Category Archives: Shops

Nothing To Be Had In Braunston. 28th December

Braunston

We’ve been putting off the cooked breakfast this week as there has been quite a lot of food about the place, but we could hold out no longer. So Mick worked his magic this morning, adding in the last of the roast veg from Christmas dinner. He even remembered the mushrooms this time!

A walk up the hill to see if there was any more post that had arrived, sadly not. We then had a look in at the butchers. Once we enter a butchers we always feel obliged to make a purchase, but today I had one question for them, Did they have any Gluten Free sausages? I’d spotted a sign on their chiller cabinet before Christmas and was hoping that they would be a close match to a Braunston Banger. But because of Christmas, their freezers and fridges having been choker block with goodies for the festive period, they had none. The next batch wouldn’t be made until next week at the earliest. Sadly that’s no good for me we may be miles away by then. Having not got my head round what we’ll be eating for the next few days once the duck has run out I couldn’t think of anything we wanted, so today we managed to leave empty handed, must be a first at Braunston Butchers!

Tradline in the main marina warranted a visit. After 2000 miles our ropes are starting to look a little bit worn, so we were going to treat Oleanna to a new set to have on board for when the need arises. But the front door was very much closed, no sign of what their Christmas opening hours were. So ropes will have to wait. We also walked up to Wharf House at the bottom of the locks to see how much a boat pole would be from them. Here also the front door was closed a sign saying they would re-open on the 2nd January. This now leaves us with one option for a pole and that is Midland Chandlers, we know they are open. However they are just a touch too far away to carry a pole back to the boat, so we’ll take the boat up there tomorrow.

We plan on heading northwards, but stoppages are making the planning a touch hard. Cruising in the winter months is always dictated by the winter stoppages. Normally we are happy to slowly pootle our way along a stretch until locks re-open, but this year we’ve been in winter mode for a lot longer due to my work commitments and we want to get some miles and locks under Oleanna again. At the moment it looks like our best route north will be to head up the River Soar. Not the best time of year to be doing this as the river can quickly rise after rain. A bit more studying of the stoppages is needed before we commit ourselves.

After no success in Braunston today we decided to have a typical ‘In between’ day of doing not very much. Father Christmas socks had their ends woven in and a new pair started. We also managed to watch the last episodes of Luther. Bloomin’ heck there are some horrible criminals in his world.

0 locks, 0 miles, 1 new outside requested, 0 ropes, 0 poles, 0 post, 2 pairs socks totally finished, 1 started, 0 GF sausages, what will Braunston become without sausages?!

Christmas Logistics. 22nd December

Marston Doles

Sussing out your Christmas food shop takes a bit of doing whilst living on a boat. Our last four years we’ve known where we would be and been able to sort things out accordingly. 2014 we moored outside the Copper Box on the Lee in London and went to my brothers, easy. 2015 we were moored in Kings Marina, Newark. Mick and I were recovering from operations and managed between the two of us to do the shopping, one walking slowly the other one handed . 2016 saw us at Bugsworth Basin with a holiday cottage for my brother and family to stay in, so we arranged a food delivery and used the butcher in Whaley Bridge. 2017, Llangollen Basin and town served us very well. But this year knowing just where we would be couldn’t be guaranteed.

Not really wanting to be in Rugby or Leamington Spa, we originally opted for Braunston. We knew where we’d be getting our festive bird from, but would we actually manage to get there? With the lock being rebuilt at Napton there was always a chance that the work wouldn’t be finished in time. The weather may have done the opposite to the summer months and plunged us into a deep freeze, so we could have been stranded somewhere on the Oxford Canal. These things all had to be taken into consideration. We could have booked a supermarket delivery three weeks in advance, but where too? Instead we hoped we’d be able to reach at least Marston Doles and booked a hire car, so what ever happened we should be able to get to the shops. If everything was in our favour and the lock reopened early then we could make it to Braunston and get the car from there, the same Enterprise branch covering both areas.

Car hire was very expensive so we booked a small van instead and used up some of our loyalty points, getting one day free. Only snag was we’d get the car this morning and need to return it on Christmas Eve morning, we also had a flight of locks we wanted to get done, pick up post and parcels from two post offices along with doing the food shop and visit the butchers whilst it was open. What to do when?

