Tuesday 20th August 2019



We left the moorings quite early and stopped at the Sanitary Station. The state of the bins was awful, but apparently, it was because for the recent Music Festival. Just as we were about to leave for the neighbouring lock, another boat passed us. Not much harm done though, when we got to the lock there were actually three boats in line ahead of us, so a long wait ensued.

The day was a steady progression of locks. The one at Cropredy was followed a mile later, by a group of three, then a further mile on, came the five closely grouped Claydon locks beyond which was the 11 summit of the Oxford Canal before the long descent to Coventry.

The Oxford Canal was built as an early contour canal. following the lay of the land. Although the course had been twisting and turning since Oxford, it becomes really apparent once the summit is reached.

The views were at first, wide and open.  Between Broadmoor and Varney’s Locks were many old working boats although, unfortunately, most were in varying states of decay. Always a shame when this is seen, our canal heritage wasting away. Clattercote Wharf was a busy place not only with moored boats, some undergoing repair work, but also with the attached smallholding. The pound between the next two locks, Varney’s and Elkington, was low. Although the boat got through without incident, the level was probably 10” down.




Low levels



At Claydon Bottom Lock we came across a group of volunteers clearing trees and undergrowth around the lock and painting fences at the next lock up. Stirling work these people do. The canals would be much worse off without them. At the top lock, the cottage and stables are in the midst of a renovation project that is looking very grand.



     

                 
                                                                Volunteers at work at Claydon Locks                                             

                   
                                                                         Claydon Top Lock Cottage and Stables



Claydon Top Lock saw us on the summit pound and the beginning of the wide curves and tight bends of this contour canal. The level was also very low. North of Claydon village is a feeder channel coming from Boddington Reservoir, 2½ miles away. Opposite the towpath bridge of the feeder channel is a line of long termed moored boats. The canal was so low here that we were grounded and had to keep the power on. Luckily the channel guided us in the correct direction, but there was little control over the handling of the boat. We virtually dragged the bottom all the way into Fenny Compton although not quite as badly as at the feeder channel.

After passing an ornate, disused railway bridge and Wormleighton Reservoir we came to the so-called Fenny Compton Tunnels. When first constructed, the canal had two tunnels here. They were opened out in the mid-1800’s but are still known as “tunnels”. Today the channel is still narrow, only wide enough for one boat, but passes through a steep, thickly wooded cutting. We were still pushing our way along the bottom and so were dismayed to see in front of us, a very slow moving hire boat. We caught up with this boat very quickly. His steering was very erratic and he was all over the canal. We kept a few boat lengths from him, praying he wouldn’t go aground or meet another boat coming in the opposite direction.



     

      
                                                              Feeder Channel emerges from Boddington Reservoir    
                                   
                                                                                      
Fenny Compton Tunnel




Fenny Compton is a popular mooring spot although the canal is narrow all along the moorings. We took the first mooring we saw, just managing to squeeze in. We needn’t have worried though, boats it seemed, were coming and going the remainder of the afternoon. Just unfortunate though, if you arrive, the moorings are full and you pass on just as somebody decides to leave.

I visited the chandlery and gave the sewing table top a good coat of wax. Very pleased how this has turned out.

Brenda had an extremely frustrating afternoon attempting to complete our US visa applications online. Eventually, with Riviera Travel on the phone helping, we managed between us, to complete Brenda’s but mine just would not download the passport pages. It then appeared as though, because I had worked out of Libya, that I would be unable to apply for a visa online and would have to visit the US Embassy in London.  We just don’t have the time for this. Then checking my discharge book, it seems the restriction may not apply. The passport would still not download however, Riviera had gone off the phone at this point and is was out of office hours. The saga has to continue tomorrow.



Weather: a nice day, but a little breezy and chilly in the shade.



Day Total: 9 locks; 6 miles; 0 Tunnels; 0 Swing Bridges; 0 Lift Bridges; 0 Boat Lift; Day’s running hours 4.4

Overall Total: 696 locks; 1211 miles; 49 tunnels; 57 Swing Bridges; 11 Lift Bridges; 2 Boat Lifts; total engine running hours 766.0hrs

   











   








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