Friday 2nd January 2009
Location: Banbury, Oxfordshire, Oxford Canal
Today: 2 miles, 2 locks. Total distance: 1941 miles. Total locks: 1331
Woke up to another cold day.
Pulled the pins at just after 08:00 and headed on down to Banbury. There had been a heavy frost over night and a light shower of early morning rain making the locks treacherous.
Moored up on the 14 day visitor’s moorings just north of the town. There was only the one space left when I arrived so I was lucky. It’s not my favorite mooring on the system as it is right beside a large bakery that operates 24/7 with heavy lorries coming and going all night. Still, beggars can’t be choosers as they say and I don’t intend to stay long.
Took Archie for a quick walk before visiting Tesco to stock up with some odds and ends.
Popped into the shopping centre and managed to buy a new battery for my mobile phone. Hopefully it will solve the problem of the battery just dying even though it was showing a full charge only minutes before.
Both Tesco and Banbury shopping centre were very very busy but then the kids are all still off school/university and it looks like a lot of folk are still off work.
There is a house right beside the canal just a short way north of Banbury. The owners have mounted a portrait of themselves on the outside wall for passers by to see – a very novel idea – it always makes me smile though when I see it. The owner of the house saw me taking the photo and opened the window to shout Merry New Year, a very jovial chap, nice to see it in this day and age.
Current Mooring
Little Bourton lock and lock keepers house - now owned by local boaters
Note the track through the ice - a cool morning....
Note the portrait of the owners - on the wall, top left - always makes me smile.....
Approach to North Banbury - these are the long term moorings
A very cold night last night. The bedroom was down to 9 degrees C when I woke up this morning, the lowest I can ever remember seeing. A few logs on the fire soon brought the whole boat back up to a comfortable temperature.
Took Archie and my camera for a walk down through Banbury this morning, photos below.
The only boat to move so far today is Nene Pilot. They have a long term mooring just along from where I am at the moment and I suspect they move into Banbury to take on water.
There is a fallen Willow tree right across from my mooring. If it was Ash, it would be on the roof by now!!
I had intended to move to a quieter spot south of Banbury today but with the ice being so thick, it just wasn’t worth the effort. I will move when the weather warms up a touch and the ice disappears.
Banbury shopping centre
Banbury main visitor's moorings
Banbury lift bridge
Banbury lock
nb Nene Pilot breaking the ice at 14:00. Moving off home mooring to go for water I suspect
Sovereign Wharf - Banbury
Sovereign Wharf - Banbury
Spiceball Park, right next to my current mooring.
Very popular with dog walkers
Tooley's - nb Epiphany is in being blacked at the moment
This fallen willow try is right opposite my window. If it was Ash, I would have it
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