Pick up by Enterprise this morning was sometime between 9 and 12. Of course it ended up being nearer 12, but as quite often happens we ended up with a car instead of a van, bonus. First we visited Napton Village Stores. The last of my shopping had been delivered here along with a few bits of Poste Restante. As I walked into the shop I said there were a couple of parcels to pick up and maybe some post and gave my name. No questions asked, just’ ‘you’ve got quite a few’. However I was expecting another parcel from my best friend in Australia, but there was nothing else for me. I had a thought and asked if they happened to have a parcel for Emma, ‘Oh yes we have!’ Last year this had happened and it took a while for me to be able to give adequate evidence to the chap in Llangollen sorting office to hand over the parcel, today none of that. The parcel was addressed to Emma at the Post Office and had been delivered by a courier that they shouldn’t have accepted. What stars they are. They also had a loaf of fresh bread, still warm early afternoon and we treated ourselves to a pot of Buffalo ice cream to go with birthday cake on Tuesday.

On our way back to Oleanna we decided to have a look at a place we might be able to park the van/car right beside lock 14. Driving in at Holt Farm, past the camp site, through the farm yard we got to a very pot holey lane. Those who ever visited Fenwicks Lane where I grew up will understand when I say that the undulations were deeper and wider than those in Fulford, we nearly needed armbands at one point. We reached a gate that led to the parking area, a combination bike lock looped around the gate. It wasn’t locked, but had the potential. So we decided that we’d not bother moving down just the first two locks and do the flight all in one go.

Late afternoon we headed to Rugby and the big Sainsburys. We knew most people would be doing their shop today, it turned out not to be as bigger bun fight as it used to be in York! However there were no copies of our Saturday paper to be had, until we went to the garage to put a tenner in the car, phew! Five bags of shopping and only a few items missing from our list was a very good outcome. We can do those tomorrow, between picking up the bird, moving the boat, hopefully visiting Crick and cramming everything into the fridge. We could do with the temperature dropping just a little bit so that our overflow fridge can come into use under the pram cover.

0 locks, 0 miles, 1st boat up the locks, 0 van, 1 car, 3 parcels, 1 card, 1 loaf, 1 pot chocolate and orange, 1 tank, 15 baby cows, 3 bottles (yes bottles) of wine, 30p sprouts and carrots, 0 salmon, 0 foil,

Another Wrong Forecast. 18th December

Fenny Compton

Awake early for a change, brilliant! Our plan to get up and get going to beat the weather, mooring up for breakfast before the rain started, sadly didn’t happen. We were woken by strong winds that hadn’t been forecast to start for a few more hours. Only one thing for it , stay in bed a while longer with our cuppas.

By the time we were up and dressed it was rainy too, should we stay put or battle with the elements to get to a better view. An easy decision, stay put. The storm that we’d hunkered down for a few days ago was nothing compared to today. The winds were far stronger throwing rain at the starboard side for much of the day.

A walk to see if we could find some milk took us out for a short while in between downpours. There is a Co-Op about a mile away in the village, but we decided to see if the shop at the pub had any first. At The Wharf Inn they have a launderette with large machines and then if you go into the pub at the rear there is a small shop. They stock pasta, rice, pop, cleaning things, fire lighters all none perishable goods. If we were stuck I’d have been able to put a reasonable meal together from their supplies. But did they have milk? A lady came through from the bar and went into the kitchen to get us a litre bottle. This will see us through to a big shop at the weekend, hopefully.

Having the milk there was no need to walk down to the village, an explore for a finer day. We scurried back to the warmth of Oleanna instead.

Tilly wasn’t that impressed by the day. Her first look out the back brought on her morning snooze, not stirring for a couple of hours. Then she sat at the back doors waiting to be let out, only to disappear off the back and re-appear at the side hatch a matter of seconds later hoping to be let back in. A few Dreamies and then she’d be asking to go out again. This got quite tedious and the thought of a cat flap was appealing.

Whilst watching an Australian film I made another loaf of bread for Mick. This time I had the oven turned down a touch, but the top of the loaf still came out a good sort of brown! In the evening we watched the first two episodes of Luther, several years behind I know. But with every episode on demand at the moment we will try to catch up to be able to watch the new series which starts New Years Day.

0 locks, 0 miles, 1 litre milk, 1 dark brown loaf, 1 pair socks finished, 2nd pair started, 2 Luthers, 1 resigned cat who would far prefer to be sprinkling glitter at the top of the BT Tower!

The Last Drop. 19th November

Jericho Wharf to Sheepwash Channel to Jericho Wharf

Sitting in one place for lengths of time means your water tank gets a touch low. Last night the gauge had reached the last dot and the ! was flashing at us. No choice this morning, we had to get water. With the washing drawer full too from my return we also needed to do some washing. Normally this is set going before we reach a tap so that we know we’ll leave with a full to brim tank, but today we didn’t think we’d make it to the tap before the tank was totally dry, we were down to the last drop of water.

