Cropredy to Banbury (South Oxford Canal)

Tuesday14th July

Going into Cropredy lock

Going into Hardwick lock

It was a bit overcast as we set off from Cropredy, we went through Cropredy lock and stopped for water, then chugged on along the canal and through three more locks, there was a couple of boats coming the other way so made the locks easy.

Before we knew it, we were approaching Banbury.  We moored on the visitor moorings just before Sovereign Narrowboats.

We chilled out for a bit then walked up to the Aldi which is in a retail park not far from the canal.  We also had a walk to the town centre.  There are plenty of moorings right in the town centre by the Castle Quays shopping centre.  We walked up into the town and had a wander around, it’s a very nice place with lots of shops, cafes, pubs and restaurants.  Banbury was originally a wool town, the castle was pulled down by Cromwell’s forces in 1646 and now no trace remains.  

We are staying here for a couple of days, so will have a better look around tomorrow.

Wednesday 15^th July

We are staying here today, so had a leisurely start then walked down to the shopping centre and up into the town.  There is an historic boat yard right on the canal called Tooley’s Boatyard, it is the last remaining element of the old Banbury canal terminus surviving since 1790, and thankfully has been saved.  It was here that Tom Rolt’s boat Cressy was prepared for his honeymoon cruise with his new wife in 1939.  This cruise led to the formation of the Inland Waterways Association in 1946.  

Banbury

Tooley’s Boatyard still has a working forge and an operational dry dock, together with all the tools needed to build a wooden narrowboat and boats are still being built and restored here.  There is a museum and they do guided tours of the boatyard, so we will try and do that while we are here.

Banbury Cross

There is a Banbury cake, which is similar to an Eccles cake but oval in shape, so we thought we should try one.  We found a small café in one of the little side streets where they make them fresh every day and had one with a cup of coffee, they were delicious.

We also found a really good butcher in one of the many small side streets and got a few provisions.

Banbury is famous for its ancient cross which was in the nursery rhyme “Ride a cock horse to Banbury Cross”, so we walked up through the town to find it.  It is on a roundabout on a very busy road.  The original cross was demolished in 1602 and the present cross is a 19^th-C replica.

In the afternoon, we walked back up to the retail park to get a few more things, then just chilled out for the rest of the day.  Where we are moored you can only say for two days, so we are going to go through the lock and the lift bridge tomorrow and moor on the 14 day moorings a bit further down so that we can have a couple more days here as it is such a nice place.

Moored at Banbury

Fenny Compton to Cropredy (South Oxford Canal)

Going through Fenny Compton tunnel

The forecast was not good for later on today, so we set off quite early at 8.45am, stopped for water by The Wharf pub, then set off along the canal, past Fenny Marina and along Fenny Compton tunnel, a steep thickly wooded cutting, it was converted into a cutting in 1868, it is very narrow towards the end.  

Going through the lift bridge

We chugged on along the canal, there is a lift bridge on this stretch, and I was just gearing up to operate it when it came into view and it was open, how lucky was that, when we went through it we could see that it is permanently left open, we went on and eventually came to the Claydon flight of five locks, didn’t take too long to get through there as there were a couple of boats coming up, they are a really nice flight of locks set right in the countryside. We chugged on and through the next three locks, then we were almost at Cropredy where we planned to moor, so we started looking for a suitable spot.

Claydon top lock

We went past Cropredy marina, there were a few moorings there but we decided to go a bit further as we had been told by other boaters that there were moorings just above Cropredy lock.  We went through a narrow bit, then came to the moorings which were pretty full, but there was one gap, but wasn’t sure if we would fit in it, but Kev gave it a try.  The chap on the boat behind came out to give us a hand and offered to move back a bit so we would fit, but we said we would ask the boat in front to move up as in front of them was a huge space, so Kev went and tapped on the window and said to the chap that we were trying to moor behind him but needed just a bit more space, so please could he move up a bit, he replied I am a bit busy at the moment!  Kev said oh that’s okay, it won’t take long.  We waited for a few minutes and then he came out with a face like thunder, he said to Kev there are more moorings down below the lock, and Kev said yes but we want to moor here and anyway there’s a huge space in front of you and in busy places like this, you should move up to accommodate other people, he replied if you tell me what to do, this boat is moving nowhere, what a friendly chap!!

