Birdingbury Wharf (Grand Union) to Napton on the Hill (South Oxford Canal)

Waiting to go into Calcutt Bottom lock

In Calcutt Top Lock

We decided to leave early again today as the forecast said there might be rain by lunchtime and we didn’t want to get caught in that, heaven forbid!!  So we set off at 9am up the canal to the three calcutt locks, there were a few boats coming down, so didn’t take that long to get through these locks, at the top of the locks is a boat yard and a water tap which is easy to get to.

Sign post at Napton Junction

Turning onto the the South Oxford Canal

We chugged on and soon we were at Napton Junction, we turned right on to the South Oxford canal leaving the Grand Union behind us.  This is now new territory for us so quite exciting wondering what places we shall come across and what moorings we shall find.

Napton Windmill

We chugged on for a bit and then Napton Windmill came into view which is visible for miles around, but sadly is not open to the public.  We moored  just before the The Folly pub which is at the foot of Napton locks.

For many years, Napton was an important source of clay, trans-shipped by boat and railway.  Today it is a welcome retreat with good moorings.  Napton hill rises to over 400ft and dominates the immediate landscape.  The village is scattered all over the hill, climbing steeply up the sides.  The shops and pubs are at the bottom, so that is handy.  At the top of the hill is a 13^th-C church and legend has it that the church was to be built on the village green but the devil persisted in carrying the building stones to the present site where the church was eventually built!  Apparently seven counties can be seen from the high vantage point, but I think we will take their word for it as don’t really fancy the climb!

Next to the Folly pub is a small shop selling provisions, chandlery items, postcards and gifts.

We walked up into the village which is just a short walk from the canal where there is another shop with a post office.  It is a really nice shop selling local produce, fresh bread, etc., and also has a really nice café.  We stopped for a bit of lunch, then walked back to the canal.

We will be staying here now for a few days as it seems such a nice area, quite rural and quiet.

Moored at Napton on the Hill

Long Itchington to Birdingbury Wharf (Grand Union Canal)

Sunday 5th July

We were in an internet black spot yesterday and couldn't post, so here is Sunday's post a day late.

Starting off up through Stockton locks

Passing The Blue Lias pub

It was a bit cloudy this morning and a lot cooler, but dry as we set off from Long Itchington to the first of the 10 Stockton locks.  Someone had gone up in front of us, so I had to empty the lock first, but they don’t take long and soon Kev was in and up the lock and we were on our way to the next one.  Soon through there and we stopped to get water opposite the Blue Lias pub, it looked very nice with all its hanging baskets and there is a caravan and camping park next door.

 

Working up Stockton Locks

Two boats passed us while we were getting water and so I had to set the next lock when we set off again, but then there were plenty of boats coming down so that made life easy and the chap from the boat in front emptied the last couple of locks for us, so all in all it was an easy passage up the locks.

We chugged on up the canal and moored at Birdingbury Wharf opposite The Boat Inn.

We wanted to get up here early so we had time to moor up before the Grand Prix started.  We had lunch and watched the race and was pleased to see Lewis win.

We have had a couple of rain showers this evening and a bit of thunder earlier, but nothing major.

We are moving on tomorrow onto the South Oxford canal, we haven’t been on this canal before so looking forward to pastures new.

Moored at Birdingbury Wharf

Having Visitors at Long Itchington

Friday 4^th July

It was another lovely warm and sunny day and we have visitors today, our great friends Steve and Ian are driving over from Sheepscombe in the Cotswolds in their lovely Morgan car to see us so really looking forward to that.

Steve and Ian in their Morgan

They arrived at lunch time and we spent the afternoon sitting outside The Two Boats pub which is right on the canal having lunch and drinkkies.  Steve was driving back, so he was on Ginger Beer,  but the rest of us weren’t driving so we were okay!  The food in the pub was really good and we all had something different and it was all really good quality and very tasty, would definitely eat there again and it’s great to be able to sit right on the canal and watch the boats go by, although it was very quiet and only a couple went past.

The Two Boats Inn

We had a great afternoon catching up and having a laugh like we always do when we are together, it was so nice of them to drive all that way to see us, what lovely friends they are.

They left late afternoon and we waved them off as they roared out of the car park in the Morgan, it really is a beautiful car and a real head turner.

We chilled out for a bit.  Kev looked out the kitchen window and there was a family of ducklings outside and you’ll never believe it, one of the ducklings was trying to eat a frog!  We were concerned he would choke on it, so we threw out some bread to distract him and luckily it worked and the frog sank and he forgot about it.   

We had a walk early evening up to the shop in the village.  We are staying here again tomorrow.  Sustrans (the national cycle network) are holding a 3 mile walk up the towpath and you have to spot 25 items on the way, so we are going to do that, should be fun, just hope it’s not too hot.

