Aynho to Thrupp

 Lower Heyford Wharf Bridge.

It was impossible for us to line our boat up with the bridge hole here as there were far too many boats moored encroaching right into the middle of the canal. We scraped the bows of these two as we passed and noticed that many other boaters has also done the same. 

Oxfordshire narrow-boats should not be allowed to do this, should they?

Doctor Bones contacted us to ask if we could rendezvous for a barbecue with them at the Old Quarry at Kirtlington and luckily we weren't far away. When we arrived we moored up behind Mark's boat Helene of Troy,  narrow-boat Bones and Maffi on the Milly M. Stephan was a house guest aboard the good ship Bones for the weekend too.
We had gathered plenty of dry firewood for the camp-fire along the way. After a chat and cup of tea  everyone retired to their own boats for a rest and to cook baked potatoes, roast vegetables, lamb and sausages. We were going to finish the cooking over the BBQ, but after much fanning and blowing with our bellows we couldn't get it going. We gave up after Bones discovered that the charcoal was in fact coal!

Stanley was too exhausted after chewing his bone to even hold his head up!

After eating all the delicious food we settled back with plenty of wine and beer and listened to Bones then Maffi sing a few songs accompanied by their guitars. Boots, Molly and Stanley amused themselves while we all chatted away. Strangely, everywhere Stephan pitched his chair he  found that he was sitting in the smoke from the fire. It was nearly 12 o'clock by the time we realised that it had gone way past all our bedtimes.

Kirtlington to Thrupp.

The Old Quarry Wharf BBQ venue.

We took the dogs for a run around the quarry after breakfast, it is so beautifully laid out with walks all around a large central flat space. It provides a wonderful peaceful place for contemplation and is very well used.

The Stone Circles.

The dogs enjoyed their freedom.

Bottle and Maffi enjoying their coffee break while I walked back to close the lock-gate and then on to open the lift bridge. It was so heavy and out of balance that this would have been impossible for me if a passing jogger had not offered his help! Thank you that man.

We moored up on the 14 day spaces below Shipton Bridge and went along to Annie's tea rooms for refreshments. Bottle helped Maffi turn and reverse his boat to its mooring. Later on we all walked down for tasty soup, bread and a selection of cheeses, tea and cake prepared by Bones.

Thank you Bones and Maffi for a wonderfully entertaining weekend, we really enjoyed ourselves.

Banbury to Aynho Wharf.

This stall was selling a wide variety of mushrooms.

Banbury Farmers Market is excellent for buying fresh locally produced food. The  goodies on offer  included, cheeses, venison, vegetables, pasties, cakes, fish, meat, eggs and plants. Some things you could taste before you buy. I stocked up on cheese, eggs, pasties and cakes.
We left our mooring around 10.30am and cruised down under a lovely blue sky and sun to Aynho.
After filling up with diesel for 71p per litre (domestic) at the wharf, we moored up on the opposite side for the night.

This large crab looked like it was trying to escape!

Ride a cock horse

Here is the fine lady on a white horse at Banbury Cross with rings on her fingers and bells on her toes with music wherever she goes. Or as bottle refers to her, the lady with the smelly pits!
We have wandered around most of the little side streets and alleyways here now and it is a fascinating place to explore. I bought some combat socks at the Army and Navy Store which are very warm and comfortable. Today was the weekly market and I can thoroughly recommend the cake stall which had such a wide variety of delicious wares.
We tramped about a mile out of town to Maplins this afternoon for the carbon monoxide alarm. On route we discovered a huge Tesco's but it was too far away from the cut to lug any shopping back.

This quaint little place is the Old Wine House and dates back to 1557. I like the intricately carved wooden gables and ornate plasterwork patterns. It looks like everything has been maintained in it's original condition, amazing.
Tomorrowis the Farmers Market, after which we shall have to be on our way again.

Banbury

Today is one of those sort of grey misty-moisty days here. Bottle walked to Screw-fix for fire and carbon monoxide alarms, he got one, but the other one won't be in until tomorrow.
Then we went off to Morrisons to stock up the food cupboards, returning like a couple of donkeys with heavily laden rucksacks.
After stowing everything away we trotted off to Wetherspoons for a very late lunch. It always seems to be fairly busy in these places and there was a notice saying that they sold 1048 pints of real ale last week! We were sitting by the entrance where all the packets of condiments were kept. We noticed that it seems to be a habit of some exiting customers to fill their pockets up with sachets as they passed by! One old boy had a few too many in his jogging pants, hope he managed to totter home without them falling down.
This evening we shall relax by the fire with hot cross buns for our tea, luvly jubbly!

So, as it was too dull for taking any photos today, here is one I took earlier, as they say.

This chap was sitting by the lock with his Barn Owl last September.

Cropredy to Banbury

We have enjoyed our few days in Cropredy very much it is such a beautiful village with so much interest.
It was good chatting with Graham and Jane while visiting each others boats for tea. GC even graced us with his presence yesterday and strolled around investigating all the nooks and crannies in our boat. We learnt from Graham that a fellow permanent moorer had been filling his water tank at the nearby service point while chatting to someone. After a few hours he looked to see if his tank was full and found that the water had leaked into the boat and under the floor, oooh expensive! It is now away to have it's floor and ballast taken out to inspect the damage and put it right. So do take care when filling your water-tank as some taps can be slow and some, quite fast.

If I had to choose a little cottage to live in here I think it would be this delightful little place. It is opposite The Old bakery which interestingly has it's name written on an old wooden oven paddle fixed above the doorway.

This colourful sign portraying the Battle of Cropredy and other features of the village was erected to commemorate the millennium.

After this post had gone up we had a visit from Owen a fellow boater and member of Canal World Discussion Forum, it was good to meet you Owen, we shall meet again.