Oxford Canal 2002

11-14 October 2002 - A Weekend on the Oxford Canal

Over the course of a long weekend (Friday afternoon to Monday morning), we took a boat on the Oxford Canal from College Cruisers in Oxford up to Upper Heyford and back...

Shipton Lock on the Oxford Canal
After a night at Thrupp, on a bright and sunny Saturday morning, Stephen steers our boat Exeter into Shipton Lock

Shipton Lock on the Oxford Canal, with the River Cherwell behind
The lock is the point where (going upstream) the canal joins with the River Cherwell for a short distance. Because of the small change in height, the lock is very much wider than normal in order to pass more water down from the river into the canal.

Shipton Lock on the Oxford Canal
As the boat rises in the lock, George climbs onto the foredeck ready to jump off the boat.

Lift Bridge 215 on the Oxford Canal
Bridge 215 is typical of the many lift bridges on the southern Oxford Canal, built to link fields bisected by the new-fangled navigation, at the least possible cost to the canal company.

Northwood Lock on the Oxford Canal
Stephen operates Northwood Lock

Henry on our College Cruisers boat
Henry watching from the stern as the boat rises in the lock

Lucy and George
Lucy operating a lock with George helping

George by a lock beam
George on the move

Lucy and George working a lock

George and Henry looking at the Oxford Canal
Watching the world go by...

Henry and George
George relaxed about life, while Henry wants to be close to the camera!

Oxford Canal at Upper Heyford
Having turned round on Saturday evening, we moored at Upper Heyford. A view of the bridge below Allen's Lock, with Henry again determined to be in the picture.

Mist on the Oxford Canal at Upper Heyford
The mist on the surface of the canal early on Sunday morning.

Oxford Canal at Shipton-on-Cherwell
A typical shot from the remainder of Sunday - rain, rain, and more rain! The gate next to the boat in front of us is a stop gate, at the beginning of an embankment south from Shipton-on-Cherwell, which can be closed in an emergency if the embankment is breached, to prevent the entire canal draining away.

A holiday with two very contrasting days, weather-wise, but a good break away from it all.
  

 

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Unless otherwise stated, all images copyright (c) Stephen and Lucy Dawson