Monday, January 31, 2011

Then there was more ....

I suppose we must expect it when the temperature goes down to minus 8.7 degrees, as it did last night. It was gloriously sunny at Aynho when I took these photos around half nine this morning.
Ice towards Aynho Weir Lock
Into the sun towards Aynho Wharf

We decided that cruising was off the agenda today, but hope that tomorrow's wet and warmer forcast is right. However at 6pm it is already down to minus 4.3 degrees!

Sunday, January 30, 2011

A question for you




Via Twitter we came across this YouTube video made in the 1950s. It is really worth a watch as it shows the rail bridge over Sheepwash Channel opening, some wonderful old cruising boats and Foxton Locks.

My question is - near the end of the video is a boat called Elizabeth:
Those of you who are more knowledgeable than me - could this be the same boat?

Moored at Winsford on the River Weaver

We have seen narrowboat Elizabeth a few times on our travels - on the Weaver and on the Shroppie on its way to the Ellesmere Waterways Museum with other heritage boats.

On the Shroppie at the head of a convoy
Moored near Beeston on the Shroppie
An internet search based on the owners name on the side of Elizabeth and its "home", Cassio Wharf, brings up info on the possible current owner but nothing about the narrowboat.

Saturday, January 29, 2011

Brrr ... but now the Shortest Journey!

We moved a little this morning as we were meeting up with some of our extended family, Meg and Dave. So John was up and at the tiller well before I was ready for the day.

It was one of those January grey days - you know what I mean and after yesterday, such a contrast. It was a brrr and shiver day and even in the short distance it was a good feeling to moor again!

Not far from our mooring we were breaking ice as we approached Aynho. It always sounds worse down below so I had to check that it was not hull paint damaging thickness! It was not much, but you could see where we had been.



The lines of moored narrowboats at Aynho means a very slow approach and we met another boat just coming through the bridge. Amazing, all the cruising we did yesterday and not a boat on the move, yet today we move a mile and see one!


We were in no doubt as to where we were heading for, but we were reassured by this.



Despite there being a couple of visitor moorings near Aynho Bridge we carried on beyond the winding hole and moored up.


We had a really good time with Meg and Dave, ending up in The Great Western Arms for lunch. We had been chatting about friends and family networks linking our families and, to top it, John walked in and saw a familiar face at the bar. Mutual recognition took place - last meeting/drinking place, the Rising Sun in St Mawes! He is now a chef at the Deddington Arms. Small world.

Chisnell Lift Bridge to Aynho Wharf
1.19 miles, 0.40 minutes, 0 locks

Friday, January 28, 2011

The Longest Journey

Phew! Sun, wind, cold, even ice on a long cruise today. It was wonderful to be really cruising again on a lovely canal.



In our first lock we both thought that we were back on another favourite canal – can you guess which, from this photo?



We encountered a bit of ice as we climbed up the locks – the temperature was not much above freezing and the cold wind made it feel even lower.

icicles on lock gate

Now, this photo below may make you blink, and have another look!



Yes! It is Fi working a lock (an increase in steroid meds can be a wonderful thing?). Smile with tongue out Allen’s Lock has the easiest paddle gear we have ever encountered, though.

Her rabbit hat was very necessary today, but at least she is laughing, not gasping.



She actually worked two locks today – but chickened out of Somerton Deep Lock! Somerton came and went – afterwards BW thought we needed reminding that were were on the Oxford Canal, not the Staffs and Worcs as at Northbrook Lock (the answer to the puzzle at our first lock)!



These wood sculptures after Somerton Bridge must have some purpose, but we have no idea what. Still they make a pretty picture.



This canal vista shows the straight cut with a bend at Meadlands Bridge and Somerton Lock – the wind blew, but the sun shone.



So Somerton Deep Lock was our last lock – it was throttle down to keep on track for the entrance – to counter the combined effect of the wind and bywash. As luck would have it a brisk gust of wind blew against Epiphany just as she entered under the bridge – oops, but no real damage done.



We moored just beyond the lift bridge – fields either side and lovely views.

Kirtlington to Chisnell lift bridge
4 hours 37 minutes, 8.12 miles, 5 locks

Explorations in another world

It was not quite Jurassic Park, but fossils of dinosaurs have been found here.


I cant quite imagine this plant-eating Cetiosaurus living here when Kirtlington was a coastal environment but bones from a 15 metre one were found at Kirtlington Quarry. Fossils of other marine animals of the same period have also been found.
Find out more about the fossils here – clickety click. Below is a pan of the quarry.




I was tempted to follow the snail-like maze made out of stones, but wanted to find my way down to the wharf.



These steps looked familiar – from another angle as we passed on the canal below.



The wharf once had cement works buildings  - the quarry is still owned by Blue Circle Industries and managed by Cherwell DC. It was worked from 1907 and closed in 1928. Visitor info and location map – clickety click



The woodland path alongside the canal leads back to Mill Lane near the farm. This is popular with dog walkers and has wooden features like bridges over streams and “caverns”.


This was our mooring – lovely, but today’s is even better. Find out about our marathon cruise later!

Thursday, January 27, 2011

Fat chickens and a horse called Stuart

I like taking photos that amuse me – sometimes they don’t work but today I may have just succeeded.



