28 July 2011 - Somerton to north of Banbury

Opened the door to fog! This quickly dispersed to a blue sky and a hot day.  Plodded on today for nearly 11 miles.  Annie managed to do the washing (we hadnt tackled this before on the boat) using the bath with everything put in the cratch to dry.  Seemed odd arriving back in built up civilization.  Stopped at a farm shop called the Pig Place and bought some eggs.

Imposing tythe barn alongside the canal

Banbury has some nice grotty bits alongside the canal.  I looked forward to seeing Tooleys Yard made famous by L T C Rolt  but was disappointed to see a single brick shed surrounded by a modern shopping mall - such is progress.  We filled up with water before moving on out of Banbury.

27 July 2011 - Kirtlington to Somerton

We were determined to make an early start and make an impression on our outstanding journey distance.  Managed to start early enough..... then straight away disaster.  Whilst still in sight of our overnight mooring I moved over to let another boat passed the other way (we keep right on the canals).  Now negative G is something you usually hear in terms of aerial acrobatics or formula 1 - not narrowboating!  Well you experience quite a lot of negative G as you run aground and with 10 tons that's a lot of force.  The boat tips and rises up out of the water and you realise this is going to be a bit of a bugger to get off!
We managed to move the bows free and get a line onto the opposite bank, then with the help of a nearby moored boater, and lots of engine revs she came free.  Lots of thanks to said boater and we were on our way again all the benefit of our early start lost.

Stopping for a lock

Exhausted by the early start and our grounding we treated ourselves to an early finish, finding a lovely spot just south of the village of Somerton.  Taking the bikes off the boat, we cycled into the village - about a mile - with Lady jogging behind.  The map said there was a post office, but we went right through the village and out the other side.  It was on our way back through we spotted a house bearing the name 'The Old Post Office'.  Obviously a victim of the current economic climate. Our own climate was pretty warm too.

Overnight stop 27th July south of Somerton

26 July 2011 - Oxford to Kirtlington

Walked into Jericho and bought rolls for breakfast and a paper so it wasn't until 11am when we cast off. Straight away we found that the bikes mounted on the back of the boat (on a bike rack) are a liability.  It is easy to catch them when reversing or squeezing into narrow locks.  They have had so many knocks I reckon they will ride like clowns bikes by the time we get on them.

The Oxford is for the most part very beautiful and every turning can present a new surprise.  One such surprise occurred with Annie piloting as we turned a sharp bend in Thrupp.  With moored boats on either side, coming towards us down the narrow centre channel at some speed *backwards* was a narrowboat.... with nobody at the tiller!  A chap was stationed at the bow steering by using a pole.  Skillful stuff no doubt, but with two 10 ton boats at rapid closing speed, I was not admiring his skill.....  Annie slammed Ceilidh into reverse with the wick turned right up and we slowly stopped and changed direction.  Pilot of reversing boat made his way aft just as I made my way forward.  The gap closed, fenders just kissed each other, then the gap grew again as we gathered speed backwards.  No problem says he! You want to practice going backwards, it comes in useful.  As we tried to then guide our rearwards hurtling boat avoiding nearby boats and pontoons, he continued on his way allowing us to read his boat name.  nb. Milly M.  This boat is owned by Maffi who regularly features in august columns of the 'Canal Boat' mag.  He is known to operate his boat backwards more often than forwards.
Moored up opposite a golf course - very quiet.

