South on the South Oxford

We've left the Grand Union and are now heading towards Banbury on the Oxford Canal.  Last Thursday we left the Saltisford Arm at Warwick and went down the two Cape Locks and over the River Avon.  From there it is all uphill to reach the summit level of the Oxford Canal (about 375 feet above sea level) where we are now.

The pub by the Cape Locks is called "The Cape of Good Hope".  We've no idea why it is called that and have been unable to find the answer.  We ate there on Tuesday evening and it was very good and reasonably priced.

This is the aqueduct where the Grand Union crosses the River Avon.  Perhaps one day there will be locks connecting the two which would save all the locks up the Hatton flight and down the Stratford Locks.

A little further on the canal crosses over the railway too.

Going up wide locks in a narrowboat can be difficult but the Grand Union Locks seem to be OK.  Just open one paddle on the same side as the boat and the upwelling water pushes the boat firmly against the side.

This is looking back to Welsh Road Lock, one of a number of single locks before we got to Bascote where there is a short flight of two single locks and a double staircase.  In case you're wondering why we've left a top gate open that's because there is a boat coming to use it!

Here is Leo going up the Bascote staircase.  We managed to pass a single narrowboat in the staircase which is always fun.

We moored near Long Itchington and walked in to see the village and the church shown here.  The village was very quiet and peaceful with a village pond and several pubs. 

On Saturday we climbed the Stockton Locks, all 10 of them, and passed Calcutt Marina shown here before going up the 3 Calcutt Locks to reach Napton Junction with the Oxford Canal.  The iron bridge in the marina reminded us of the 'Horseley Iron Works' bridges around Braunston and elsewhere but it was in fact made in 2006.

In one of the pounds of the Calcutt Locks is a hire company base.  Handy for showing your customers how to operate a lock.

And here we are at Napton Junction turning right onto the Oxford Canal.  Left would have taken us to Braunston.

We moored soon after the junction and on Sunday we only cruised for a mile and a half to moorings near the Folly Inn where we had Sunday lunch and our son David popped in to see us on his way back south after a weekend away.

Napton is famous for its windmill, seen here from the canal.

It is said that you can see seven counties from the top of Napton Hill.  We can't verify that but certainly you can see a long way as this panorama taken from near the windmill shows.

Sunday was also sheet washing day!

The Petunias on Leo's roof are doing really well at the moment.

This picture was taken about 10.30 at night.  These long days are lovely for boating especially when the weather has been so good this June.

This is the Folly Inn.  Good food and good beer at reasonable prices.  It was deserted on Sunday because England were playing Panama.  And winning 6-1!

After a lazy Sunday and having a good chat with David involving a second visit to the Folly Inn, we set off on Monday morning up the 9 Napton Locks.  We moored near the top of the locks and today (Tuesday) we've crossed the long and windy summit pound of the Oxford Canal.

This view is taken looking down from the first lock with Napton Hill behind.

We passed this narrowboat in a depression in a field.  We think a linking channel allowed it to be driven in and the link was then filled in so that they don't have to pay licence fees.  But we could be wrong.  It seems to be on a bit of a tilt for comfortable living.

The weather is that hot this week that we are forsaking the sun on the solar panel and looking for shade to keep the boat and ourselves cool.

We are finally seeing some swallows.  Where we moored last night there was a pillbox where a couple of swallows had a nest.  Three swallows were regularly hoovering up the flies along the canal.

This moorhen was clearly nest building too, perhaps for a second brood as we have seen lots of moorhen chicks already.

The Oxford Canal is well known for its lift bridges.  This was the first we have seen and fortunately is held open to give priority to boats.  No doubt we have plenty more coming which we will have to operate.

The Oxford is a lovely canal, winding, scenic and away from it all.  There now seem to be a fair number of boats on the move and we did have to wait for one boat ahead of us to go up the Napton Locks, the first time we've queued for a lock so far this year.  The next few days will see us going down from the summit level towards Banbury and Oxford.

It's all downhill!!

In the last few days our average number of locks per day has gone up quite a bit.  We've come down the 19 Lapworth Locks and the 21 Hatton Locks and here is the story of those descents:

Last Sunday our friends Maurice and Carolyn cycled to us on their tandem and then helped us down the Lapworth Locks:

Before they arrived we came down the first four locks which are further apart and there is then a gap before the work starts in earnest.  Here we are looking back to the second lock in the flight.

