Aerial Moorings (Bridge 130) to Napton on the Hill (South Oxford Canal)

Saturday 25th July

We didn’t move yesterday as it rained all day and got steadily worse as the day went on, so we were confined to barracks!!

This boat is in Field Dock!!

As we didn’t move yesterday and we have some locks to do today, we decided to leave early so no lie in for me and it being my birthday as well!!  It was a lovely sunny warm day, so different from yesterday.

This section is very winky wonky but luckily there weren’t many boats around so no incidents or getting stuck on the side today.

Back past Priors Hardwicke where we moored on the way down and fortunately no sheep in the canal this time!

We passed a boat in a field.  The field has been dug out and it makes you wonder if they will keep digging out a bit at a time until it connects with the canal. Just looked really funny as it was in the middle of nowhere.

In Napton Top Lock

After a few miles we were nearly at the top of the Napton flight.  We stopped for water just before the lock and we managed to fill up and get in the lock before another boat came so that was good.

Another lock on the Napton Flight

There were plenty of boats coming up so it was an easy passage through the locks.  We decided to moor after lock 12 where there is some nice moorings and leave the other four locks for another day.

We moored up and chilled out for a bit.  We are having some post sent to the post office up in the village so we walked up there to set it up.  This is a great village shop selling some quality foods and local meats and also has a café and takeaway.  The staff are really friends and they have a couple of tables outside as well.

We had some lunch and a coffee, then walked back down to the boat.

Down the lane which leads to the canal is a yard with units and just inside the gate there is a lot of discarded bricks, etc and there were a pile of fire bricks which made really good ballast and we need a little more.  Last time we were here, we did go in and ask about them but the chap there said we needed to see the Landlord who calls in most days and drives a white transit van.  Well, today as we walked past there, the van was there so we went in and saw him and he said we could have them as they would only go for hard core, so we will pick them up over the next few days.   It pays to ask, they can only say no and this time the man from Napton said yes!!

We called in The Folly pub for a drink as we didn’t try it last time we were here.  It is very nice, we will come for a meal one lunchtime as the food looked good.

We walked back to the boat, quite a few boats were coming up and down the locks, I think a lot of people stayed put yesterday as the weather was so bad and were making up time today.

We are staying around here now for a few days until we get our post then we will be on our way.

Moored at Napton on the Hill