Banbury

We set off from our delightfully quiet and secluded mooring just before 8am.   What a glorious morning it was, almost complete blue sky to start with and no one else around...we could have bee completely alone on the canal system for the first hour at least........  Barney and I walked as far as Ayno Wharf and then we swapped over and Geoff walked with him...he gets twice the walking we do, no wonder he stays so slim...pity Geoff and I don't!!

 Ayno Weir Lock which is diamond shaped

There are lots of swing bridges on this stretch but all left open as they seem to be just going from one field to another.  Going under one of them just before Kings Sutton Lock we grounded on the bottom, Petroc seemed to climb up and over and we thought we had damaged the rudder but an inspection when we pulled up at the lock landing indicated otherwise.   We were extremely thankful as we were in the middle of nowhere     and had no idea who we could have called upon for aid....we do belong to River canal Rescue, but I thought they were only engines.......must check.....

After Kings Sutton we did meet one or two boats going the other way, maybe the canal was not just ours after all.......

At Grant's Lock they seemed to be building the entire bridge, just a pity they hadn't repaired one of the top paddles.  By now we had a boat ahead of us and with one paddle only it was a slow process.....

And so into Banbury again, such a lovely town to come through on the canal.  Unlike some places they have embraced the canal in their building and there are plenty of places to moor.   We managed to get into our preferred position just through the main part and Tom Rolt Bridge and adjacent to Spiceball Park which is great for Barney.

In the evening Tony and Di drove over and we visited a restaurant they knew in a village a couple of miles away (I can't remember the name of the village!!) and had an excellent meal.

8.32 miles, 5 locks, 4hrs 46 min