Once down the first four we boiled the kettle and waited for the tandem to arrive.  We found room for the bike on the roof and for the riders inside.  Much cake and biscuits were eaten on Sunday.

The Lapworth Locks are narrow ones and each only averages about 7 feet deep so they are fairly easy, especially with two extra crew.  In this photo at lock 18 near the bottom before Kingswood Junction, Helen is on the left and Carolyn on the right.  Maurice has gone ahead to set the next lock.

Here is Kingswood Junction.  To the right leads on towards Stratford where we went a month ago.  Our way this time lay to the left where one final lock dropped us down to the Lapworth Link which connects with the Grand Union Canal.

We enjoyed our day with Maurice and Carolyn and hope they did too.  We were certainly grateful for their help and the descent of the locks was surprisingly relaxing.  We moored on the Lapworth Link and later said our goodbyes as they left on the tandem to go home.

We could have done the Hatton locks the following day but decided to have an easier day on Monday and stopped a mile short of the top of the locks and carried on down on Tuesday.

On the way we cruised through the surprisingly wet Shrewley Tunnel.  If you look above and to the right of the canal tunnel entrance you can see a separate tunnel for the towpath.  The towing horses had to go through this dark hole.  The inside of the canal tunnel is lined with stalactites and water pours through the roof onto poor unsuspecting boaters at several points.

On Monday a walk from our mooring took us to the Hatton Locks Cafe near the top of the flight, so more tea and cake.  On Tuesday we met Kieran and Christine on Ellisiana at the top of the locks and shared the flight with them.  Being on the Grand Union we are now on a wide canal and two boats fit in each lock.  In this photo Ellisiana is coming out of the top lock as we start our descent together.

This view is looking down the straight section of the flight.  The tower seen below is that of St Mary's Church in Warwick.

The Hatton flight is sometimes called the "Stairway to Heaven" and this gives you some idea of why.

Kieran and Christine decided to moor four locks from the end of the flight but were kind enough to continue on foot to help us down the last of the locks.  A very kind gesture and we were thankful for their help.  We turned off the canal at the bottom onto the Saltisford Arm and this view is taken from our mooring there.  The Arm is owned by a charity and mooring costs £6 a night but it is a lovely spot and the moorers and the manager, Ian, are very welcoming.  It is also closer to the centre of Warwick.

We stayed two nights in the Saltisford Arm and spent Wednesday visiting the sights of Warwick.  It is a lovely town though perhaps has too much traffic going through.  It has innumerable corners full of fine historical buildings.

We  started our day by climbing 160 steps to the top of the tower of St Mary's Church.  Here is the view looking towards Warwick Castle.  We had visited the Castle before so we went instead to other sights.

If you go to Warwick do visit the Lord Leycester Hospital.  This is not a hospital but a home for ex servicemen founded in 1571.  Ex servicemen still live there and show visitors round.  It is a wonderful collection of medieval buildings which date back a further century before its foundation.

This is the Great Hall where James 1 was guest of honour at a banquet which nearly bankrupted the town.  He sat in the chair seen on the left.  The Hall is still used for banquets, usually for weddings.

This is the Courtyard with the Master's House beyond and a galleried landing to the right.

Left is the Guildhall where the town's worthies discussed how the town should be run and organised its government.

The Hosptal has a lovely garden.  The Norman arch was found on the site and re-erected as a garden feature.  The urn is from ancient Egypt.

Part of the Lord Leycester Hospital site includes a chapel over the West Gate to the town.  At the other end of the High Street is the East Gate shown here which also has a chapel on top.

The building on the left is Thomas Oken's House.  He was a major benefactor to the town from the 1500s and a charity he founded still supports the town and its people.

I like the roof lines in this photo taken from the town walls which is also within the Hospital site.

So, we were really impressed with Warwick and after touring the sights, sat down to rest on a bench by the River Avon.  Perhaps one day we'll be able to navigate up the Avon from Stratford, saving a lot of locks up to Lapworth and back down again!

Even more surprising was that we found a proper ironmonger's shop in Warwick - Torry's on West Street.  We have been looking for a 4 inch chimney flue brush for ages and they actually had one in stock!!

So do visit Warwick it is well worthwhile.

Today (Thursday) we've come through Leamington and have moored in open country near Radford Semele.  But more about that in our next posting.

