Part 4 - Chapter 4

"Watford Locks were a doddle, and we went straight down without any delay."

"Coming to Norton Junction, we turned right..."

"...and, being in no kind of hurry, we stopped

a couple of hundred yards further on for the night."

"We descended Braunston Locks solo, but quickly."

Michelle waiting at Bottom Lock.

Here she comes!

The old Pumphouse at Braunston

"Napton Junction, bearing left onto the South Oxford Canal"

"...and we moored at the last available spot below Napton Bottom Lock."

The sun burned out from the blue spaces between fluffy white clouds,

and the heat had built up by now, the air remaining

hot and muggy even when the sun went in.

"Lock 10 was damaged, attended by an overseeing volunteer,

and had only one operable bottom gate paddle." 

"Water buffalo grazed in the distance, a herd whose milk is used to make Mozarella cheese."

"Working our way down Claydon Locks and the rest of the locks into Cropredy,

Kantara and three other boats were in close convoy, so we found most

of the locks against us, which slowed our journey somewhat."

I wasn't sure which one of them was barking!

"We found a mooring in Cropredy, did some shopping and had a bite to eat."

"We arrived later than expected at Banbury, and found

a single mooring space on the west side of the basin."

"We winded just south of the town, and started on the return

to Yelvertoft, now half-way through our week together."

"Back at Cropredy, we took the very last available space at

the far side of the village, very close to a former lift bridge."

"No bridge, just the wall each side."

"After another largely hot and sunny day, it was a beautiful evening."

"I don't know why, but the only photos I took there were of cows."

"I like cows. My favourite animal."

"We carried on to bridge 107 for overnight mooring,

expecting it to pour down again at any moment."

"We had a peaceful evening and night in a lovely, picturesque spot."

"On Saturday morning, we left in a spell between rain showers."

"It caught up with us again as Michelle took over

at the helm and steered us towards Braunston."

"We arrived at Braunston Turn as the morning parade of old working boats was coming to an end; there was to be another in the afternoon. It was that weekend again."

Crick Wharf

"...a certificate for Michelle's efforts at the helm."

 

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