Cropredy

Shop at Cropredy near canal

We were going to help him move his boat down, but with his attitude we didn’t bother, he almost went in the water when he was on the back of the boat and went to get off and the back went out and he had to jump for the bank, I was praying he would miss the bank, would have been sweet justice, and also if he had asked for help to get out, we could have said sorry I am a bit busy at the moment, but he just made it.  The boat is called Annie Louise so beware if you meet him, he is a real happy soul!!

 

All moored up, we went for a walk up into the village of Cropredy, it’s a really nice place, very peaceful, with two pubs and a well stocked village shop.  We are going to stay here tomorrow as well so will have another walk around then and explore a little more.

Moored at Cropredy

Bridge 124 to Fenny Compton (South Oxford Canal)

Lovely morning on the South Oxford

We decided to chug on today, the sun was shining and it was a lovely warm day.  We had a later start than we have had lately, we didn’t leave until 9.45am!!

One of the bridges on the South Oxford

We chugged on up the winky wonky canal and all you can see is green fields and cows and sheep, its really lovely and very peaceful.  There are a lot of bends and twists and you can bet your bottom dollar that’s where we met boats coming the other way, not a boat was to be seen on the straight bits!  It follows the contours of the land so locks aren’t needed and its 11 miles to the next lock when we start going downhill, but that won’t be today.

Soon we were at Fenny Compton . where we moored up before the bridge.  There are moorings after the bridge but they were all full.

The Wharf Inn

We walked up to the village of Fenny Compton about a mile from the canal where there is a co-op and houses, not much else.  We walked back to the canal where there is The Wharf Inn right on the canal.  We went in for a drink and sat in the garden by the canal.  They also have a shop in the pub selling provisions, very handy.

We had a walk down to Fenny Marina and had a look in the Chandlery, it is very well stocked and also easy to buy diesel and gas as they have frontage right on the canal and keep it clear so we will get some there on the way back.

We are staying here a couple of days now just chilling out.

Moored at Fenny Compton

Napton on the Hill to Bridge 124 (South Oxford Canal)

We are moving on today and as this section of this canal seems very busy we decided to leave early as we wanted to get water before we tackled the 9 locks.

Starting off up the Napton flight

Lovely rural Napton locks

The sun was shining and it was already warm as we set off at 8am!!  We went around the corner and moored up to fill up with water.  Then we set off through the first lock.  There was a couple of boats in front of us, but soon boats started coming down as well, so passage up through the locks was nice and easy. 

Leaving Napton top locks

These locks are called the Napton flight and lift the canal up by 55ft to the sleepy hamlet of Marston Doles  and are set in glorious countryside, so a pleasure to work through.  There was a volunteer lock keeper, he helped us with one lock then went up to the top of the flight.  Soon we were at the top of the locks and chugging on our way.  Not far from the top of the locks is an old arm that was once the site of a pumping house that used to pump water up to the summit from the bottom of the Napton flight.

We chugged on along the canal, it is very windy as it follows the contours of the land, and just fields with sheep and cows, no roads, cars or trains.  It is perfectly lovely.

We moored just after Bridge 124.  There was a field of sheep opposite and one of the mature lambs got into the water and couldn’t get out, so we put our shoes on and went out to go over to the field and get him out.  There was a boat moored up in front of us and they came out and came over to the field as well.  The chap went on ahead as he had wellies on and pulled the lamb out of the water to safety, mind you the water went over the top of his wellies,  good job he went first as we only had sandels on!

St Marys Church, Priors Hardwick

The small hamlet of Priors Hardwick is not far away and you can reach it by a footpath across the fields.  We walked up through two fields, then onto the lane which met the road.  There are just a few houses, a church and a smart bar/restaurant.  Much of the village was pulled down by Cistercian monks in the 14^th-C.  Parts of the squat stone church are 13^th-C.

The Butchers Arms, Bar & Restaurant

We walked up to the church and had a look around there, then walked back down the road and went into The Butchers Arms for some refreshment.  It is a really up market bar and restaurant, beautifully decorated and very smart.  The outside is lovely with lots of flowers.

We walked back down through the fields to the canal and just chilled out.  We may stay here tomorrow or chug, will decide in the morning.

Moored at Bridge 124