Lower Heyford.

   

In the morning we pushed across for a pump out for £15 at Aynho Wharf then we were off.Oakfield glided along more easily with such a great weight off it’s mind! On arrival at Somerton Deep lock there was such a tangle of weed and roots it took us about twenty minutes to fish out several piles of it to open the top gate. After Oakfield had passed through I could not shut the bottom gate, so the Cabin Boy had to come up and lend his weight to it. Apart from being heavy to close, this is a brand new gate and works quite smoothly otherwise.

                         

We both hopped back on board but were going no-where fast, forwards or backwards, we now had weed around the propeller. Stopping on the lock mooring, himself donned the arm length plastic gloves and grovelled about in the weed hatch. Another heap of weed was discarded in the hedgerow. I saw a single-handed boater approaching and opened the gate for him and he glided in forgetting to jump off his boat. With no word of thanks I left him to it as my shoulder was aching by now. Meanwhile I had made coffee which we drank when we got underway once more.

                      

Just past Somerton Bridge we met five Martians attacking the greenery along the towpath. I must say In fact most  of the grass and bushes along the towpaths we have seen on our travels this year have been kept well trimmed.. Once passed the aluminium lift-bridge we moored a little further on at Lower Heyford. On my little circular afternoon stroll I spotted a nice insurance plaque and stone carving dated 1867 on the old village school building ,