Heyford Common Lock

We arrived at the marina yesterday and found these next to the boat.
Some shopping for foood and stuff yestarday then an early night.

Off and away at 7:30 in a lovely bright and sunny morning. At only the second lock there were 8 boats (4 up and 4 down including us). But it calmed down a little after that, thoigh we did meet a boat at most locks.. A stop in Banbury for a full English, then on again. We managed to get part of an old tyre round the prop going through one on the many old bridge ‘oles where there used to be a lift bridge. At first I thought I might need a hacksaw or similar to get it off, but eventually I managed to untangle it..

Going past the “Pig Place” ( a farm shop by Nell’s Bridge) I saws this.

My first car was an A35 van like this. That was way back in 1970. Mine wasnt in as good condition then!

Whilst we were in Somerton deep lock there was a terrific storm, really hard and heavy rain. Heddi was down in the lock on the boat, I quickly ran under the bridge for shelter. The storm was over in about 10-15 minutes, but not before I had got soaking wet opening and closing again the botton gate.

It wasn’t until after we hade moored up for the night above Heyford Common lock that we realised that during the storm the rain had washed a whole load of mud/algae/dirt off of the lock walls and onto the boat. It was covered in grim.

I tried to get some off with a broom, but it was mostly on the canal side.

Leave a Reply