“Heron. Dead centre down the
still canal. A blue ghost flies with a
mussel shell clamped lightly in its bill.
Folding the daybreak’s river mist with the creaking steps of its flight
past the diamonds and daisies on the cratch of the narrowboat clove hitched to
a cast iron bollard, past the dredger’s hopper, the humpbacked bridge then
drops the empty shell still hinged by a thread among flints and ashkeys on the
tow-path.”
I also found a yarn bombed seat and wheelbarrow.
From Thrupp we headed up towards Upper Heyford – our goal for today. At
Shipton Lock where the canal and the River Cherwell merge for a while there is
a digital sign showing the river state, however the lights are flashing
randomly – I’m glad we aren’t worried about flooding at present.
Just before Baker’s Lock is a railway bridge. There is a sign that says, “Stop and wait for
an escort”. There wasn’t a soul in sight
so we went through and just hoped that there wasn’t anything under the water
that we couldn’t see.
We stopped for lunch just after Pigeon’s Lock and then continued on our
way.
As we approached Dashwood’s Lock a boat was coming out and, believe it
or not, one was coming down the canal just as we were leaving – how good was
that???
The moored boats at Lower Heyford seem to go on forever and on tick-over
takes an inordinate time. However, the
last boat was the one we were looking for – Travels with Tea along with Trishie
and the two flat coat retrievers, Pip and Roo.
Jem has gone back to work, so he wasn’t there when we arrived. Trishie came on board for a cup of tea and
then went back to await Jem’s return.
Later on, Richard and I walked down to Travels with Tea and we had a
lovely evening drinking the odd glass of wine and catching up.
During the afternoon a boat, Bella Blue, came past and the lady at the
helm said that she reads my blog. I do
love it when readers become people!
8.17 miles
5 locks
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