted a telephone wire going into the cottage, so it is not completely cut off.

This notice on the cottage was interesting!

Click photo to see detail in new window

The bottom gates of the lock open by themselves and only needed finger tip control! It is a pity the same could not be said of the paddles! Our crew, though out of practice, managed extremely well!

The M40 bridge can almost be heard before it is seen; and after it , our last lock of the day. John and I had to get our hand back in, so we did Hardwick lock, leaving the other John on the tiller with Carolyn as back up!

As we approached Banbury, moored boats appeared. Most of the winter 14 day moorings by Spice Ball Park were taken, as were the ones just before Tom Rolt Bridge. There were a number of spaces outside Castle Quay and we moored behind Dusty's fuel boat on the off-side.

After a late lunch we said a temporary goodbye to our crew, as we shall see them tomorow evening. We then settled down for the afternoon and evening.

The delights of bottom blacking to come!