New Year Trip Report

by Chris Adams

Monday 29 December - We'd arranged to relieve Janet and Chris Hunter at Stockton Top in the afternoon. Arrived there just after 3pm by which time they'd just left. Moved the boat across to the island to ease loading up. After loading we (Kay, me and younger daughter Helen) decided to head off somewhere quieter so we turned right and went for about half an hour before mooring. This gave us a chance to read the manuals to see if we'd done it right - it seems we had. By now it was 6pm and after tidying up and having a meal I spent the rest of the night trying to light the fire and trying to get heat to both the radiators and the taps. I eventually realised that it was only the smokeless fuel that we'd brought with us would stay lit - the coal left kindly by Mike Hobday would not stay lit for me - I guess it needs a hot fire to start with. As for the heating system I'd read the notes left by others but despite taking that advice still could not get it right - I checked and there was sufficient water in the header tanks. One problem was that the pump that circulates water around the radiators did not appear to kick in unless the bedroom thermostat was set to about 10 degrees higher than the actual temperature (i.e. you could hear the thermostat click at between 20 and 22 degrees but the pump itself would not work unless the 'stat was wound round to 30). As for the battle between taps v. radiators, I gave up and set the flow (under galley sink) to be fully "on" for the radiators - this still seemed to produce some warm water for the taps. I realise that others have noted that the "flow" tap works best part way between open and closed - this didn't work for us and our priority was to heat the boat up. There's plenty of hot tap water (more than a bath full) after the engine has run for an hour or so.

Tuesday 30 December - We stopped at Calcutt boats for diesel, pumpout and gas as the Stockton Top facilities had closed when the Hunters had returned there (thanks to Chris for the cash left on the boat for these things). Calcutt were initially reluctant to do the pump out but were happy to sell gas and diesel. Their reluctance was probably a combination of freezing temperatures affecting their aging equipment plus they don't like getting it all started for just one boat. Technically they were closed but just happened to be in to catch up on some work. Anyway I doubt if we'll ever normally need their pumpouts with Stockton Top being so close.

At Napton junction we turned left and arrived in Braunston in time for lunch. Had lunch at The Plough in the village then stocked up on essentials in the Londis shop on the main street (the only other shop is a good looking butchers but we didn't need anything from them). Returned to the boat about 3.30pm, winded at the Marina, and did an hour back towards Napton before mooring up in a remote spot. Spent the evening relaxing in a nice warm boat !.

Wednesday 31 December - Hoped to make an early start but found that the canal was covered in thin ice and didn't fancy being the first boat to break it. So we had a leisurely breakfast, then 2 boats came through at 10.00am so we set off and followed them straight through Napton and on to the Southern Oxford. Stopped at the Folly Pie pub at 12 noon and waited around for it to open - got fed up after about 10 minutes and decided to push on.

We got through the Napton locks fine, then hit the summit level of the S. Oxford. This was harder work than expected - it's very twisty with loads of sharp blind bends. Many of the approaches to the bends are silted up causing the tiller to stop responding as it ploughs through the silt. Plus of course there's the tiller itself !!! - from the outset we realised that steering was much heavier than we had anticipated - the tiller is always pulling to the left causing the boat to steer right - my preferred cure was to drop the revs to 1600 (i.e. just above the point where the transmission whines) and stand right at the back using my body weight to lean against the tiller. However I realise that this approach will not suit everyone. Anyway onward we pushed, through the wind, round the bends, through the silt, for we had a goal - and our goal was the pub at Fenny Compton Wharf for some New Year festivities. Darkness fell and onward we went. As usual the boat headlight wasn't much use in seeing where we were going in the dark but we got through to the Wharf OK by about 5.15pm. We used a big blue powerful halogen light that was on board (whoever provided this - thanks) to line ourselves up along the moored boats and to pick out a suitable mooring point.

New Years Eve in the pub was great - not too busy - to round off the night they had fireworks at midnight, although as a consequence of the wind not all of them went where they should have !

Thursday 1 January - Happy New Year - Relatively early start (9.30 am) as we needed to be in Banbury early. Stopped briefly in Cropredy to ring our elder daughter Jennifer who was traveling by train to meet us in Banbury. It was a nuisance that the mobi phone on the boat had not been installed as public phones were very few and far between - every pub seems to have removed theirs now that (almost) everyone has their own mobi.

Pushed on to Banbury and Jennifer was walking along to towpath towards us - seems she'd zoomed over us earlier at 100 odd mph as we were pottering through a lock. We moored at about 3pm in the centre of Banbury alongside the Castle Quay development. Jennifer declared that she was pleased with the boat - just as well as we'd given her the luxurious front saloon to sleep in while we were in the galley wedged between the stove and the fridge ! (Helen had already decided that the fixed double would be acceptable to her !). Went for a walk around town and a meal in the evening - there's a good selection of Indian, Thai and Chinese restaurants within 5 minutes walk. The moorings in Banbury centre are great, directly outside the shopping precinct and around the corner from traditional Banbury. Because the new Castle Quays precinct has no leisure facilities its very quiet after the shops have closed.

Friday 2 January - Early morning shopping expedition through M&S, Debenhams, BHS, Somerfields and the High Street, then back to the boat to continue through the town and we winded just south of the town. Moored up north of town for lunch then on to Cropredy for the evening. Went for a pint or two in the Red Lion but as the menu didn't please all of us (a bit pricey) we ate on the boat.

Saturday 3 January - Replaced a gas bottle at Fenny Compton and took lunch at the Wharf pub. The food in here is very good (eat in restaurant or at bar) and is fairly reasonably priced - good beers as well. We pushed our way around the bends of the summit level for the rest of the afternoon and moored up in a remote spot.

Sunday 4 January - Dropped down the Napton locks and went for a pint in the Napton Bridge. We would have eaten there but wanted to get back to Stockton Top well before dusk so we ate on the move. I was volunteered to spend part of the afternoon on the roof brasso-ing - good job there's not many bridges along that stretch. Kay was busy inside cleaning the debris that accumulates in a week. Arrived back at the marina at about 3.30pm. The marina was totally full and were advised to leave the boat on the towpath opposite the pub. Off loading was easy here after moving the car round. Finally mopped off the rear, left a blank cheque, switched off and locked up by 4.30pm. Then it was just posting the EOH report and we set back up the M6 and the wonderfully quiet M6 Toll.