Ahead of us the next water point is further than we wanted to go, still having a few things left on our list to do in Oxford. So we’d have to reverse to the nearest tap. With breakfast over we made ready, rolling up the cratch cover. We’d timed this badly as two of the College Cruiser boats were heading our way, backwards. Few narrowboats handle well in reverse, but these seemed to have no means of steerage what-so-ever. Every ten foot or so they seemed to need a good blast of forwards to get them lined up for the next ten foot. If only we’d got ourselves ready ten minutes earlier! Chatting to the chap on the first boat he said that he was heading onto the river to wind, then reverse back to the hire base, the following boat was short enough to wind above the lock, but would be reversing too. No point in waiting and watching, it would only make their journey longer.

After a while the first boat came back backwards and our way was now clear to reverse ourselves. The spring line Mick had put out was the last untied (this holds your boat steadier on a mooring as boats pass, not that there have been many passing boats), we then pushed off, me walking behind/ahead (?) to set the lock.

A foreign couple watched as Mick reversed Oleanna into the lock and I wound the paddle up to empty it. They then watched as we reversed onto the pontoon below. From here our hose would reach the nearest tap. Once the water was flowing the washing machine was set to work on normal clothes, painty clothes can wait a while longer.

Tom has tried this before! He thought he’d fooled me that time, but they certainly weren’t going to manage it again. I so wish they’d let me sample the outside we pause at, but no!

Once the washing machine had finished filling for the last time, Mick topped the tank up again and we were ready to head back up the lock. The foreign couple were just returning from their walk along the towpath, they must have wondered what we were doing as they’d not seen us filling with water.

With the tank empty we could tell the difference, Oleanna rocked more, but the galley drawers didn’t open once. It’s amazing what difference half a tonne of water in the bow makes.

Our 14 days were up and today we really should be moving on, but there were a couple of things we still needed to do before moving out from the centre of Oxford. So we slotted back into the space Oleanna has occupied for the last couple of weeks. I knew it! The same outside again. They’d better pick their socks up and start moving it properly again otherwise there will be mutiny.

A visit to John Lewis. I’d spotted our bedroom curtain fabric had been reduced. Tilly has left her mark on most of the curtains on the boat, ripped lining or claw pulls to open them when shut, so buying enough to remake them made sense as I liked the fabric, I like it even more with 30% off! Next was a visit to the mobile phone department. Recently I converted my account to a Sim only contract, not feeling the need to upgrade my phone. However my phone about ten days ago decided to become an object, since then I’ve been using Micks old phone that we keep as a spare. This was okay, but it’s memory was very quickly filling up and it is better suited to being a spare phone, just in case.

We’d had a look on line before getting to the shop and there were a few Black Friday Deals on. A choice between a Motorola and an Honor phone. The Honor was reduced to the same price but has space for a second Sim card and the camera had a better spec. We hope that when we are away from Oleanna we might be able to use the Sim from her router in my new phone, therefore not having to rely on our data allowances on our phones or Wi-Fi hot spots for internet.

Next we stocked up on a few bits from Sainsburys, they seem to have liked us using them again, we have so many vouchers for triple points. So a couple of boxes of wine fell into our trolley to keep us going.

Back at Oleanna it was starting to get dark, so we decided to stay an extra night here and move off in the morning.

2 locks, 1 twice, 0.27 miles, 0.13 in reverse, 2 boats only going backwards, 1 load washing, 1 full water tank, 2m blue fabric, 2 sim phone, 2 boxes wine (1 each), 1 bag pasta, 300gms Red Leicester, 500gms Apricots, 2 late to move, 0.3 of a sock knitted.

Something’s Fishy Round Here! 17th November

Jericho Wharf

Another slow day today.

We needed to get our Saturday newspaper and stock up on some food supplies so decided to head to Waitrose to get a free paper.

The route to Waitrose takes you along the side of the Thames for a short while and today I suggested we follow the river a bit further on a small detour I’d discovered last weekend.

So we crossed the river at Osney Bridge and walked down the bank at East Street. A goose made a bee line for us in what could have been an aggressive manner, so we veered back onto the road and left it to have a problem with a couple and their dog instead of us.

The road leads to Osney Lock and Weir, we came up this lock on Lillian in 2016.

Today a wooden boat was heading towards the lock, two ladies standing with an oar each. They waved and a Lock Keeper appeared from the little hut. He set the lock for them and opened the gates all just by pushing the buttons, no windlass required for the Thames locks here.

The ladies made their way into the lock, no need for them to turn the engine off, but they did cling on to the chains on the side as the water was let out. Once level they both stood back up and rowed themselves out and down stream. What a lot of water for one small boat.

We carried on and crossed the river and then veered off towards Osney Mead. Dave, a blog reader a few weeks ago had pointed us in the direction of various places for food and drink, one of these places I’d spotted last weekend, hence our detour.

