Locks... would we remember how to do them at Napton??!!

Today – Priors Hardwick to Claydon. Oxford Canal, 9.5 miles 5 locks
Sun 12th Feb – Napton to Priors Hardwick, Oxford Canal, 3.5 miles 8 locks
Sat 11th Feb – Moored Napton, Oxford Canal

We waited for the ice to disappear and for Chas and Ann with NB Moore2Life, our winter traveling companions, to come up from Braunston, where they had been visiting their regular dentist in Daventry while we were at Calcutt Boats having an engine inspection.  News came from them that they would be leaving on the Saturday morning.  It was a beautiful day, and Lucy and I took off to the east of Napton across the downs.  The day before we had spent a few hours to the west.. The views across to Napton were magnificent…

On Sunday morning we were woken at would you believe 7am by the skipper of the boat in front starting his noisy generator!!  Totally out of order in my view… I noticed the previous Friday that he ran his engine from just after 9pm till way past 10pm.. I think there is a sort of BW ‘rule’ that states no engines running after 8pm, well anyway we stick to that ourselves.  Just I find that sort of behavior by other boaters very selfish.. washing to do at 7am or no washing to do!!!

Napton flight it was then yesterday, and No Problem and Moore2Life made their way steadily up one at a time.  It was nice to do some locks again after so long without any during our pre Christmas amble around the Ashby Canal.  Poor Vic was a bit stiff by the time he had reached the top..

Very full of boats from here onwards for quite some way.. no visitor moorings available.  I think British Waterways let a lot out for winter moorings leaving very few available for errrrr ‘visitors’.  Wasn’t long though ‘till a nice mooring was found around bridge 123, very quite, just how I like it.  I enjoyed Sunday..

Today then a fairly early start to get us further along the canal.  We are meeting daughter Wendie and Danny along with grandchildren Kiera and Niamh on Wednesday, it’s half term you see, and they are sneaking a couple of days on No Problem at Cropredy.  Aim was to get below the five locks at Claydon.. some 14.5 or so lock miles away.  Lock miles I say.. its a sort of rough calculation.. add the number of miles to the number of locks to estimate the time it will take to travel that distance.. so at 3mph, that is just under 5 hours.. In fact it took 4 hours and 55 minutes!!

Here Vic working the locks today, closing the bottom gates after No Problem had exited… he uses a short pole with a sturdy hook on the end to pull the far gate closed.  This saves him walking all the way round the lock to shut the gate.  Tall people with long legs can actually step across the gap you see in the pic… buy hey we are only little people!!

A great day cruising today, no sunshine, but dry and calm… oh and the countryside was outstanding..