Mooring for 26th July opposite golf course

25 July 2011 - Wallingford to Oxford

Monday dawned bright and became quite warm.  Walked Lady over the Castle grounds, a collection of magnificent lumps and bumps in the ground that are all that remains of the largest castle in the county.  Came back to coffee & breakfast - thanks Annie!  The boat was prepared and we set off on time at 9am. Sadly a miscounting of the locks ahead put us immediately 30 minutes behind!  As we arrived at Days Lock our friends George & Isabel were spotted waving - they had cycled over and were waiting for us to come by.  Popped their bikes on the roof and they joined us for the day.  Moored up at the Kings Head at Sandford Lock for a jar mid afternoon and arrived in Oxford at Osney Lock just after 7pm.  Sadly the lock keeper had gone and the lock was 'self service'.  Managed to make a meal of the simple arrangement of buttons to press to operate the lock but cracked it in the end and got through. Here George jumped ship to catch the bus home and collect the car to retrieve Isabel and the bicycles.  We journeyed on, getting off the Thames onto the Oxford Canal via the surreal Sheepwash Channel.  You turn sharp right off a beautiful wide father Thames into a narrow, dark channel overhung with trees.  Several ancient railway bridges cross the cutting, including an old railway turntable bridge, left open with deck lying on the bank.  On the opposite bank, two railway tracks ran for about 30 metres disappearing beneath a block of flats built over the line.
We moored the boat in North Oxford, an area called Jericho.  An incredible place.  This former industrial area was going seriously up-market. The canal was bounded by cliff like apartments and penthouses fetching upwards of £700k.  On the opposite side of the canal were social housing 'flats'... again cliff like and brand new.  As we knocked our mooring pins in, an voluble argument sprang up between two occupants of the 'social side' about what they thought of each others children.  Colourful ! :-)  This was accompanied by the slamming of windows and patio doors from the 'posh' side.  Felt sorry for them - forking out tht kind of cash and having to put up with the entertainment from the other side of the canal a few feet away.
George was quick returning with the car, but a little longer securing a parking space.  After a curry, they cycled back to the car, leaving us to our watery divide between Oxford's social strata.

George & Isabel

24 July 2011 - Reading to Wallingford

1st Reading Sea Scout HQ....
Hmmmm mental note to introduce ourselves

Yesterday would have gone a little better if I hadnt left my wallet in the car at the marina.  The thought of leaving it there for a month did not appeal.  Last night we phoned friends Joe & Sarah at the marina and they walked over to the car and reported they could see it on the dash!  On their way home the crew took my key and liberated the wallet from the car and gave it to Joe and he and Sarah drove over to Reading with it this morning.  We were very grateful and provided a bacon butty breakfast to say thanks.  A good chat did nothing for our hoped-for early staret and it was again midday before we were off. From behind the gaol you turn left onto the main river, negotiate Blakes Lock and in 10 minutes you are at the Thames.  A careful left turn across the traffic and we were on our way!  The first lock is Caversham lock where we bought out Thames licence (2 days!  we would have to push on to get to Oxford and off the Thames in 2 days).

We hadnt gone much further when we spotted a chap helming solo with his narrowboat firmly aground near the bank.  He was attempting (clearly unsuccessfully) to pole his way off.  In a moment of madness we shouted to see if he would like a tow.  Nearly bit our arm off!  Yes please, that would be very helpful!  A swift 360 degree turn in the middle of a busy river saw us alongside him.  Thanks for that he says, but you would be better facing the other way!  Ho hum.... another swift 360 turn (fortunately nothing coming) and he was able to throw us a line.  We managed to pull him sideways off the bank and re float him.... just as 3 or 4 other boats came around the corner to find two huge narrowboats completely blocking the River Thames!  With a swift thanks and hardly time to say goodbye he shot off towards London, whilst we turned, apologising to all the boats who had had to take evasive action and resumed our journey.  It was a good result, but delayed us yet another 30 minutes.

Continuous motoring saw us pop out from under Wallingford bridge on the dot of 7pm, just as my sister Chris and husband James arrived at the pub alongside to meet us as planned.  It only took 20 minutes to moor up, put the boat to bed and walk back to the pub for tea.

23 July 2011 - Frouds Bridge to Reading

Mark, Claire & Charlie came to help us on the first leg of our journey - from Frouds Bridge to Reading.  Its a hard days slog on a good day, so a little extra help with the locks would be great.  Once everyone had actually arrived we were all set to go at 12 noon (not exactly the early start we had anticipated.   Nevertheless the extra help was very welcome.  A nice dry day allowed us to make Reading by 7.30pm including a stop over at the Cunning Man for a swift one - or else the mutinous crew would have mutinied....  Once parked up behind Reading Gaol, Annie magicked up a quick curry to feed the crew before catching the bus back to their cars.