Along from Pigeon Lock (above) is Mill Lane Farm – where the tea rooms are. Walking along the lane today I met …

Stuart the cart horse



I named him – it seemed as good a name as any and he looked like a “Stuart” to me.
These fat chickens supply the farm with eggs to sell – sadly it is closed at the moment as I might have been tempted to buy some.



It is no wonder they look so well and must produce lovely eggs because they have a penthouse dwelling, complete with their own chicken weather vane.

Of interest to local boaters ….

The South Oxford narrowboaters have been recently watching the pipe bridge above Pigeon Lock with interest. As they pass under it – not a place to hang around!

At about 11 am it looked like this and the workmen told me that it would be mended in a couple of hours.

At around 1pm it still looked like this! Anyone for a shower?
But by 3 pm it looked like this. So finally there is nothing to see but a pipe bridge without a leak!

Ahh – optimistic British workmen, they have to have their lunch and the required breaks of course!

Wednesday, January 26, 2011

From somewhere out in the sticks

Lovely - no road, no trains, no bridge; TV signal, full internet signal and phone signal! All our Christmases at once, John is happy and so am I!

We set out from Shipton with only a vague idea of where we would stop. John had his walk as he left me in charge of Epiphany and walked to the swing bridge and then on to Shipton Weir Lock, avoiding the lady hikers who took up the towpath as they "hallood" us!

Shipton Weir Lock
John enjoyed opening the throttle on the section of the River Cherwell above the lock (so did Epiphany's engine! - ed.) - the river had a bit of a flow and was on "yellow". By now it was wet and the wind had become an issue at slow speeds! The elegant iron arch of Horse Bridge marks where the river leaves again and we were into the calm of the cut below Baker's Lock.

Horse Bridge and lock cut to the right
We were now in "Kingsground land" - the narrowboats became progressively "shinier" as we approached Enslow Mill and the wharf there. It always looks deserted though, despite the evidence of lots of moored KG narrowboats.

Kingsground off line moorings and paintshop
The golf course after the raised Caravan Lift Bridge had a lone golfer braving the open scrubland and wind - boy did he look cold! The thorough Brindley meanderings of this southern canal are obvious here, as looking back the dishes and old cement works can be seen, passed on the Cherwell and at Enslow.

Train and narrowboat - a race?

A rare moving narrowboat was approaching us as we drew near to Pigeon Lock - it was our BSS Inspector, Mark Paris, on his Helene of Troy. A cheery wave as we passed and a thought that maybe the lock would be set for us - it was.

We were beginning to think about finding a mooring - it was nearly tea and cake time! But not at this tea room above the lock - a wonder of a treasure trove of old caravan, morris van and upmarket hen coops.

 

We had heard talk of Kirtlington old quarry and a mooring there. As we drew near the sun broke through; was this a good omen?

Kirtlington quarry wharf on right (off side)
We had a go at mooring but for some reason Epiphany did not want to - she would not come in to the bank. Then I saw a good reason to give up trying - a half eaten deer on the path beside the old wharf. I imagined the noise of fox, other scavenging animals and then, as my mind took off, vultures! Noises in the night, no thank you! Moving off we carried on a little and so, as you know, found this very remote mooring.

South Oxford Canal, Shipton to Kirtlington
2 hours 23 minutes, 3.82 miles, 3 locks

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Just over 0.8 of a mile later

After a wakeful night when the Oxford to Banbury Road was used as a race track we were on the move as the sun came up!

The sun rises over Gunpowder Wharf on the South Oxford Canal
All because John had a date with some sticks and little white balls! But we HAD to move, despite all our protestations we have the dreaded "plans"! These will unfold here in the next few weeks before your eyes ( I hope).

So it was goodbye to Sparrowgap, the Jolly Boatman, and Thrupp Canal Cottages.

The Jolly Boatman beside Sparrowgap Bridge

We hope we did not wake Dave as we passed - that is an impressive pole you have! No problem with TV or internet for you!


We filled and emptied at Thrupp Wharf - there is a good book exchange/donation there with a wide selection of books. My book shelf is much emptier now! It was a glorious morning, although we had one or two rain showers as we used the facilities. The tap here is very slow - apparently the pipe bore is too small!

Thrupp Canal Cottages

Thrupp Cruising Club moorings at Thrupp Wide extend almost to Shipton on Cherwell. There are towpath moorings just before and after the bend. We found ours waiting for us just after the bend, near enough to the bridge for a quick walk to John's taxi!

Epiphany moored at Shipton on Cherwell
A small tributary of the Cherwell is beside us - you can see it is flooded, but we have a lovely view from our side doors and Shipton Church looked lovely in the sunshine.

Towpath and flooding below


Shipton Church over moorings

So I await the return of the golfer - glad or sad according to his score! Meanwhile I do the jobs! The North Yorkshire Waterways Richlow Guide I am writing is coming together nicely, but I shall be spending my afternoon over a hot laptop, me thinks!

South Oxford Canal, Gunpowder Wharf to Shipton on Cherwell
1 hour 18 minutes, 0.88 miles, 0 locks

Monday, January 24, 2011

A bird's eye view ......

I lie - this is a camera lens view of some of the local birdlife around Thrupp, of varying quality! Why? Because until tomorrow I have no real news to impart!

He might have moved a little more to towards the lens!


Ah - open narrowboat swan doors, goody food!
If I wag my tail will I get fed?
No luck there then!