At last some sunshine, but the ice is back at Napton

Today – Moored Napton, Oxford Canal

What a beautiful day today, it was nice to see some sunshine after days and days of really cold overcast weather.  Mind you, we have had hardly any rain since the beginning of the year.  Just one evening the pitter patter was heard on the roof.  I suppose we will get some soon, well we surely must or there will be water shortage stoppages before even the spring and summer boating seasons. 

Napton on the Hill, to give it it’s full name, must be one of the nicest places to moor on the waterways, always deadly quiet with no major roads any where near.  I did a bit of fishing this morning, sitting under the canopy the sun blazing through, it was like sitting in a conservatory!  My line got caught a couple of times in the ice, so I gave that up as a bad job… I think it was just about the coldest night of the year last night!  A couple of boats came through though breaking it up a bit..

But a wintery scene yet again this year on the canals.. Putting the rod away, I decided to give my newish walking boots a good test this afternoon, and Lucy and I took off across the countryside making our way crosscountry to Marston Doles and the top lock of the Napton flight of eight we have yet to do.  The walk back from there along the towpath is a good couple of miles, arriving back just as the sun set.. But the ice was thicker further south than where we are moored.. It feels cold now, I am wondering if it will freeze again overnight keeping us here till next week…