The Fishmarket/Osney Food shed sits part way along the Industrial Estate. Last week I’d refrained from looking inside, but today we just had to. From outside I’d imagined it to be much bigger, but the small shop did not leave you wanting. Crammed with fish, frozen and fresh, three chaps filleted and sliced up fish on request. So many different fish to choose from. What a treat.

We walked round the display for sometime trying to make our minds up what to have for dinner this evening. In the end we chose some Sea Bass, bought a large bag of fish pie mix and some smoked mackerel. As we left I checked the recipes on the wall to see if anything took our fancy. Sadly it didn’t but a quick look on the internet and I knew what we needed to buy to make a fishy feast.

Waitrose provided us with the extra ingredients and our newspaper.

The afternoon was spent watching an episode of Inspector Morse whilst I finished knitting a pair of gloves. Only two pairs of socks and some wrist warmers to knit before the end of the month.

Our Sea Bass was very tasty indeed, roasted with waxy potatoes, red pepper, olives and some basil at the end. Thank you Dave.

0 locks, 0 miles, 1 boat watched through 1 lock, 1 park, 2 sea bass, 1kg pie mix, 4 GF mince pies (yummy), 1 Morse, 6th pair knitted, 4 pairs to weave ends on, 1 pair of socks started, 1 quiet evening.

Over Shooting Banbury. 19th October

Samuelson Bridge to Slat Mill Lock 26

A load of washing went on first thing, my painting dungarees needing to have towpath mud washed off them before they return to being my scenic artist costume. It looks like time has run out for me to give the port side gunnels a coat of black before I’m too busy in Chipping Norton. I just hope there will be a little mild spell mid November so I’m not doing it as it starts to snow, as happened last year!

Mick lit the fire this morning as it had been left to go out yesterday (It was bloomin freezing!), but something wasn’t right. Smoke was coming into the cabin through the vents so he quickly extinguished it and left it to settle whilst we had breakfast. We hoped that it was just a case of the chimney needing to be swept so whilst I headed out to do a bit of work shopping Mick climbed onto the roof. Once the soot had been cleared out from the stove and everything put back he re-laid the fire and all was well. We’re not sure when it was last swept, but it’s possible it was in the spring, at least it won’t need doing for a while now.

In town I hunted out Banbury Sewing Centre for some felt and Robert Dyas for a new chalk line. Not being very familiar with the town as yet it was made harder by every street being full of fairground rides. Weaving my way through snickets and then around all the stands and rides took quite some doing, but I succeeded in the end. For 400 years there has been a Michaelmas Fair in Banbury and boy does it take over! Even some of the car parks are closed and used to accommodate the fairground workers caravans.

Next was a trip to Morrisons to stock up on supplies for the next few days, a bite to eat then we pushed off.

Our mooring had been handy for the station and shopping, but it wasn’t the quietest and we felt nervous about letting Tilly out. So we decided to head out of town for a dose of countryside. But should we head north or south? What ever we needed to fill with water by Castle Quays and then head northwards to the next winding hole. Heading south then would be about an hour and half to the next winding hole, northwards around two and a half. Northwards won out with the hope we’ll be able to get a newspaper in the morning in Cropredy.

The water point below the lock was occupied by a very jolly young single hander. When she spotted us she headed up to the lock to set it for us. She helped with the gates and then returned to her boat to check on the water tank. By the time we were up her tank was full, was there time for her to get up through the lock before a boat came the other way. Mick took Oleanna to the water point before the lift bridge and I stayed to help bring NB Tungsten up. I then offered to close the lift bridge for her as a boat had just come through and left it for her. She said that if we caught her up we should over take as she goes slowly.

We arrived at the next lock to see the stern of NB Tungsten disappearing around the next corner with a big wave. By Bourton Lock we had got closer, she was being helped by a boater moored close by, I joined in and then the helpful chap helped get Oleanna up too. We pootled on, the hours of sunny daylight dwindling. The mooring below Slat Mill Lock was empty so we pulled in, it not being complete armco we ended up having to use pins which took a bit of extra time before Tilly could come out. Her paw had been working overtime at the bathroom window reminding me that she was there, her shouting couldn’t be ignored either. Within twenty minutes she’d found herself a new friend and we’d been forgiven for yesterday.

As the evening progressed we realised that we were near a pedestrian crossing point of the railway as there was a lot of tooting going on. But the sunset and the cows across the way distracted us whilst a pork stew simmered away on top of the stove and two jackets potatoes crisped up nicely inside. The joys of autumn boat life.

