Canal Holiday Autumn 2008

Friday 17 October 2008 - Oxford Canal, Napton to Braunston

Unable to wait until next June, we planned a mini bellringers' canal holiday over a long weekend with just five of us; sadly Alan and Sheila had to pull out as they were moving house, but fortunately Mark and Debbie were able to join us for part of the time. We took a boat from Napton in Warwickshire, and travelled to Crick in Northamptonshire, and back again. Almost all of this was recovering familiar ground for Stephen and Lucy, but none the less pleasant for that.

After a tedious road journey to Warwickshire from London, it is great to be out on the water, and the weather is lovely as we head north-east along the Oxford Canal

A cheerful Lucy at the tiller

Our 54-feet long boat, Explorer

Being chased by an old working boat

As the evening starts to close in, we approach Braunston

Approaching the triangular junction of the Oxford Canal with the Grand Union Canal - this wasn't the original junction of the Oxford Canal with the Grand Junction Canal, but arose when the Oxford Canal was significantly straightened in the 1830s.

We moored near the Stop House, and after a quick visit to the general store in Braunston village, we had a pleasant meal at the Mill House.

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