Duckling trying to eat a frog!

Bridge 31 to Long Itchington (Grand Union Canal)

It was a lot cooler when we got up this morning, but still decided to chug off nice and early, well for us anyway!   Just as we were getting ready to leave, two boats came along so we waited for them to pass, a bit of a nuisance as if it had been only one boat, we could have shared the locks with them as they are double locks, but now we will have to go behind them on our own, never mind.

In Bascote bottom lock

We set off at 8.30am and traveled along the canal to the first lock, the two boats were just leaving so I went up, emptied the lock and opened one gate to let Kev in.  Soon we were through that lock and on our way to the next one, soon through that and at the third one, a boat was waiting to come down so we could leave the gate open.

Going through Bascote staircase

On along the canal to Bascote Staircase locks.  When doing a staircase, you just have to check that the top lock is full and the bottom lock empty.  As we were going up the lock, Kev came into the bottom lock, then I emptied the water from the top lock into the bottom lock and when it was level, I opened the gate the Kev went into the top lock.  I then filled the top lock and out we went onto the main canal.  As it’s a double lock, if there had been a boat coming down, they could have come into the top lock as we came into the bottom lock and then swapped over in the middle which is quite fun to do, but unfortunately no boats were in sight, it was just us.

We chugged on for a mile or so and then we were at Long Itchington. A lot of boats were moored up before Bridge 26, so I walked up under that Bridge and also Bridge 25 to where there are some more moorings by The Two Boats Inn and as there were some spaces, Kev moved the boat up and we moored there.

Long Itchington Village Pond

Sign for Village Pond

The sun came out and it was very warm, not as hot as yesterday though, thank goodness, so we went for a walk up the first couple of locks, then up the road and through the village.  Unbelievably there are four pubs in the village and two pubs on the canal, an alcoholics dream, Kev has never been so happy!!  There is a co-op and post office as well and a village green with a duck pond which is over a century old. There are several houses of the 17^th and 18^th C, a very nice village.

We walked back to the canal and just chilled out for the afternoon.  Late afternoon, the sky darkened and it got very windy and rained quite hard for a while, hopefully it won’t come to much and we don’t get any thunder and lightening.

We are staying here until Sunday to build up our stamina to tackle the Stockton flight of 10 locks. 

Moored at Long Itchington

Radford Semele to Bridge 31 (Grand Union)

Two little doggies on the towpath!

We decided to chug on quite early this morning before the sun got too hot, so we left at 8.30am and chugged down the canal past two little dogs on the towpath, these two won’t need much walking as they are a bit wooden!! 

Radford Bottom Lock

We got to Radford Bottom Lock, unfortunately a boat had gone earlier, so I had to set the lock first, but it didn’t take long and soon we were at the top and chugging on to the next lock.  We have five to do today and the rest were quite easy as there were boats coming the other way so the locks were set for us and I even had help at a couple so that was good.

Leaving last lock for today

We stopped at Fosse Wharf for water, etc., then chugged on through the next two locks and moored up in a really nice sunny spot but with some shade just after Longhole Bridge No. 31 right in the middle of nowhere, no roads or anything, you could just hear the birds singing, really lovely and peaceful.

We tried to get internet, but in or outside the boat there wasn’t any, but just by the front of the boat there was a tree and if you stood there, you got internet, but nowhere else, really weird, so we have our own internet tree today, to post this blog, I will have to hang the phone in a bag on the tree and I will be able to post!!

Horses on the towpath

I was sitting in my chair just listening to the birds and couldn’t believe my eyes as coming down the towpath was seven horses, they got near us and stopped, they wouldn’t come any further.  Then in the field by us, we heard voices and Kev asked him if he was looking for some horses and they were right by us, he then came out of the hedge and another had come by the road and then along the towpath, they said they had taken them out of their field and down to the canal to wash them but they had escaped, they ushered them back along the towpath.  I settled back in my chair and would you believe it, a few more horses came along the towpath again, Kev walked down to them and ushered them back the way they had come and then a chap came along and said they were part of the original group but had been spooked and came running back along the towpath.  He disappeared with them.

The breakaway group!

A little while later, a lady came along the towpath and said she was looking for horses as for the third time a few horses came up the towpath again, she ushered them back and then the same chap came and took them back to where they had come from.

Well, we thought we were moored in the quietest spot on the canal, you should always expect the unexpected!!

We settled down for the rest of the afternoon.  We are having a bbq for tea so that will be nice, hopefully it will be a little cooler by then, roll on the thunder storms that’s what I say!!

We are chugging on tomorrow and as we have five locks to do, we will leave again fairly early so we are moored up by late morning before it gets too hot. 

Moored at Bridge 31