3 locks, 3.72 miles, 1 chimney swept, 1 full water tank, 1 clean pooh box, 1 collar, 400 years of fair, 12inch square black felt, 1 new chalk line, 4 thermal tops from Gap Outlet, 1 joint of lamb, 1 jolly boater, 1 friend, 4 trees, that’s better.

https://goo.gl/maps/DJQKdKrghmG2

22°C 13th October

Almost Isis Lock to Isis Lock to Kidlington Green Lock

There is still plenty more we could see and do in Oxford but time is ticking on. We’ll come back, possibly next year and visit some of the places people have suggested.

First today we needed to stock up on some provisions. Sainsburys is in Westgate but there is also a Waitrose across the Thames a similar distance away. We’d not seen the Thames as yet so decided to walk over the mill stream down the side of the old rail swing bridge and then along the Thames Pathway crossing the river at Osney Bridge to find Waitrose. With 5% back on our shopping and a free newspaper for our trouble it would have been daft not to.

After a bite to eat we were ready for the off. I walked ahead to set Isis Lock in our favour. At the lock, along with river level lights there are instructions of how to turn your boat to head out onto the Thames. This involves using the lock landing and doing a manoeuvre a bit like what we call an Andy (named after our helmsman course instructor). Tying your bow line to one of the cleats on the landing you can force the stern round, you then pull the bow up along the lock landing as the stream from the river helps to carry on pushing the stern round, you then will be facing the lock and ready to push out towards the Thames. This method can also be used obviously to wind to get back into the lock.

Except today there was a boat moored on the lock landing. The lady was filling with water from one of the taps on the residential moorings. Luckily for us there was next to no flow below the lock so hopefully she wouldn’t be in the way. There was still the matter of the strong wind gusting around the place.

Mick brought Oleanna out of the lock giving himself enough room to be able to swing the stern round away from the landing. Then straightened up, a touch of sideways (helped by a short blast of the bowthruster) and then he swung the stern around again. No need to fend off anywhere, the lady come out to congratulate him as he brought Oleanna back into the lock.

It was incredibly warm considering the wind and that it is mid October. As we cruised back northwards we wore t-shirts, no need for jumpers today. We paused to fill with water and dispose of rubbish at the first water point just before the start of the Agenda 21 moorings. Along the towpath there was an old chap pottering about being followed by a few cats. As he walked away we could count them, a bouncy kitten joining the other eight. Passing his boat it was only 30ft long if that, there wouldn’t be that much space in there, they’d all have to sleep on top of him. At least it would save him money on coal!

We worked our way slowly back up Wolvercote Lock showing a hire boat that was following us what to do. From here I decided to walk, no point trying to pull in to drop me off with the wind as it was and I would beat Oleanna to the next obstacle that needed opening anyway. The first lift bridge was fine, as long as you step onto it before it gets too high. Walking up to Wolvercote Lift Bridge it was open, brilliant I wouldn’t have to struggle. Maybe C&RT had chained it open for boats. Then a hire boat came through and the bridge dropped. I was fortunate enough to be able to catch the chap who gave me a hand to get the bridge going.

With the beam lowered I quickly sat on it. Mick was taking his time. The wind gusts were so great I could feel myself being slightly lifted from the ground. I managed to nudge myself right to the end to make as much use of my weight as I could and still I was being lifted. I’d considered waiting for the hire boat behind us to save their boat getting even more scrapes along the cabin side from the high overhanging bridge landing, but the wind was such that I wanted to go ahead to open the next lock. I stood up and the bridge immediately wanted to close. A C&RT sign suggests they are looking at better ways of operating this bridge as the lock has been vandalised.

After Dukes Lock and Drinkwater’s Lift Bridge we were confronted by two pirate boats. Young women sat on the roof of the first accompanied by a chap with a parrot on his shoulder. The following boat also seemed to have a lot of people on board. Courses were altered to avoid collision. There was a lot of drinking going on, but it seemed that the chaps at the helm were capable and not (as yet) intoxicated. One chap asked where they could turn which meant we’d be seeing them again.

Below Kidlington Green Lock we moored up and gave Tilly some freedom. It was rather nice being able to sit there with all the doors open which we did until the sun bobbed down behind the horizon. It was around about this time that the pirate boats returned. Travelling in convoy, from two different hire companies, they were very noisy! Laura was being egged on to do something, not sure what but thankfully we didn’t hear any splashes.

4 locks, 4.28 miles, 1 wind, 1 straight on, 3 bridges lifted, 1 luft, 0 held up, 1 riverside walk, 4 bags shopping, 1 free newspaper, 1 full tank of water, 1 empty pooh box, 1 empty pooh bucket, 9 cats in 30ft, 1 bouncing bridge beam, 2 pirate boats, 8 stowaways at least, 22°C!

https://goo.gl/maps/vuUS4boEiWy

Up To Date And Overstaying. 12th October

Oxford

Mick nudging us up yesterday worked a treat, only one train through the night that we noticed and no compressor noise! A good nights sleep all round.

