Days 56 - 60 Napton Junction to Fenny Compton

 We left Wigrams Turn Marina on Monday 17 August and noting the weather forecast of heavy rain and thunderstorms we moored a short distance away to sit it out.  The following day we headed towards Napton Locks.

Napton Windmill, now a dwelling.  There has been a windmill on this site since the 16th century

We went through the first four locks of the Napton flight and moored just before Lock 5 with forecasts of more heavy rain and thunderstorms for Wednesday which proved accurate.  We decided to stay put till Thursday morning.

Thursday morning and up the remaining five locks

 

 Narrow locks for narrow boats! We never leave our fenders out when doing locks in case the boat gets stuck.  This may sound far-fetched but we saw a cruiser do just that a few days ago.  It took them quite a while to free themselves.

The CRT rebranded in 2018 and Jan for one is not happy about the new signage which she thinks is "overly showy".  We have noticed a lack of efficient maintenance at some CRT service stations on this trip which begs the question whether CRT is prioritising the fundamentals. There are nine locks on the Napton flight but lock numbering suggests otherwise.  Evidence of past changes?

Yes - water buffalo in fields beside the locks!

Beautiful countryside and fine weather

 Passing Marston Doles at Napton Top Lock.  A hamlet which provided stables for towing horses...

...now stabling classic cars!

Another fine old canalside building.  Most of the people we meet on the canals are perfectly friendly and thoughtful, but at this lock we came across the exception - a man who under the pretext of 'helping' attempted to control how fast Catnap rose in the lock not only putting her at risk, but annoying us mightily.  Denis put him straight; he retreated

Now we've seen everything - a boat in a pond in a field

 WW11 pillbox was a gun emplacement, part of a defensive line between Oxford and Birmingham known as the Stop Line

 

 The Church of St. Mary, Priors Hardwick

We moored for the night at Priors Hardwick and stayed there the next day due to high winds.  The weather this trip has been the most varied we have experienced with days of warm sunshine interspersed with heavy rain, thunderstorms and high winds.

Better weather today, Saturday. Teepee and what looks like a hot tub - glamping it up

Before reaching Fenny Compton and its services, a sight of HS2 preparations where it will cross the canal

After a night outside the Wharf Inn at Fenny Compton - sounds more fun than it was - the next major stop will be Cropredy, site of the famous annual folk festival (alas not this summer due to Covid).  Nine locks first, this time going down, as we leave the 'summit'.

Days 51 - 55 Hillmorton to Napton Junction via Braunston

Thursday 13 August and the next stop is Barby, but news from the Met Office is of torrential rain and thunderstorms later today.

 

 

At Hillmorton Wharf, this pub looks like an old boating establishment

 

Beautifully painted cabin - and note the giraffe

...and other wildlife

Another traditional cabin side

 

...and a traditional cabin of another kind, a mobile shepherd's hut

While this looks like something from Barbarella

The M1 of the canal system is 'Barby Straight'. which is, very

 Torrential rain prediction turns out correct

 

...so we take the path of least resistance and moor up for the night

 

Ridge and furrow pattern in the fields clearly visible.  This was a method of cultivation common in medieval times and some of the best preserved are in grazing land in Oxfordshire

Another view of Barby Straight with a very handsome bridge

Moored just north of Braunston, heading in for some shopping and lunch

Looking towards Braunston 

 

Walking to the village via a footpath through fields (and sheep)

Braunston Church

The windmill, dating from 1800 and now a holiday let

Braunston Marina and the very busy working boatyard

 

 

Another view of the marina

The friendly rope and fender shop, where we bought rope shackles to hang our side fenders from

 

Braunston is pround of its heritage and its long association with the canal

 

Plaque outside the Stop House, now a CRT information centre

 

We stopped for lunch at the Gongoozlers' Rest cafe boat, our first meal out since lockdown began!

70 foot traditional working boat Renfrew performing a tricky turn

He's steering into the Oxford Canal and will reverse back out to turn

A warm summer evening shining brass

 

 

Fitting the newly polished tiller handle and pin

 

Meanwhile, Jan touches up scuffs on the hull

 

Evening light over Braunston

The next day we turn west here onto five miles or so of the Grand Union Canal before continuing south on the Oxford Canal at Napton Junction

Beautifully painted small narrowboat Vole

Not incredibly impressive but it is Bridge 100 on the Grand Union

Wild flowers, wheat and sunflowers

 

Saturday and Sunday nights we stayed in Wigrams Turn Marina at Napton Junction to catch up on laundry and some R & R before the next leg of our journey.