Cropredy to Aynho

Tuesday 19th May

Having sat out the bad weather on Monday, we set out again towards Banbury.  The wind was still very blustery, as soon as we reached the first lock, the heavens opened.  And so it continued all morning.  We had a very slow trip down the 3 locks north of Banbury, being 4th in the queue at each, and getting rained and hailed on at each.  Between showers the sun came out, the wind dropped a little and it was quite pleasant.  Unfortunately it didn’t last for more than 15 minutes. 

Eventually, around lunch time we reached Banbury.  Continuing through the visitor moorings, the swing bridge and the lock, we stopped to fill with water at the services below the lock.  Then on a little further, a shopping stop at Morrison’s, and then on out of the town to find a mooring.  Moored now just past the outskirts of town.  It’s now slinging it down yet again.

Wednesday 20th May

It was still very cloudy when we left our mooring, but the wind was quite so strong and the temperature slightly higher.  It did, however, stay dry for our journey to Aynho.  Not much traffic going southwards, I think they must have all stopped or turned around at Banbury, but quite a few Black Prince and Napton hire boats queuing at the locks heading northwards, to be back to base on Saturday, I presume.

Aynho Weir lock, diamond shaped to allow more water through onto the lower levels – it’s only about 2 feet deep, but a struggle to get the gates open with bent beams.  And so many turns of the windlass to raise the paddles!

Moored now on the 14 day moorings just before Aynho wharf – we’ve been to the pub, but sadly not for lunch as they stopped serving food half an hour before we got there.  The reason being that after we slotted into the only space left, on a bend, and not very easy for Ozzy to jump on and off, we found that there was a day-boat several spaces further back, so we waited a couple of hours until they left and reversed back into the space they had vacated.

4.8 miles and 4 locks