This morning we had a quick tidy up as we were expecting a visitor. Paul from Waterway Routes had come to visit. He brought with him the 80th update of his canal maps, we were the first to receive them.

We’ve been using Waterway Routes since mid April and find it very useful. The maps include all the information you could want whilst boating, water points, moorings, access to towpaths, to mention only a few. All the positions on the maps are accurate down to a five digit grid reference and those who have the maps are encouraged to give updates or corrections as they cruise the network, therefore making Paul’s maps the most up to date you can get. Every month there is an update. Today he very kindly came out to see how we are doing with them and so that we could upload the latest version onto the lap top.

Mick checked to see if our contributions had been added and of course they had been. Paul doesn’t just rely on boaters giving him updates he also does a lot of checking himself. Earlier in the week he’d had a trip up to Scotland and cycled 40km to check the information he has on the Union Canal into Edinburgh. During the summer months he and his wife cruise the network collecting data and recording journeys on their boat to produce DVDs. This summer their plans had to change somewhat due to lack of water, slower than planned restoration works and canal closures.

There was plenty to talk about and catch up on, even Tilly woke up from her morning snooze to say hello. I passed on information I’ve been collating from the outsides we’ve tied up and Paul is considering how best to add cat friendly symbols to his maps. This may be on an overlay as not every boater will need them. Tom and her have done an overlay of their own for the winter stoppages on the Oxford Canal which they think will be useful this winter. Just hope those stoppages are near good rabbit holes.

After a morning chatting, Storm Callum was taking hold, the train ride I’d been on yesterday was not possible today due to the high winds and waves at Dawlish. The serious winds meant we weren’t too keen on moving so we decided to stay put for the day. I had quite a few work emails to deal with and Mick wanted to go to John Lewis with his phone to get it mended. Many branches and twigs had been blown off the trees along the towpath into the city. Whilst Mick went to sort his phone I also ventured out to catch a bus to Kidlington. I most probably could have walked there from the boat when we come to leave Oxford, but that would have been too late.

In the old days when we lived in a house and I had a work room at the top of the house, I had a full colour swatch book for Dulux paints and others for theatrical paints. If there is one thing I miss now it is those swatch books. Choosing paints from either a computer screen or a swatch book with a fraction of the colours is impossible. So a trip to the nearest Dulux Decorators Centre was needed. Plenty of buses head out to Kidlington and there was a bus stop bang outside, so I didn’t have to get blown too far to get some shelter.

I first perused a stand and picked out the best colours for various things I’ll be painting and then asked if I could look at their big bumper swatch book. They obliged and I found just the right colour, checked prices, thanked them and was on my way back to the boat. A successful trip. Mick’s trip wasn’t as successful, his phone is having to be sent away to be mended, it may be a couple of weeks before he gets it back, fortunate we’re staying on the Oxford so he can always get a train back to pick it up. He returned with his sim card and has managed to find an old phone to keep him going.

The wind is still strong, so we won’t be going anywhere today, hopefully any C&RT number checkers will be sensible and not report us for overstaying.

0 locks, 0 miles, 1 good nights sleep, 80th update, 1 stoppage overlay, 1 cat friendly overlay to be worked on, 2 windy to move, 2 windy for cats, 2 bus to Kidlington, 1 Tilly imposter, 7 bus back, £88.60 for 10L, 1 poorly phone, 2nd snake nearly finished.

A Little Bit Closer. 10th October

Aristotle Bridge to almost Isis Lock

Our two days at Aristotle Bridge would be up today, so after breakfast we pushed off and nudged our way just that bit closer to the city centre.

Debby from NB Chuffed had given us some handy hints on the moorings further along. As we pootled we discussed our options.

1 We could stop at the back of St Barnabas Church, this is very close to railway lines therefore noisy.

2 We could head down to the far end of the canal where the road cuts off the original route. There are 2 day moorings there and a waterpoint. The trains are further away so it is quieter, but the proximity of the road and a resident cat may not be so good for Tilly. Mick had been concerned that the depth may be a problem, but we’d now seen some boats up there.

3 Which way should we face when we got there? Which ever ‘there’ was to be?

We opted for pulling up near St Barnabas Church to see how noisy it was, if it was bad we could then carry on to try at the end. The occasional train came past, but not as many as we’d been expecting. So we decided to stay put for the night. The rail traffic is mostly freight, which of course continues through the night so we still had the option to move on. Tilly was allowed out and seemed to prefer here despite the many people on the towpath.

