Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Back in time?

One thing that you cannot fail to miss on the way down the locks to Cropredy is the preponderance of old working boats in various states of repair. We passed a few moored between the locks too!

It was not until we got to Clattercote that I "woke" my camera up - the day was dull with the occasional drizzle.

The "pumpkin" boat (see link below)

As we passed Clattercote Wharf and Forge Farm my imagination was woken too - I could almost see what it might have looked like back in time on a wharf with the shed above.

Clattercote Reservoir - another feeder for the South Oxford Canal is due west and is popular for coarse fishing. By the way - we were able to get off the "shelf" that the low water on the summit pound had deposited us on! We just reversed into the middle of the canal and she came off - a good manoeuvre anytime for getting off a mooring!

Our next "back in time" encounter was with Bude (we passed her at Cropredy on our way up) - she was being poled along the pound below Varney's Lock.

Bude - see above link for better photo!

Apparently she was about to go up the slipway opposite once the narrowboat in the shed above had come down.


The pound below Varney's is full of old boats - this is where they seem to congregate because of the workshop and slipway. They reach right up to Broadmoor Lock.


The one in the photo below has seen better days, but moored to it is a well known narrowboat, nb Justice, owned by a well known author in canal land - this book is on my wish list!


Broadmoor Lock is one of my favourite locks - it is usually tidy, it has the "fender shop" and the colours of the bushes change with the seasons.

This was December 2008!

And so we arrived at Cropredy Lock, filled up at the wharf and established ourselves on the 48H mooring for a couple of days. As I write, Cropredy is turning on the sunshine for us - just to remind me that I am rather fond of this village!

Hay Bridge to Cropredy
3 hours 5 minutes, 3.23 miles, 9 locks

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