Napton to Fenny Compton to Cropredy.



Trying to catch up here, day after day of useless signal.
I seem to remember this area on the way up the country and the stress it caused by chucking me off line when ever it felt like it.
A bit older and a bit wiser now, recognising the signs of bad Internet before they drive you mad is easier.

Awoken on Sunday by a funny swooshing sound passing the boat.

It turned out to be these two in a pedalo bashing along the canal, they seem to be on a charity mission but as yet I haven't been able to search the Internet to find out more.

Here is "that" house, they have stripped all the white rendering from the walls and I for one, am not too sure that was a good idea. The house looks okay from here but get up close and the brickwork has suffered quite badly from the stripping.
The famous vista from the hill of this lock has now changed and the new look made the front cover of the National Geographic as a comparison.




One of my worst days locking followed.
It is extremely busy around here, more so at the weekend, so we stayed put through Sunday and made a start on Monday morning. We were moored no more than a ten minutes chug from the bottom lock, no boats had passed us for three hours so off we went.
There were FOUR boats queuing to go up when we got there.
What? Where? How? When? Did they come out of thin air or did they queue all night?

So, whilst waiting our turn three more boats arrived behind us, now we are in a convoy, 10/4.

Just over three hours to do...........eight locks, we can get up the Hatton in that time.




Onward.
This canal twists and turns like an eel on a hook, in some parts you are actually going back the way you came.
The Nicholson's, at this point refers to Brindley as," having a horror of straight lines".




This mast is huge and therefore you can see it from all angles and all distances as you wend your way through the twists and curves. ( haven't used the coal yet)

Cottage for sale!

Nice and rural, only four legged neighbours and great views. Must be self sufficient.

We are now at Cropredy for the night after another very busy day dodging boats.

This place was the scene of one of Cromwell's battles in June 1644. But he lost to the Royalist Cavalry and Oxford was saved.

I did read that from a book.

Until next time..................................