Plans were formulated for tomorrow as I am heading off to see how the build of the Panto set is going. It looks like my route will mean that Gemma the Production Manager will be able to join me on the same train as it goes through Bristol where she lives, so we can have a catch up and chat over various things before we get there.

Mick and I had a walk into town via the station so that I could pick up my many tickets. This meant we walked along Snake Island, we’re not going to tell Tilly about it just in case. Then we passed the old railway swing bridge that crosses over the Sheepwash Channel which leads out to the Thames.

The covered market was first on our agenda today. Many shops of all sorts in a good building, not quite as stylish as Leeds. This meant we were close to Whittards so I was able to stock up on my morning brew. The Bank was visited to check for Mick’s new credit card and that had arrived. Great, not much other than sight seeing to keep us here now.

A visit to a college was next, plenty to choose from as most of them open their doors in the afternoons so that tourists can have a good nosy. The entrance price varied quite a bit between them, we decided to see what Trinity College was like, a cheaper one, most probably because it hasn’t appeared in Harry Potter, but is a location in Morse, Lewis and Endeavour. We paid our entrance and the lady buzzed the gate to let us in.

Trinity was founded in 1555 by Sir Thomas Pope and even though it is physically large it only has 400 students. Originally it was a male college but since 1979 it became co-educational. Some of the buildings date back to 1421 when it was Durham College. Large gardens surround the buildings including some very large trees. The central quadrangle focuses on a raised grassed bed, the chapel and dining room to two sides and staircases lead off to student rooms on the other two sides.

The chapel is quite small but it’s decoration more than makes up for it. It was the first chapel to be built in the Baroque style, designed by Henry Aldrich with advice from Christopher Wren in 1694. As you walk in the organ towers above you, then you walk through a screen into the chapel which more or less consists of a choir. Virtually all wood, ornately carved with bulls, men and cherubs who seem to have a big problem with cowlicks in their hair! Some of the wood was Oak, the pillars pine (I think), but much of the rest of it I wasn’t sure of, Frank Matthews would have been able to tell me, but I guessed at maybe mahogany. What a splendid room. Trinity has one of the largest choirs in the university mostly from members of the college.

We sneakily followed a group of French students into the dining room as there was a sign saying no entry. Here a large room very much as you would expect with the top table and then rows for the students. It had a slight shabby feel to it despite it’s ornate chandelier. Thousands of food trays have worn tables down through the decades. The walls are hung with portraits, at the moment they are all women, quite a few photographs of past students who’ve made it big in their profession. I assume these are here to help mark the centenary of women getting the vote. The photographs do look at little bit odd in such a room where oil paintings normally hang, but not as out of place as the very large dispenser for Heinz Tomato Ketchup.

Through the next arch way are entrances to the staircases leading to the student rooms. The college obviously has rowing teams and chalked up on the walls are various years in which they ‘bumped’ other colleges. If this had happened at my school it would have been classed as graffiti and we’d have been reprimanded. But here it is obviously tradition.

A wander around some of the shops in the Westgate Centre meant that I found a bag suitable for me to take a weeks worth of clothing to Chipping Norton. We’ve not needed anything this size for a while and it had to be able to fold down into next to nothing for storage under our bed.

Back at the boat Tilly went out and carried on enjoying her new surroundings. She was particularly interested in the semi sunk boats on the Castle Mill Stream which sits just behind us. This kept her busy far too late and I had to try to find her and encourage her home. Yet every time she surfaced from the sideways trees and brambles she’d carry on trotting up the towpath in the direction of Banbury. Eventually she tired and I managed to catch her, having to carry her back along the towpath for quite a distance without her escaping again.

0 locks, 0.63 miles, 1 proof on it’s way, 2 return tickets saving £200, 3 packets tea, 1 credit card, 1 market, 1 college, 3 hours, 6 boats, 1 surprised man on a bench, 5 trees, 1 chair, 5 minutes clinging onto a busy cat, 6 minutes out.

https://goo.gl/maps/dnZhiAa16Xy

LIFT!!!! 8th October

Kidlington Green Lock to Aristotle Bridge 240

Tilly got to have a little rummage around the hedgerows before we pushed of this morning. After an hour she came back in to warm up by the stove.

A boat had come past shortly before we pushed off, there was little chance of us catching it up before the first lift bridge as the going today was slow, despite the water running down bywashes the bottom was a touch too close to the top! After a mile we could see people at Drinkwater’s Lift Bridge. Two boats and two crews, one heading towards us the other south. The bridges from here on tend to be closed and they have a reputation for being b**gers. The boat heading towards us waved us on as they had grounded, it was a couple we’d seen a few days ago near Somerton. The boat infront of us closed the bridge to unlock their key and headed off to use the water point. So we were on our own.

