Not quite the middle of nowhere

Only because there is a pub back along a bit!!!
We reached the top of Napton Locks about 10.30, a lovely gentle run to there with the rain holding off.

There is a lot of lovely open country along this stretch, Napton is in the distance to the left.  Barney and I had our usual walk first thing and Geoff picked us up at one of the bridges.   With 9 locks to do Geoff would get his exercise later.   Some of the pounds in the locks were low, but none gave any serious trouble.  We were lucky the sani station at the bottom was free so we tied up.  I always feel somewhat guilty tying up here as it makes it very awkward for a boat to get into the lock but there is not an option.  We then crossed over to the watering point where we had the slowest fill of the year.
When we set off from there I was just negotiating a very sharp bend, and had already had to hover for a boat coming the other way, when Geoff remembered he had left the winch handle at the sani station............ so I dropped him off and I carried on to where we were intending to moor just past the Bridge Inn.....   so he had even more walking than he bargained for...Barney did not complain.!!
We moored well past the pub in what should have been a very quiet place, however a farmer was ploughing his field opposite with a huge tractor right up to the canal bank......but.what the heck this is the countryside.......
7.71 miles, 9 locks, 5 hours 18 min (includes an eternity watering!)