The Trip
The Annual Crick Boat show (details at http://www.crickboatshow.co.uk ) takes place at Crick Marina in Northamptonshire each early summer Bank Holiday weekend. This Boat show has become the premier event for new boat builders and there customers.
This year NB Chelonian will be making the trip from Reading and mooring in the vicinity of the Boat show to form a base to attend.
The Route
We will be traveling down the Kennet and Avon from Aldermaston to Reading before turning left onto the Thames towards Oxford. A couple of days later we enter the picturesque South Oxford canal (narrow) to travel to Napton Jnc where we join up with the Broad Grand Union traveling East through the canal town of Braunston to Norton Junction where we turn North onto the GU Leicester section and onto Crick.
Route Details
Complete Route from Canal Planner
Details of Progress below. Picture Gallery here soon
Day1: Fri 18th May Aldermaston - Theal
Overcast and occasional rain with bright spells, windy.
11 Lock Miles (5 Miles: 6 Locks: 6
Moveable Bridges)
A late start this morning so only reached Theal Swing Bridge by evening. So stopped a little short of our expected overnight stop at Reading. Dinner tonight at the Red House in Marsh Benham.
Day 2: Sat 19th May Theal to Clifton Hampden
Sunny spells with occasional rain, windy
43.5 Lock Miles (30.5 Miles: 13 Locks: 0 Moveable Bridges)
An early start (07:30) this morning to make up for the lost time, arrived in Reading for a brief stop at Tescos at 10:30 before picking up an additional crew member and setting off up the Thames. Made good time and succeeded in passing our expected stopping place at Shillingford and moored overnight at Clifton Hampden. Original route Reading - Shillingford Bridge
A number of electrical problems today meant that on several occasions we were unable to restart the engine after stopping it to transit the Thames locks. Eventually at Benson lock it took over 20mins to get the engine going and soon after the power failed again, fortunately with the engine going. The delay at Benson meant we missed the lock keeper at Day's lock and had to work the boat through manually. More problems getting the engine going but after 10mins or so we managed and carried on to the overnight mooring at Clifton Hampden. Two of the crew set off to the pub whilst skipper and mate pulled the electrics apart to identify and cure the problem. After partially dismantling the dashboard the problem was eventually diagnosed to the main engine battery isolator. Fortunately the last battery upgrade had left a spare so we were able to rectify the problem.
Day 3: Sunday 20th May Clifton Hampden to Shipton Weir Lock
Sunny
30 Lock Miles (21 Miles: 9 Locks: 4 Moveable Bridges)
Set out at 08:45 to arrive at Clifton lock just before the lock keeper came on duty, stopped on the lock mooring behind a narrow boat crewed by blondes, interesting manoeuvres while they got the boat into the lock. Made good progress throughout the morning, and arrived at Iffley to stop at the Isis tavern for a late lunch. I did warn the crew that the service in the Isis had been somewhat poor the last time I had visited. Unfortunately the service more than lived up to expectation with half the food we ordered being given to another table and no burger buns left to make replacements. After an hour and 2 mediocre baked potatoes we gave up and finished lunch on the boat.
After lunch we proceeded to Osney to drop off two of the crew who had to return to work on Monday, we then carried on along the river to Kings lock where we turned into the Duke's cut to join the Oxford canal. This end of the Oxford canal seems to be little more than one long linear mooring. After 4 miles we finally found a quiet mooring just below Shipton Weir lock, where the canal joins the River Cherwell.
Shillingford Bridge- Osney (Oxford)
Day 4: Monday 21st May. Shipton Weir Lock to Anyho
Overcast, windy and occasional light showers
19 Lock Miles (11 Miles: 8 Locks: 4 Moveable bridges)
Set out at a more reasonable time this morning 09:30 and immediately locked up onto the River Cherwell past the flood warning marker showing orange (green = normal orange = proceed with caution red = flood do not proceed) reached Bakers lock without incident and locked out of the river. Slow progress pas many of the moored boats stopping at Heyford Wharf to take on water. One of the boats passing in the opposite direction mentioned that there was an emergency stoppage in the Napton flight, checking Waterscape we discovered this was lock 12 from 06:00 to 14:00 on 22nd May fortunately this should be clear by the time we reach Napton flight.
Called it a day at 17:45 and moored near Anyho Junction just above Chisnell Lift Bridge. Roast free range corn fed chicken for dinner, yummy.
Day 5: Tuesday 22nd May. Chisnell Lift Bridge - Claydon Top Lock
Sunny, windy and cool
32 Lock Miles (15 Miles: 17 Locks: 3 Moveable bridges)
Started at 07:30 and reached Banbury by lunchtime. Stopped for shopping and some lunch before heading off again. Now a good half day ahead of schedule.
Stopped at Broadmoore lock to visit the fender shop, now in new hands but fenders still made by the same guy who has now moved to wales. Purchased a new front fender and rope side fenders for the boat. Discovered that I am not carrying the correct guarentee card for the cheque book I have on the boat, have to settle with a mixture of cash and cheque, but now have no spare cash left.
Reached the summit level at the top of Claydon flight at around 17:30 and spent an hour fitting the new front fender in addition to the existing one, will give it a good try out tomorrow.
Dinner on the boat, poached fish, potato and cauliflower with brie, thank goodness I am getting plenty of exercise :)
Day 6 Wednesday 23rd May. Claydon Top Lock - Napton on the Hill
Very Sunny and warm all day.
21.5 lock miles (12.5 miles 9 locks)
Up at 06:30 to turn off the boiler which was not firing up then back to bed. Up at 09:30 to do the chores, including finding out why the boiler was not working, three possible explanations, lack of fuel, low battery or needing maintenance. Quickly eliminate the batteries when these are checked and topped up with water, so check the fuel and find it is down to the last quarter tank, this plus the angle the boat was lying at is enough to starve the boiler of fuel, so no hot water this morning. Will need to find a boatyard this morning that takes plastic!
Otherwise a nice leisurely start this morning with full breakfast before setting off around 11:00. Reached Fenny Compton marina at 12:20 to find they were shut for lunch untill 13:30, stopped and had a coffee. Filled up with diesel (137liters @51p a liter) pumped out the toilet and got a few bits from the chandlrey all for a mere £95.
Lunch on the move and arrived at the top of the Napton flight around 16:30 moored up for the evening at Napton on the Hill around 18:30.
Only a shot day today with around 6hrs cruising, this plus the long lie in, and lots of telly last night means that the batteries not fully charged, so out with the petrol genny to top them off.
Day 7 Thursday 24th May. Napton on the Hill to Crick
Another Sunny day
27 Lock Miles (14 miles 13 locks)
Another early start and on our way by 07:30 passing Braunston the heart of the english canal system and onto Norton Jnc to join the Leicester main line fro the short trip to Crick, arrived at the bottom of Watford locks (gap not junction) around 14:00 and joing a queue of around 15 boats waiting to take there turn through the flight and its staircase flight of 4 narrow locks. finally through the locks around 18:00 and then arrived at Crick at around 19:00.