The method used by the boats before us had been to unlock the bridge and raise it, then to use themselves as a human brace, keeping the bridge as high as possible so as not to drop on the boat. We pulled up and decided upon our tactics. It took a little while to unlock it with the key of power, a bit of extra time to read the extra instructions would have helped, only a quarter turn is required whilst pushing down on the bridge. The bridge then could be pushed up quite easily as it was weighted quite well. We decided that instead of me trying to keep the bridge up by acting as a brace that I would go and add my weight to the balance beam on the off side. Sitting down is far easier than pushing upwards and we didn’t think I was tall enough to make the clearance enough for our chimney to pass under. Once Mick and Oleanna were through it was quite easy for me to lower the bridge and lock it again. On we went.

Dukes Lock brought us down that bit closer to the Oxford level only one lock to the Thames if you turn right, two if you go straight on. Two years ago we came off the Thames at Dukes Cut which meets the canal below the lock here, but today we were going to go straight on, new water all round for us.

Wolvercote Lift Bridge was next. A man was sitting mid bridge taking photos and moved as we approached. Sitting between two high road bridges this small lift bridge was not going to be a push over. This bridge has instructions as to unlocking it, but the lock has been removed. The balance is such that it’s rather heavy to get moving and for myself impossible to get to the point where I could push down on it rather than pull down, past the point of no return. I signalled to Mick, but the photographer came to help, it just needed a little push upwards from the towpath side and then I could sit on it again ensuring it would not move whilst the boat came through. The two of us then lowered it and were on our way again.

Agenda 21 moorings now take over the towpath. These are residential moorings which came about after an agreement was made between British Waterways and The Oxford Boaters Co-op some years ago. Most of the boats have seen better days, many are colourful and have unique qualities to them.

Different hatch designs, rubbing strakes and paintings. At Perry’s lift Bridge I unlocked the bridge and gingerly stepped over to the off side, not knowing how well it was balanced. It was fine and I wasn’t going to be catapulted across to the nearby rail line. As Mick pulled out to pass through weed ensnared Oleanna’s prop so he slowly glided through. Once clear a rope was thrown to me on the towpath the pull the boat into the side as there was no steerage. As the water tank topped up Mick cleared the weed and we could carry on slowly past the moored boats in the shallow water.

Wolvercote Lock was the last to Oxford and no bridges would need lifting now. Many of the visitor moorings as you approach the city are alongside the railway and not very user friendly. We continued hoping for a space on the 7day moorings.

There were three boats moored here plenty of trees and back gardens for Tilly. Just a shame we couldn’t get anywhere near the side! I could hear and see boulders beneath the surface stopping us from mooring. On we went to Aristotle Bridge. Here is a designated quiet mooring, a bit like a quiet coach on a train. We’d made note of here when NB Chuffed had cruised to Oxford a month or so ago, it’s alongside a small park this would do us and we hoped Tilly. The only downside is that it’s only a 48 hour mooring.

I couldn’t wait. This Oxford outside looked good, all the requirements I want. I was given an hour to explore, but sadly that was too much! Bicycles, woofers, odd smells. There were these strange structures, I thought what a good place to sit and survey this outside, so jumped up, except it moved out of the way! No matter how I tried to get on it it would swing away from me. This outside is weird and needs C&RT hazard tape adding to it.

Once we were allowed to go off and explore ourselves we walked up to check out the deli by the bridge. Nice looking bits and bobs. Then we followed our noses into Oxford walking through Jericho. Neither of us know Oxford, I’ve been a few times with work but always been too busy to have a look round. Looking in estate agents windows we wished we could move our house here as the rents are astronomical.

In the city centre I got my phone upgraded to a sim only deal, saving me £5 a month. Mick checked to see if a new credit card had arrived at the bank, but it hadn’t and a visit to Whittards to stock up on my morning tea was scuppered by the shop being closed. Tomorrow we’ll return and be tourists.

We walked back along the towpath from Isis Lock, not what I thought it would look like at all, much shallower. We’ll need to descend the lock to be able to wind as we are too long for the winding hole here. On the way back to Oleanna we made note of other moorings we could move to as we’d like to stay longer than 48 hrs.

The back doors were opened again when we got in, but the park was full of kids playing on the swings, so Tilly stayed close to home.

2 locks, 3 lift bridges holding 0 up, 1 lufted bridge, 1 straight on, agenda 21, 2nd mooring attempt, 1 deli, £5 reduction, £1,1million in need of work, 0 card, 0 tea, 2 much to see, 1 short list needed, 1 glove finished.

https://goo.gl/maps/mew666RqyzR2

Narrowboat Oleanna

Travels of Narrowboat Oleanna