Nearly to Birmingham and out again

Since our last posting we have climbed the Tardebigge Locks, all 30 of them, but we decided not then to cruise into Birmingham, but turned off down the North Stratford Canal, escaping the suburbs and heading south east.  So first last Wednesday when we climbed the Tardebigge Locks.  This is the longest lock flight in the country but as they are narrow locks and, apart from the last one, rise only 7 feet each they are not too difficult.

Because the lock flight winds back and forth as you climb you do not get the impression of a long line of locks ahead or behind you, unlike say the Caen Hill flight on the Kennet and Avon.  Here we are meeting a boat ("Our Elsa") coming down.

As you get up near the top the canal passes Tardebigge reservoir which supplies water for the canal.  In this picture you can see the canal and one lock just to the right and down below the reservoir.

Only one more lock to go at this point and to the right is the building which once housed a pumping engine to pump water up from the reservoir to the summit level of the canal.  It is now a private house.

There is a bit of a gap before the final lock which, unlike the others, rises 11 feet.  When built there was a boat lift here but it was soon converted to an ordinary lock.

We moored above the top lock and later walked up to the church on top of the hill.  It has a fine tall spire and is very open, light and spacious inside.

The church recognises its proximity to the canal too as this cushion shows.

After our exertions on Wednesday we had an easier day on Thursday going through two short tunnels and mooring at Hopwood:

Here is a view of Tardebigge Tunnel.  This is a mere 580 yards but is partly cut through solid rock and has some wet bits too!

We stopped in Alvechurch to do a little shopping.  It is a good half mile walk to the centre and the shops but it is an attractive village.

After mooring near Hopwood we went for a walk round the Upper Bittel Reservoir which is supposed to supply the canal with water.  The green field beyond the hedge is the reservoir.  We discovered they had drained it to fit a new valve.  There is a sailing club on the reservoir so they must be a bit peeved.  It looks as if it has been drained for months.  Perhaps this is why the canal is a bit low.  We tried to rescue a boat stuck fast under a bridge before our walk.  No luck with Ian and Helen power but an Anglo Welsh hire boat going the other way managed to pull the boat through.

This is the River Arrow passing through a lake.  This is the same river that brought us too much water where it joins the Avon but it looked pretty peaceful here.

Friday took us through the mile and a half long Wast Hills Tunnel and then we turned right onto the north end of the Stratford Canal:

Here is the last bridge before the Tunnel and in the distance you can make out a spot of light which is the headlight of an boat coming through the tunnel towards us.  We met and passed the boat in the tunnel which is always fun.

This is Kings Norton Junction where the Stratford Canal goes right and the Worcester and Birmingham carries on under the bridge towards Birmingham.  We went right.  It is an easy turn going this way but less easy turning onto the Stratford from Birmingham direction.

Here the photo is looking back as we make the turn.  The house is a toll house built with the canal.

A couple of hundred yards up the Stratford Canal the route goes through a narrow stop lock with guillotine gates at either end.  It is not used now as a lock and you just drive through but it was built to make sure that one canal company did not lose water to the other at the junction.

A further short (350 yards) tunnel follows.  This is the Brandwood tunnel.  The chap on the plaque is William Shakespeare who of course has connections with Stratford upon Avon where the canal is heading.

There are a number of lifting bridges on the North Stratford and this one is the first and called the Shirley Drawbridge.  There is quite a bit of traffic over the bridge and we even held up a bus.

Friday night we moored just beyond Dickens Heath near Shirley.  This seems to be a newly built village and has some fine architecture.  A lesson to developers and local councils how to undertake developments.  It has flats and houses but also has a school, a library, shops and a fine variety of styles of buildings.  We really liked it.  Also for the benefit of passing boaters it has a Tesco Express.

Today we carried on a few miles and moored above the Lapworth Lock flight.  On the way we passed through a couple of lifting bridges.  Here you can see Helen winding the bridge down after we had passed through.  Quite a lot of turns are needed to lift the bridge.

This afternoon we cycled a short way to visit Packwood House.  This Tudor house was saved from dereliction in the 1920's by Graham Baron Ash, heir to a steel fortune who gave the house to the National Trust in 1941.

There are some fine specimen yew trees in the garden.

And some lovely roses.  We liked this one with a mix of orange and pink colours.

So tomorrow is going to be another day of locks with the 19 locks of the Lapworth flight ahead of us.  Once down to Kingswood Junction we plan to swap onto the Grand Union Canal and head for Warwick and Leamington Spa.