Banbury at Castle Quay.

Again we visited here about 25 years ago and boy what a difference 25 years makes. There is now a shopping centre (Castle Quay) built right on the canal. So of course it was off for a bit of retail therapy ( which I don't mind when you have only got to walk 200 yards to get to the shops).


We have managed to stock up with fresh fruit and other perishables so the larder is looking very full and healthy. I visited the local museum and learnt a bit about the area ( again this is slap bang on the quayside) I wanted to visit Tooleys's Historic Boatyard which has been left where it has always been on the quay and the shopping complex built around it. ( we British are very good at preserving our history) Never mind we are here overnight so I can go over in the morning and catch a tour of the place which they run every two hours at no cost.

We intend to travel at a leisurely pace from now on (could we get any slower) as we want to look around all the villages along the route and we have some friends from Tenerife who live in the area
who we plan to see over the next week.

The famous Banbury Cross
( not the original this was erected to celebrate the wedding of one of Queen Victoria's Children)



The Fine Lady on a white horse

This tells the tale

Clever Flower display of Hobby Horses at the Banbury Cross

The Floating Market ( which is on for the week) Luckily Christine was all shopped out.

 



The Flower baskets are really a credit to the town council

Boats moored along Castle Quay
(The shopping complex is behind the railings above the boats)

Another view of the floating market

Another one for Barry and Margaret.
This is one of The Old English Inns that my company used to help refurbish
Good Days eh! Barry

Christine enjoying the Retail Therapy


This one relates Cropredy really
it is the Act Line up for the festival

Cropredy a day in the past

Well what a great and unexpected day we have had today. Had breakfast then wandered into Cropredy at about 9.30am. We had been here before many years ago ( about 25) on a narrow boat holiday with friends. We didn't really look around then so there was nothing familiar to us except the Red Lion PH (well we were on holiday)

The village itself is what you would expect, thatched cottages, well kept gardens, nice pubs, village church etc and very friendly people. We had a good look around doing a full circle of the village, went to the site where the Folk Festival will be held and then to the famous Bridge Store for a few provisions.


The Village sign As you can see there is plenty going on around here

The Red Lion PH (UNFORTUNATELY CLOSED ON THIS VISIT)

Christine off to Church

They won't let her in

Sign at the Bridge where the Battle took place.

Cottages with nice gardens and of course Pubs



The glass with the face dates from the Middle Ages
This is in the Church

This is one of five cast iron stands that recounts a poem about the Lock Bridge
and they stand facing the Lock (unusual)

Not sure who this was named after but I have followed a few
around Cropredy!!!

Fantastic example of the Thatchers craft



Close up detail of the Pheasant (it even has the plume)

Getting the Festival Site ready

Yours Truly



Pointed out this Tree House to Christine



Me and my big mouth

FOR THE BOYS

Now for the unexpected chapter. I wandered around the back of the store to look at the Cropredy Garage who advertised that they were Jensen Specialists. I thought I might get a look at one that was in for a service. Imagine my surprise (sorry girls if this is boring) when I saw several FF Interceptors and Interceptors in various states of re-build and then further round the back about ten awaiting attention. It really made the day for me as I have always liked Jensen Cars. Iremember When the FF Interceptor was first produced it was £5500.00 and at that time you could have bought a nice house for that amount of money. Now a good one will cost in the region of £60,000

Are you Drooling yet



Chrysler V8

This is The very last FF Interceptor off the production line worth around £80-£100,000 wow
Mind you that wouldn't get much of a house these days

And yet another one



It' getting even better

and another

Last but not least  Who remembers "The Baron" TV  series this was the model he drove
(fastest Production car of it's day used a Ford V8)

As I said a great day and it amazes me what you can find in a sleepy Old English Village when you bother to look around

Napton Summit to Cropredy

Another fine day aren't we lucky. We managed to get to Cropredy this evening about 6.30pm  but will look around the village tomorrow. We stopped off for lunch before tackling the Claydon and Cropredy lock flights. Cropredy is filling up with boats already for the World Famous Folk Festival in two weeks time (they recon to get in excess of 400 boats here when the festival begins). glad we are getting through now but even so we have had to moor about a mile downstream from the village.


Pretty canal side garden

Christine on her morning constitutional

Christine showing a leg for a lift ( I THOUGHT ABOUT IT)
but she is back on board



Negotiating a lift bridge

Feet up at last and a bit of music wonderful

Boating Community on The Oxford Canal

Lunch Alfresco at The Towpath Inn

See I can Drive This Boat

Already mooring for the Folk Festival in two weeks time

Cropredy Marina room for 249 boats



While we were having breakfast Mr Buzzard was looking for lunch

One for Dave and Betty
 "Diesel Boat for Sale"
 NOW YOU CAN ENSURE YOU  GET FUEL AT A GOOD PRICE

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Braunston to the top of the Napton Flight

Another leisurely start today set off around 10am after visiting the Chandlers to replace fenders we had lost last season going through the locks with them down which is a total No! No! ( We have resolved ourselves to only using them when mooring or rafting up with other boats with our memories Fat Chance Eh)

We tackled the Napton flight of eight locks without incident and moored up at 6.30pm I had a welcome beer and Christine had a cuppa. All showered and fed, now settling down for the night with a bit of telly, first in at least three or four days.

Onto The Oxford Canal

Windmill at Napton on thr Hill

Getting lined up

Going in

And Safely out

Off duty at Brize Norton ?

Looking at this I think I will have to do a few more of these locks

Have you HERD the HS2 is coming this way

The final lock of the flight around the bend

Christine's favourite  Wild Flowers